WELCOME! Gardening in this region is not for the faint of heart!
Southwest New Mexico Gardener is focused on helping those of us who would love to grow our own food in a desert/high desert environment. I have been gardening for well over 40 years now in various US locations, and hands down this is the most difficult area to grow food. As anyone who’s ever tried to nurse a newly planted tomato seedling through gale force spring winds with no luck, you understand that the rules…I’m looking at you, Better Homes and Gardens and Fine Gardening…just do not apply here.
The pandemic has taught us too well about our supply chain inadequacies, so how can we take a little more control of our food supply? Not to mention harvesting and eating our own food provides better tasting, more nutritious food. I created this website as an educational tool to pass on what I have gleaned from my failures and successes. Somehow, those who came before us survived and even thrived in what most would consider an inhospitable environment. The Zunis used waffle gardens to concentrate monsoon rainwater around the root systems of their corn, beans, and squash. Mexican farmers understood the importance of seasonal flooding to provide a fresh shot of nutrients to the soil. Today, there are people like Brad Lancaster of Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond and Gary Nabhan of Growing Food in A Hotter, Dryer Land encouraging us to think outside the box.
Never stop learning and trying new ideas!