Southwest Gardening

Plant Damage in the Southwest

2018-10-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

Plant Damage in the Southwest. The recent minus degree weather here in the Southwest has done damage to numerous plant life.

Here is a list of what some will and will not do.

Most well established trees 5 years or older that went into dormancy stage (loss of leaves) will most likely come back with no problems. Exceptions: Palo Verdes, Eucalyptus, and possibly the Carolina Laurel's. Mesquite and Chilean trees should survive.

Junipers and Cypresses bush, trees and shrubs should have no problem. Most will probably turn a reddish color but the green color will return with warmer weather.

Plant Damage in the Southwest

Lantanas: If you didn't cut back and cover heavily during Nov-Dec that chances that they will come back are nil.

Palm Trees: California, Mediterrean, and Mexican Fan Palms took a big hit...most likely you will have to replace them. If they have been there for more than 5 years I would wait to see if they show signs of life in Early April.

Some that were protected by other trees or plants might come back. Sago palms will most likely have to be replaced.

Mock Orange (pittosporum) probably will not come back. If they look red or a brownish color they will have to be replaced.

Wax Leaf Privets will survive the below zero degree weather. As will Most Hollies and India Hawthrone.

Cactus: Most will not survive and will have to be cut back considerably or possibly remove altogether. This includes agave plants. Most outdoor varieties of Yucca plants should survive.

Lawns: Bermuda should have no problem coming back but the process of turning green will be delayed. Fescue and Kentucky Blue grasses will look bad until early spring.

Roses: If you haven't already cut them back to about a 1/3 of the way down. Most roses are semi dormant in this part of the country. But, the weather last week has probably made most roses go completely dormant.

All pine trees such as the Eldrica, Aleppo, Italian Stone, and the Colorado Spruce trees will have no problem with the deep freeze temps.

We are still in the Winter season...use common sense when planting right now. Pay attention to the weather...predicting the weather is a complicated process and many times weathermen, TV and radio stations do not always get it right.

Cover your plants with thermal plant blankets most nurseries should have this product in stock. If not...tell them to get some.

Guzmansgreenhouse.com

Paul Guzman

How To Attract Butterflies To Your Garden

2012-04-29T09:17:00.001-07:00

In order to attract butterflies to your garden, you have to make your landscape more appealing to them. You’ll need to get the right plants that the caterpillars can use, food for the adult butterflies, and a pleasant place for the butterflies to breed and thrive.

Many types of butterflies will also need some sort of shelter from the wind. Most butterflies really like the open areas with a lot of sun, you’ll probably need to use some sort of windbreak to protect them from high winds that can disturb them.

Where do Butterflies Hide?

Butterflies often come together by the edges of mud puddles. You may have seen this before. No one knows why butterflies enjoy mud puddles so much, but many experts claim certain minerals that are present in the muddy water are what attracts them there. If you want to attract a lot of butterflies, you might consider keeping some damp areas in your garden.

The female adult butterflies need plants that can be eaten by the caterpillars that hatch from their own eggs. Black swallow tails prefer dill and parsley. The Monarch butterflies normally only lay their eggs on milkweed. Female butterflies spend a lot of time searching for these type of plants to lay their eggs on.

What do Butterflies Eat?

Adult butterflies eat nectars from various flowers. Flowering plants that contain ample nectar are especially attractive to butterflies. These flowers are usually brightly colored and sweetly scented. Some species of butterflies feed on the honeydew produced by aphids. Some even feed on plant spa, bird feces, or rotting fruit!

Your butterfly garden should contain at least one big patch of flowers that will attract butterflies. You may want to get flowers that bloom in sequence, because this will keep butterflies visiting your garden more often.

It is important to note that many flowers that are preferred by butterflies are considered weeds. For example, dandelion is very attractive to several types of butterflies. Thistle is another weed that many types of butterflies like.

If you have an herb garden or vegetable garden, you may notice some butterflies congregating on some of your plants there. The European cabbage butterfly enjoys broccoli, cabbage, and other cruciferous vegetables. The black swallowtail often frequents herbs such as dill and parsley.

Do your best to use non-toxic insecticides in your garden unless absolutely necessary, because they can kill caterpillars. Many insecticides can also kill the adult butterflies if they land on plants that have been treated, or if they drink nectar that was polluted by poison.

What type of flowers should you plant?

Flowers you should plant if you like to attract butterflies include cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cabbage, herbs like parsley and dill, and many types of flowers. Other good flowering plants for butterfly gardens include cosmos, marigolds, asters, lilacs, verbena, zinnias, sunflowers, thistles, bee balm, and sweet pea. And of course the "Butterfly Bush".

Making your garden friendly for butterflies doesn’t take a lot of extra work. Just be sure to keep a small wet area for them and using some of the plants we mentioned on this post. You will enjoy this often enough to attract numerous butterflies to your garden.

Guzmans Greenhouse

How to protect flowers and plants from diseases

2012-04-18T05:35:00.000-07:00

Plants and flowers are not immune from disease, and you should be prepared to take action to help your flowers if they fall prey to one of these diseases. Flowers and plants can succumb to diseases, like bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

Fungi can live dormant in the soil, even without plants, for quite a long time. Even if you grow your flowers in an area that’s been bare for a long time, fungi can still be there, waiting for you to plant something that it can attack. So don’t think starting with bare soil will protect your flowers.

Fungi are very hard to kill, because they reproduce through spores that can spread very rapidly. A single plant infected with a fungus can spread up to 100 million spores! Some fungi can enter a plan through the roots, and some enter through the leaves. You will need to work hard to get rid of a fungal infection your flowers or plants so it will not return.

Bacteria can’t live in bare soil for very long. They can’t grow and multiply without moisture and warmth. Bacterial infections are more prevalent in areas where the weather is warm and wet. In the southwestern states it is usually dry, but the monsoon seasons can be very wet.

Bacteria is often spread through things like overhead watering that causes water to splash up onto plants. Watering at night is not a good idea. Bacteria often get into a cut stem or leaf, so you should watch for damage to your plants.

Can viruses live in the soil? They are only able to reproduce inside the cells of a plant. They are usually transmitted by insects, or they can infect seeds or pollen that can be spread to other plants. Viruses usually enter plants through cuts in the stems or leaves.

The best thing to do is to take care of your sick flowers is to diagnose the problem. Read books or online resources to attempt to identify any problems. You’ll really need to have some sort of resource available that can help you identify any problems, because you won’t be able to properly treat your flowers if you don’t know what’s wrong with them.

You can also visit your local garden center or extension service to ask for advice. If you aren’t able to identify a problem on your own, you can visit one of these places to seek help. You can simply describe your problem, but it would be best to take in pictures of the problem if you can. Sometimes pictures can help much more than a description.

Whenever possible, you should try treating your flowers with organic methods first. Chemicals can sometimes damage your plants as much as the disease, and they’re also very bad for the environment. It is possible to treat your problem organically, fungicides and chemicals can do the job but there are organic solutions. http://www.guzmansgreenhouse.com/organicgardeningsupply.htm

Some flowers are more delicate than others. Roses, can be highly susceptible to a wide variety of problems. Roses can get a problem called black spot, blistered leaves, and flowers that won’t open due to bugs called thrips. Be sure to know what problems your flowers can be susceptible to, so you’ll already be prepared to take care of any problems by the time they occur.

At Color Your World Nurseries we can help you diagnosis your flowering, vegetable or plant problems.

Designing a Rock Desert Garden

2012-04-17T19:27:00.001-07:00

Learning how to design a desert rock garden is pretty easy. With enough design knowledge and inspiration you can get a beautiful rock garden. There just as many ways to design your garden as there are rocks and plants that could go in your garden, but careful planning can ensure you have a garden that is aesthetically pleasing and will become a rewarding experience as your neighbors look on your yard with envy and they will.

In the first place designing your rock garden is to look at your space. Every lawn has at least a ground surface. Many will include grass, weeds, trees, and other shrubs and or plants. If you have a section of your land that doesn’t have any vegetation, then this is probably a good location for your desert rock garden.

A good method of rock gardens is to take bedrock and show the bedrock jutting from the ground with a vegetation plane above it. In this arrangement, the plants are there to hide the cracks in the bedrock or even give an illusion to there being a single piece of bedrock, instead of lots of little pieces.

One method is the Japanese rock garden. This method is usually just sand in a contained area with a few rocks, and designs traced into the sand with a rake. This can be very pretty and you could change the look as often as you wanted to.

After taking a look at your landscape, you should first choose any area that already doesn’t have anything growing on it. If you’re looking at a pile of dirt or a natural rockscape, then you are lucky, because your pre-planning stage is already done.

If you have a solid plane of grass all around your house, then your job is a little harder. You could use the rock garden to enhance your driveway or your walkway, or any way in between. Maybe you want to break up the land by having a rock garden between some shrubs or even if your location is completely bare except for the grass.

Clear your area of everything. You don’t want any chance vegetation appearing in your rock garden because that would throw off the design. Then, you get rocks! But, not just any rocks. Consider your area and what rocks are indigenous to your area and get only those.

If you already have a rocky area in your yard it will provide an excellent start. You should consider breaking up those rocks up and using them in another area of your landscape. So...now what about plants?

Consider what plants your area would have in rocky desert areas. These plants are typically small and need less water than other plants. If you’re going for the “mimic nature” approach, then your choice of plants will be limited as you’ll have to follow your area’s ecology to make sure you mimic them accurately.

The best way to arrange a rock garden is to take a few rocks of random sizes, probably no more than five, and make some small piles with them. Don’t arrange the rock piles in a linear pattern as this is not the method in nature.

If you wish to add plants, then add them sparingly in between a lot of rock piles or even interspersed with the rock piles. Any vegetation in your rock garden should be done on purpose. Then you’ll have your completed, low maintenance, lawn decoration.

http://www.guzmansgreenhouse.com

Exercising tips for the online marketer

2011-10-20T14:11:00.001-07:00

What does exercising have to do with online marketing? Plenty! Most online marketers spend way too much time sitting on that comfortable chair you bought for the sole purpose of making money with your computer. Whether you are becoming successful or not is a moot point. Sitting on your ass all day long will make you fat, lethargic, and unhealthy. Don’t you want to enjoy your money once it starts flowing in?

Yes, I am being a bit sarcastic and facetious but you know deep in your heart exercising will help you become much more productive. I have here some good exercising tips to help you become a better, blogger, writer and Internet Marketer.
Exercising equipment inside your workspace.

Do you have a thread mill? Do you ever use it? If so how often? One excellent way to use it much more often is to move it inside your work area. Writing, publishing and adding new content is what you are probably doing. Exercising is the furthest thought from your mind. But if you have your equipment such as thread mill, weight bench, jump rope etc…right in the same area you are more apt to stop your computer stuff and start exercising. It really works.
Have you ever posted, downloaded or are awaiting an answer from a forum you are subscribed to? This is the perfect time to start a quick 15-20 exercise routing. Run in place, crunches, push ups or a some reps on your weight bench. It’s amazing how much energy you have after 20 minutes of continuous exercising.

Two Cities, One Week: Charlotte, North Carolina - Google Small Business

2011-04-15T19:24:00.000-07:00

Two Cities, One Week: Charlotte, North Carolina - Google Small Business

Las Cruces Palm trees and Cold Weather

2011-02-21T19:12:00.000-08:00

In my previous post I mentioned the large number of plants that died during the first week of February. Due to the extreme -degree weather. Read the post here Plant Damage

The damage won't be fully assessed until early spring. Usually around mid April. We are getting tons of calls from customers, citizens, and landscapers asking about what folks can plant that can tolerate the extreme cold.

However in this post I will write about plants that did survive and how this might influence your future landscaping needs.

Reports from customers all throughout the southwest claiming temperatures in their backyard were about -12 degrees. True native plants and trees seemed to fair much better than non-natives.
Here is a small list of plants from around the Mesilla Valley that you might consider using as replacement plants.

Cresote Bush. Still green and growing.
Honey Mesquite trees and shrubs. Still dormant but should recover nicely.
Spanish and Sword Dagger. Still with green fronds as sharp as needles.
Texas Mountain Laurel...some light damage but will look good once spring arrives.
New Mexico Pinon. As evergeen as ever.
Desert Willow. Still dormant but should start seeing green in late April.
Rio Grande or Western Cottonwoods. Dormant but will leaf out in late March.
Yellow Bird of Paradise.(Not the Red Bird of Paradise).
New Mexico Privet.
Bear and Deer Grass.
Soap Tree Yucca.
Red and Yellow Tip Yuccas.
Chinese Pistache trees. They can take alot of abuse and very drought tolerant.

If you live in or around Las Cruces and plan on replacing your frozen shrubs and plam trees it might be a good idea to print this list out for future reference.

Need more information please visit our website at guzmansgreenhouse.com

Thanks from Paul

Winterizing trees, shrubs and lawns for the Southwest

2010-10-28T14:09:00.000-07:00

Winterizing Plants for the Southwest

The year is on its’ way out already. Wow, that was fast. Now what to do in your garden?

Look for the obvious. Are some leaves starting to turn or fall on the ground? Are wayward branches causing an unbalanced look to your trees or shrubs? Do you have seed pods from various plants littering daily? Is there a plant that still needs that extra bit of fertilizer before the winter sets in?

These are all signs to be looking for when maintaining you garden. If you do these simple tasks now, the transition into spring will be much easier.

We start with the obvious. The falling leaves. If at all possible please try to incorporate these, nutrient rich, soil building, root insulating wonders of nature back into the garden. You can start a compost pile or grind them back up into and around tree wells, ground covers, flower and vegetable beds. The smaller you crush the leaves the quicker they will break down into the soil. This action will help prevent soil compaction, minimize water run off, reduce winter weeds, as well as helping to insulate tender perennials and roots.

If you have some unbalanced trees or shrubs you can do some light pruning. It is ok to remove a few branches or limbs this time of year to keep your plants neat and tidy. A good rule of thumb is to have a reason for every cut make before actually remove part of the plant. Use caution, however, you would do best to do a majority of your heavy pruning at the onset of spring instead of late fall. Doing so could stimulate tender growth which will be more susceptible to winter damage.

What is winterizing?

Seed pods hanging on a tree or shrub can mean seedlings sprouting up where you don’t want them. If you don’t mind extra plant material growing rampant, then let nature take its’ course. If you don’t want these extra plantings around, then now it is the time to remove them. It actually would have been better to remove them when they first appeared in most cases. Most flowering plants will bloom for a longer period of time if the seed pods are promptly removed.

Now is also the time to winterize your lawns trees and shrubs. A winterizer fertilizer contains a higher amount of potash. This is the last number listed on any fertilizer label.
This nutrient helps plants raise their resistance to winter damage. It also helps strengthen weak limbs and branches. Again this product is used during this time of year particularly on plants that have shown previous winter damage. It also contains nitrogen and phosphorous, which will help aid in a quick “awakening” for next spring.

The “not so obvious”, thing you can do at this time of year is to reduce watering! Please, help save our most precious commodity. You would be surprised to find out how many people over water during the cooler months of the year. I find some still water every day or even every other day during the winter months. In most cases I have found once every 10 to 14 days or even longer will suffice on most established plantings. This is a guide line only. Every landscape will have its’ own exceptions. The best thing is, “trial and error”. See how long your plants can go until they show signs of stress, without extra watering. You may be surprised how much less water your plants will actually use. Of course you would water more if our winter is dry and warm. One would water less often if we have rain or snowfall in our short winter months.

We really do have a wonderful fall/winter climate so get out there and soak up our bright winter sun!
Gary Guzman
Color Your World Greenhouse

Fall Color Trees for The Las Cruces Area

2010-10-28T14:05:00.000-07:00

Fall Color Trees for The Southwest

Here’s a small list of trees that offer fall color in Southern New Mexico and West Texas.

The Chinese Pistache is one that takes on fall colors on its’ own. If you are picky about the fall color of a tree, this is one that may be better off chosen during the time of year that it changes. This tree can range from red, yellow, orange, pink, burgundy or any combination of the fore mentioned. The variation of color can be attributed to the genetics of each individual tree, and or the type of soil and fertilizer the tree is provided throughout the year.

Red oaks also have a beautiful fall color. The Shumard, Northern Red, or Pin Oak will do well if planted in richly amended soil, and are fertilized with acid forming fertilizer. In most cases additional amounts of iron chelate may be needed to keep these oaks thriving in our alkaline soils. If you are willing to do this for these oaks you will be rewarded with a beautiful healthy green leafed tree in the summer, and blessed with its’ brilliant red foliage in the fall.

Ash trees will also have some fall color. The Raywood Ash, which has very dark green leaves in the summer, will take on a gorges purple hue during the fall season. The Modesto, Berrinda, Bonita, and Arizona ash will generally take on a bright yellow or golden fall color. These trees are very tolerant of our alkaline soils and hot dry summers, so they make excellent trees for the gardener who prefers a low maintenance tree.

Ginkgo Biloba offers a very deep golden yellow color on a primitive looking leaf. This particular tree grows very slowly in would be very useful in an area with limited space. A named variety called Autumn Gold does not produce the smelly fruit that the non cultivated tree produces. And yes this tree is where the memory pill comes from, I almost “forgot” to mention.

Colorful fall trees for the Southwest

The Chinese Tallow is another tree that has some beautiful fall color as well. The fall colors on this tree are very striking, ranging from reds, yellows, oranges, and pinks. However this tree, when young, may suffer from some winter damage. Older more mature trees can usually withstand some of our colder months with little or no winter damage.

Las Cruces Fall Trees

Keep in mind the amount of cool weather these trees receive before the first hard frost plays a key role in the show of color. The longer our nights stay cool without dipping into well below freezing temperatures, the longer our fall show will be. Also good watering and feeding habits will help contribute to these trees’ full fall glory

Gary Guzman
Color Your World Nursery Website

Why are my leaves turning yellow

2010-10-12T18:38:00.000-07:00

Why are my leaves turning yellow

There are two big reasons why the foliage on trees or shrubs turn yellow.

You are watering too often. Most established trees or plants need only moderate watering once they have been in the ground for more than 3-5 years. Over watering can cause the depletion of the essential element in soil that will turn foliage green. The element is usually nitrogen or iron.
It could be the fall season. Many deciduous plants start to turn their leaves yellow right before the leaves fall...this is one reason fall is called fall! Remember you must have about 20-30 days of below freezing temperatures before this can occur.
Water is essential for all life including plant life. But, if you have a drip system that turns on automatically every other day for the past 4-10 years eventually the natural ocurring elements will drain out. Again, your soil will not have enough nitrogen and iron to keep your trees and plants with good green color.

Yellowing of Leaves

So what is someone to do when your iron and nitrogen are no longer in your soil? It easy you purchase these types of fertilizers at your local nursery. Almost all types of fertilizers have nitrogen but what you are looking for is the first number on the product.

The higher the number the more nitrogen. Here is an example of what I am talking - ahem...I mean writing about. 20-20-20 This is a well balanced fertilizer with an analysis of 20 for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash. There are many fertilizers that have a high concentration of nitrogen and should be used with care too much and you could burn the root system.

Hey, make sure you visit Color Your World Nursery Website...they have ton of free information regarding all plants, trees, and landscaping needs.
Guzman's Greenhouse

Paul Guzman

Cool Weather Veggies in the Southwest

2010-10-12T03:58:00.000-07:00

Cool Weather Veggies in the SouthwestFall is a good time to plant cooler type vegetables. But, where does someone in the Southwestern part of New Mexico go to get good fall weather vegetables?

Here in Color Your World Nursery located in Las Cruces, NM we have hundreds of vegetables ready for planting. They arrive on a weekly basis starting in early October and ending in Late November.

Here is a list of Cool Weather Veggies in the Southwest.

Lettuces.
Kale for eating or outdoor color.
Beets, Parsnips, and Turnips.
Radishes for eating.
Spinach.
Collards.
Peas.
Swiss Chard.
Broccoli.
Cauliflower.
Cabbages.
Onions.

In the Southwestern part of the country, we have many light touches of frost but, most of these vegetables can handle temperatures below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Kale will last all throughout out the winter months.

Not sure how to make the most out of your fall vegetable garden? Ask our friendly staff inside our Store. Or as Gary your gardening question(s) by following this link: Ask Gary Guzman

p.s. We also have a huge stock of colorful bedding plants that will last all winter long. Call us at: 575 521 0496

Fall is the best time to plant stuff

2010-10-08T05:16:00.000-07:00

I get numerous emails, mobile calls, and comments on our forum about when is the best time to plant stuff.
Many people seem to think is during early spring and indeed that is a good time to plant. However, the best time is really in mid fall.

During the fall season many deciduous trees, plants, and flowering shrubs will go dormant. Not only will they lose their leaves they will also stop growing, no height and watering for established plants watering can almost stop.

There is one part of the plant that will continue to grow and thrive. If haven't guessed by now what it is I tell you now. The root system...yes roots from most plants will continue to grow. This is why it is still important to continue watering and fertilizing during the cold fall and winter months for newly planted plants.

Of course you should drop the schedule down quite a bit. Basically once per week on new plants and trees and once per month on drought tolerant plants. You can stop watering good healthy plants over 5 years old but only during the winter months.

Use a good root stimulator for root growth from the get go. Remember a root stimulator is a vitamin for your plants roots not a fertilizer.

At Color Your World Nursery we also have a good supply of root stimulator and winterizer for your lawn grass. If you live in our area - Las Cruces, NM please come by and visit us.

If you have any questions please ask them here:
http://www.guzmansgreenhouse.com/contact.htm

And don't forget to visit our forum. Join and participate our gardening forum today:
http://www.guzmansgreenhouse.com/guzmans-forum/

Thanks from Paul Guzman
Manager - Color Your World Nursery.

How to make bougnvillea plants bloom

2010-07-11T15:57:00.000-07:00

The Bouganvillea plant is a fast, showy vine that shines with bright red and other colors gives it a fine cover for patios or arbors. Also a good ground cover for banks. Use as annual color in colder climates. Evergreen in warmer climates. Full sun. Fast grower to 20 to 30 feet long. There are many varieties to choose from the camarillo, purple queen and gold rush are some that have wonderous color. They are easy to grow in the southwest but like lots of good sun for blooms.

They do not like temperatures below 32 degrees farenheight so be sure to take them in if you live where the cold get below freezing. They will bloom profusely during spring, summer and early fall.

If you want them to bloom all season long use a good fertilizer with lots of phosphorus. Green lights super bloom or BR61 will work great. Ask for them at your local greenhouse nursery. Don't be afraid to trim them when blooms expire then fertilize and water for extra long blooming seasons.

Google Toolbar Updated

2010-07-03T07:55:00.000-07:00

Google Toolbar Updated: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Texas Sage Shrubs

2010-06-25T06:32:00.000-07:00

The monsoon season is upon us and the moisture it brings will be welcomed sight for many here in the Southwestern part of New Mexico. Rabbits have been a big problem for folks who live in the out skirts of cities. Right now they will eat just about anything including your newly planted annuals and perennials.

Texas Sage Shrubs (leucophyllum) are about to bloom profusely. They light up the landscape with bright bluish or purple colors. This type of shrub does very well in the southwest and there are many varieties to choose from.

The Green cloud sage get about 8 maybe 10 feet tall if left alone but can be trimmed for some really nice border type shrubs. Dark green foliage adds contrasts to the bright purple blooms

The Chihuahuan Sage is an evergreen shrub with light green foliage. It is a showy and fragrant lavender flower that will bloom almost all summer long. Compact grower useful as a natural hedge, or xeriscaping landscape garden. It is a slow grower and can up to 5ft. tall.

Chaparral Sage (Salvia clevelandii) - Beautiful desert shrub with blue blooms during spring. 3ft high and wide. Gray Green foilage, low water and moderate grower. No thorns or allergies. Nice shrub for walkways or along shortUse in one's three's or five's for that natural look. 20 degress fahrenheit.

Compact Texas Sage. (Leucophyllum frutescens)
Silver gray foliage backs with pink blooms summer into fall. Compact means small and has rounded evergreen shrub useful for clipped hedges, borders. Tolerates drought, poor soils. This sage is disease and insect resistent, do not overwater. Loves the full Southwestern sun Moderate grower to 3 to 5 feet tall and wide.

There are many others but these are some of the more popular ones. Ask for them at your local nursery.

Watering plants during hot weather

2010-06-21T14:45:00.000-07:00

I am often asked about watering during hot dry conditions. Most folks who live in the Southwest will continue the same watering schedule as if it were spring or fall. This is a big mistake. Temperatures can rise up to 110degress farenheight during the mid day.

Plants, trees are just like people and pets they need extra watering during this time. If you are on water timer up your watering times about 5-10 minute more. Most drought tolerant plants will be alright if they are well established. This could be anywhere from 1 to 5 years and it all depends on what type of low watering plants they are.

It is important to do extra watering on non-native or plants that do better with extra moisture. Watering in the early morning hours is best and deep watering is better than light...sprinkler type watering.

Most first year planting of Junipers, Cypresses, and Pines will rarely recuperate if not enough water is added during the first year. Once they dry up they will most likely perish.

I highly recommended adding a watering system to your landscaping. Be sure to check for leaks and or proper watering flows.

Click Here are some watering saving tips for those who are looking to save money on their water bill

Thanks from Paul Guzman
Southwestern Gardening Tips

Bedding Plants for spring time gardening

2010-04-12T08:35:00.000-07:00

Now is the time to start planting all sorts of bedding plants. Here is a small list of what type of colorful plants to use to make your garden or landscape come alive.

So much color can make your landscaping area come alive. Not to mention the neighbors asking where and how you did it. Just tell them to go on over to "Color Your World Nursery" for the best plants in Southwestern New Mexico. Below is a small list of what they have.

Impatients
Lantana
Marigold
Begonias
Gazanias
Daisy's
Coreposis
Daylillies
Columbine
Penstemon
Ajuga
Black Eyed Susan
Columbine
Salvia
Yarrow
Dianthus
Geraniums

These are only a few bedding plants available at Color Your World Nurseries located in Las Cruces, NM.
Come by and see the stunning colorful plants today.

We also have tons of vegetable and herb plants such as:
Numerous Tomato plants
Onions
Bell Peppers
Numerous types of chili plants
Eggplants
Artichokes

Where to buy fountains in New Mexico

2010-02-05T06:50:00.000-08:00

You can purchase fountains, pottery and statuary for your landscaping needs at Color Your World Nursery. Our retail nursery is located in Las Cruces NM. 540 N Telshor. We have thousands of pottery pieces and fountains that will make your home the perfect paradise for entertaining or just for relaxing.

Here is a video of these wonderous fountains and statuary.
Color Your World Statuary

If you live in the Southwestern part of New Mexico it would be an excellent place to spend some time to see and enjoy the hundreds of pottery, fountains and statuary on site.

The Nursery is open 9-5 Monday thru Saturday and 10-5pm Sundays. We will stay open one hour later beginning in mid March

When to trim Palm Trees.

2010-01-13T13:35:00.000-08:00

When and why you should trim your Palm trees.

During the cold southwestern season Palm trees start to experience winter freeze problems. Most notable are the fronds they start to turn a greyish or brown color. Unless you live in the South portions of Arizona and or California these trees will start to look bad, almost dead looking.

But do not fear unless they have a disease or infested by insects they will come back looking better than ever. But this will not happen until late spring arrives.

Many landscaping professionals like to trim the bad looking fronds. Usually the owner or landscaper professional are not sure when to trim.

It has been my experience not to trim...at least not during the months of January or February. Here is my reasoning. Keeping those bad looking fronds will help keep the inner part of your Palm tree from freezing temperatures they also help with wind and flying birds who like to nest inside. The new fronds sprout out right in the middle of the tree. They act as a blanket surrounding the trees.

Once the weather heats up is when you should consider trimming your Palm trees. If the fronds are not trimmed off at all they will eventually fall off with help from mother nature. It is best for the over health and growth your palm trees that you trim them as the years go by.

Always use Palm Tree food when fertilizing.
Paul Guzman

Time to Prune Trees

2010-01-07T05:57:00.000-08:00

It's been a very cold winter for the southwestern part of New Mexico. Colder than most seasons and this is actually good news. The freezing temperatures will kill off any remaining insects that will hatch more larvae and infest many of our trees and shrubs.

This also means that many trees and plants that are very tolerant of the cold will probably go completley dormant. It also means many more trees to prune. Many novice gardeners think they have to prune their ornamental and fruit trees because it the right thing to do. You do not have prune any tree or plant unless there is real reason to do so.

Fruit trees need pruning if they are growing larger than what you need them to be. Limbs that are touching or growing out of propotion than the rest of the treed need to be pruned. Limbs that are touching electrical, phone, cable wires need to be pruned. Be sure to call city, county or state officials before you prune near any of these type of wires. Depending on your area many of these agencies will do this at no charge.

Branches or limbs that are broken or dead need to be removed. You can usually tell if a branch is still viable by bending one way or the other. If it bends it will shoot out new foliage. If it doesn't it is time to cut if off.

Now that you are out there pruning it is a good idea to further observer your trees. Do they have holes in them are do they looking good or are they still small and thinish. It is possible you may have had borer damage during the warmer months. Fungus and and other diseases is also a problem.

You can prevent some of these problems by using a dormant oil during the early spring season, just before foliage starts to shoot out. Ask for this product at your nearby friendly nursery.

Got questions: You can contact me or ask your questions at http://www.guzmansgreenhouse.com/contact.htm

Flickr

2010-01-04T16:21:00.001-08:00

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

How to plant trees and shrubs

2009-11-24T06:15:00.000-08:00

These tree planting steps are designed for the lower elevations of the desert southwest. But can be applied to almost any zone area.

1. Water - This is the most important factor. You will need to water all trees and shrubs on a daily basis for at least the first 2-3 weeks after planting them. 3-5 gallons or water per 5 ga. tree. This is very critical during the summer months.

2. To ensure successful planting do NOT fertilize right after planting your tree or shrub. Use a good root stimulator to stimulate root growth. Do not fertilize during the winter months. Use a good all purpose tree or shrub fertilizer right after the last frost ( usually after march in the southwest ) Water about twice per month during December, January and March. Typically you should fertilize once in the spring, summer and fall.

3. Most southwestern soils lack acid, use a good compost with some acidity to help root development during planting. You can purchase a pH (potential of Hydrogen) tester to measure levels of acidity or akaline in your soil.
4. If you are using a drip system be sure that the emitter is directly over the root ball of the tree or plant. A couple of inches off may result in insuffcient water to your plant. Many plants have gone to "plant heaven" because of this one mistake.

5. Fertilize your tree or shrub with a good all purpose fertilizer anything close to a 16-8-8 analysis will work great. Leaves turning yellow are sometimes a lack of iron in the soil. Add a fertilizer with iron, liquid iron or ironite. This should be done only when your plants or trees have leafed out.
6. Remember most trees and shrubs need about 6 monts to about 1 year before they are established. Once established Almost all plants will require less water.

7. Native plants need as much watering as other plants during the first year. Once established they will usually thrive with much less water. Once a month during winter and about 1 per week during the dry hot summer months.

8. Be sure the root ball on all container plants are intact when planting them. Do NOT expose the roots. The plant will go in extreme shock and may die.

9. Remove and clear any and all weeds and rocks that may be in the area. Weeds will suck out water and nutrients from the soil. Large rocks or debris will hinder root development.

10. Continually check and observe your tree, shrub or plant making sure there are no signs of diseases or insect problems. Insects love new leaf growth. Diseases are usually fungal. Signs are usually wilting, slow growth, leaves turning yellow during the summer months. Not sure what the problem might be? Trim off a branch, limb or leaf and bring it in to your local nursery or greenhouse. They usually have the most knowledgable gardening employees around.

There you have it how to plant trees and shrubs. Pretty simple and basic. For more gardening tips visit: Coloryourworldllc.com

How to grow vegetables

2009-11-22T08:08:00.000-08:00

I am often asked which vegetables are the easiest to plant during the spring season. Being from the Southwestern part of the U.S. my first response is…Chili’s or Peppers.

One of the most popular is the Jalapeno. This pepper can grow to about 3" long and about 1.5" wide. They are ready when the dark green flesh starts to turn a reddish color. They are of course highly pungent.

It is really hard to tell which one will be hotter the next one. The jalapeno can be canned, pickeled. The tam Jalapeno is what most wholesalers use for their Salsa's. The Long Green Chili also very popular throughout the southwest.

The Anaheim Chili, is a classic favorite with Unbeatable Mild Heat! 8-inch peppers are well protected by foliage throughout their growth.

The Chili or pepper vegetables are easy to grow, tolerate extreme heat and insects rarely bother them. Buying them full grown at the grocery store can be a bit expensive. They are highly nutritious with lots of vitamin C. They like to be planted in full sun and watering should be done almost daily during the hot summer months. You can purchase chili or pepper seeds at your local nursery store. The cost is around 2-4 bucks per package. Be sure to purchase this years seeds and not last years. Many big box store nurseries will forget to dispose of older seed packages.

Tomatoes are the next easy vegetable plants to grow. The beefsteak, early girl and cherry tomatoes are fast growing and provide lots of vitamin C. Plant them about 3 ft. apart and be sure to use tomato cages to support their weight. Use bird netting to keep birds away during the growing season. There a tons of other varieties that you can use. Make sure you use good composted soil and purchase seeds that are resistant to diseases. Tomato rot and Verticillium Wilt are two of the more common ones. If your tomato plants look bad be sure to contact your county extension agent or you local nursery and ask for a manager. These folks make a living helping out vegetable gardeners.

Carrots are another easy to grow type of vegetable to grow in your garden. Plant them about 6 inches in rows apart and 2 inches apart from each seed. You can harvest carrots throughout the summer and fall months. Carrots do not like colder type weather be sure to plant when you are sure the last frost has passed. They also like good composted soil that drains well.

Here is a list of other vegetable plants that can be easily planted.

Lettuce – Can be grown in cooler fall type weather. The Jericho variety can tolerate poor soil and hot weather.
Onions – Put seeds about 4-5 inches into the ground. Be sure the last frost has passed.
Broccoli – Will continue to produce even after the first head has been harvested.
Cucumbers – Just let them grow on the ground…kind of like pumpkins.
Basil – Does not like cooler temperatures. Excellent herb plant that grows until the first frost
Beets – Baby beets are the best to plant. Sow about 1-2 inches apart and then thin out as time goes on.

These vegetable plants need good composted soil that drains well. Be sure to use a good vegetable fertilizer and fertilize about once per month. A 10-10-10 is a good mixture of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potash.

It is best to use organic type fertilizers and insecticides. However organic materials do not always work as well as man made matter. One of the best deterrents to a healthy garden is constant observance and taking early steps to control insect infestation or disease problems.

Paul Guzman - Color Your World Nursery Las Cruces, NM.
More easy to grow vegetables information here.

Beautiful fall color trees

2009-11-14T17:35:00.000-08:00

Fall color is the best time to enjoy the outdoors. Numerous trees, shrubs and plants that make this time of year explode with all types of color. From light gorgeous yellow to bright full red. Here are my recommendations for trees and shrubs that will light your garden landscape.

Chinese Pistache Trees (Scientific Name: Pistacia chinensis)

Loves Full Sun can be planted in USDA Zones: 4-10 This Southwestern tree is a desirable ornamental with attractive, umbrella-like crown. Lustrous green leaves turn a brilliant orange crimson in fall. Very drought tolerant, deciduous and extremely handsome tree. About 30-40 ft. tall and wide. Does well in the desert heat.

Modesto Ash Scientific Name: Fraxinus velutina 'Modesto'

They Love the full southwestern sun. Can be planted in USDA Zone 8 - 9. They can grow up to 40ft tall and 30ft wide. An excellent shade tree and moderate grower. Does very well in the southwest, moderate watering check for parasite growth (Mistletoe) deciduous. All varieties of Ash trees will do well in the southwest. Fall cleanup moderate. Stunning full bright Golden Yellow in the fall.

The Raywood Ash tree Scientific Name: Fraxinus oxycarpa. This is an excellent easy care drought tolerant tree to use for your southwestern landscape or just about any part of the U.S. It grows about 2ft per year but will grow much faster if watered and fertilized more often. The Raywood ash tree turns a fantastic deep red during the fall seasons. It grows to about 50-60ft tall and about 40ft wide.

You can see some photos of these trees at: Greenhouse Trees

How to make a pond

2009-11-13T07:42:00.000-08:00

The placement of any in-ground pond is essential. You will need to consider several factors into deciding where and what you and your family, friends and neighbors are going to actually see when the pond is completed.

You can build your pond, water feature, patio water garden, koi pond or whatever you like to call it, from a variety of materials, including hard plastic liners, rubber liners, rigid plastic or fiberglass liners or even from concrete. This article will tell you how it should be done using the plastic method.

A plastic liner can easily be purchase online or at your local nursery. When purchasing your pond liner, be sure to read the fine print. Basically, flexible liners are either rubber or plastic. Rubber is more expensive but works much better and it does cost more. The thickness should be about 40 milimeters or more and should work well with most average size ponds.

The pool itself should be placed on a low, level area, where it would naturally occur. A small slope is fine especially if you are going to have a waterfall in the garden pond. The water flow needs to look natural and flow down hill. You can leave the ground sloped or even enhance the slope where you intend to put the waterfall while easily leveling the pond area.

It is best to avoid placing the garden pond underneath trees or large shrubs as they will need more frequent cleaning of the pond. Shade will generate more moss, and algae, which means less types of water plants and frequent cleaning. This should not impede your quest for a natural pond. There are many low light water plants that can used. Hiring a pond cleaner is also an option.

Don’t place your garden pond where you will receive runoff containing debris or water from roof tops, street, streams or any water that might be toxic. You will probably want to have plants and fish in the pond which are highly sensitive to foreign chemicals in the water. Even runoff which passes over cement can be effectively toxic. Cement contains lime which raises the pH level. Fish can tolerate a wide range of pH levels, but the constant changes will stress them out and could kill them.

It is important to note what your final view of the pond will look like. A pond visible from a large main window in the home can add considerable enjoyment of your home. If placed in the front entry-way a pond can be quite a view for your visitors.

Imagine coming home everyday and enjoying the koi fish and the soothing sound of water cascading downstream. A waterscape pond feature in your garden will turn your hard day at work into a tranquil environment.

Remember these are pond garden tips and are for those who are looking to do it themselves.

See exceptional ponds at Pond Kits