Plant Management Systems: Urban Horticulture

The Los Alamos Master Gardeners’ Association is a community service organization whose members have successfully completed the NMSU’s Cooperative Extension Service Master Gardener Volunteer training. Nationally, Master Gardener. The primary objective of the horticulture agent is to train and support volunteers who will promote knowledgeable, effective, and safe horticultural practices consistent with the Cooperative Extension Service, and promote goodwill throughout the community. Forty-two volunteers contributed 688 hours of work to community projects for a total value of $12,040.00.

There are 23 volunteers in training this spring [21(W), 1(H), 1(A); 19(F), 4(M)]. Volunteers complete 45 hours of college level instruction in order to certify. The following trainings were offered during the reporting period: Soils & Nutrients/Compost Uses, Basic Botany, Los Alamos Recommended Plants, Principals of Landscape Design, The Plant Environment, Composting, Xeriscape, Ornamental Grasses & Ground Covers, Native Grasses and Turf, Fruit Trees & Small Fruits--Varieties, Planting, Care & Maintenance, Plant Diseases, Entomology, Vegetables, Weed Identification & Control and Evergreen Identification & Evergreen Pests. All 23 participants in the class completed post evaluation instruments with 80% accuracy or better.

The agent had 1628 contacts in the area of integrated pest management during the program year. One-on-one consultation with clientele continues to be a major focus within Los Alamos County and local advisory committees have repeatedly indicated the importance of maintaining a high degree of service in this regard. The primary objective of the agent is to increase the general public’s knowledge about integrated pest management within the urban setting and cultural techniques aimed at reducing the quantity of highly toxic conventional pesticides that are commonly used around the home, garden, and urban landscapes. Information is distributed through extension publications, published scientific studies, and verbal and written communications with anyone interested in obtaining knowledge about IPM. Post-contact surveys issued to a sample of IPM contacts indicated better than an 80% increase in knowledge by an overwhelming majority of those returning the survey. Information on professionalism and timeliness of response were also measured with the same results

In addition, under the supervision of the agent, Master Gardener volunteers, hosted an answer booth 4 times at the local farmers market. Inquiries made of volunteers were often IPM related.

The community and school gardens started this past year continue to be utilized by their organizations. Both Agent and Master Gardener help is being utilized to help sustain these programs. Work on the plant data base continues. The addition of a new camcorder has made recording of the MG Classes possible. These classes are currently being used to refresh current MG trainings. Eventually, DVD’s of the MG Classes will be made available to counties not offering a MG program, but in need of training materials for their clientele

The agent is making progress towards development of a plant data base. Master Gardener computer expertise is being utilized to develop an easy to use system. This project may require several years to gather information, compile data sheets, secure photos and have the data reviewed. The agent’s Master Gardener program continues to improve. MG’s are being directed in development of brochures, Dona Ana County MG Newsletter, the plant data base and other projects. The agent received over 1,400 phone inquiries for agriculture, with over one half of these directed solely at urban horticultural issues. The agent has seen in the past year an increase in school and community gardens. Some of these programs such as the Chaparral Community Garden have spun off into development of similar gardens at Vado, and Anthony, NM. The agents work with gardens like the Community of Hope’s Fairlight Gardens has blossomed into a ‘stand alone’ organization that now has their own garden outreach programs. School gardens have been organized at Conlee Elementary, Hatch Elementary, Mesquite Elementary, and Vado Elementary Schools. These gardens are designed to teach and encourage children to grow their own gardens.

Horticulture in Dona Ana County continues to increase with the population. According to census figures from Dona Ana County (2008), the population for the county now resides at over 201,000. New residents arriving to the area are often puzzled as to what they can grow in this desert climate. Local residents as well are not familiar with adaptable plant species. The agent is developing programs to meet the needs of decreased water availability and water restrictions. The agent has been sought after for advice by the Quay County Agent, City of Las Cruces Parks Department, Lush and Lean Landscaping for Las Cruces, and residents of Dona Ana County for help in these areas. The Las Cruces Lush and Lean Landscape Coordinator in fact has decided to enroll in our Master Gardener Class in order to better educate herself in Horticultural principles. The agent is currently developing a plant data base to be used by the public to make better landscape choices. The agent is investigating drought hardy plant materials that may be adapted to the agent’s clientele needs. One of the prime areas to search for drought hardy plant materials is the Tucson area. Arizona has been dealing with water restrictions for many years now, and the University of Arizona along with local growers have demonstrated selected plant materials that are drought resistant. The agent of Dona Ana County is looking at whether many of these species of plants may be adaptable to our colder winters. The agent has been providing outreach programming through venues such as; the Las Cruces Home and Garden Show, Public Library Lecture, and the Master Gardener Program. Each year a Master Gardener Class is offered to the public to educate volunteers in Horticulture. The people who participate in this class go on to disperse this knowledge to the public through; helping at events, working on a ‘Hot Line’ (informative answers given over the phone), conducting gardening seminars, and education in the schools. Without the MG volunteers the agent would be limited in his job capacity. MG’s allow the agent to expand programming, and utilize volunteer talents to create new methods of information delivery. Through this last year the agent was able to answer his clientele’s questions with a 99.9% success.