Plant Management Systems: Urban Horticulture

Educational Programs for Civic and Other Organizations
The following educational programs were presented by the agriculture agent to specific audiences and the general public:

“Backyard Gardening Solutions” - Noon Optimist Club, 12 persons in attendance

“Backyard Gardening” – Kiwanis Club, 19 persons in attendance

“Insect Pests” – Iris Society, 12 persons in attendance

“NMSU Cooperative Extension Service for Senior Citizens” – Federal Retirees of Roswell, 19 persons in attendance

“Weed Management/Pesticide Safety” – presented by the agent for the Eddy County Master Gardener group, 26 persons in attendance.

“Soils for Backyard Gardening” – Public program coordinated by the agent and presented by Robert Flynn, Extension Soils Specialist. Program held at the Chaves County Extension Office for the general public. 20 persons in attendance.

All persons gained information that will help them be a getter gardener or they gained information about the Extension Service that can be utilized to better their lives.

Rainwater Collection
A live web/teleconference seminar broadcast through the American Society of Civil Engineers titled “Sustainable Water Management: Rainwater Collection Systems and Analysis” was hosted by the Chaves County Extension Office for area extension agents and other professionals. The agent coordinated with NMSU’s Extension Agriculture Engineer to bring information about rainwater harvesting systems to the agents. Eight extension agents, specialists, and area USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service personnel attend the training. Attendees gained information about calculating average harvestable rainfall, storage needs, and delivery systems.

Xeriscape Garden
With guidance and assistance from the agriculture agent, the Chaves County Master Gardeners planted a demonstration xeriscape garden at the Spring River Park and Zoo in Roswell in September 2009. The purpose of the garden is the show the public the attractiveness of certain native and low-water use plants and to encourage the use of those plants in home and business gardens. The agent worked with NMSU’s horticulture specialist to secure plants from the NRCS Plant Materials Center in Los Lunas and to design the garden. This summer, the agent continued to work with the Master Gardeners to maintain the garden and add to the plant varieties plants that are in the xeriscape garden.

Master Gardener’s Program
In New Mexico, most urban residents are increasingly interested in home gardening and landscape gardening, but have few opportunities to gain research-based information in these areas. To assist in meeting this need, the Chaves County Master Gardener Program was coordinated by the agent. The thirteen week-long program met three hours each week to address pertinent topics for the Chaves County area. The agent, various specialists, and other individuals taught the programs. Twenty-three new enrollees attended the programs to gain knowledge of southwestern gardening, for a total of 317 contacts during the classes. Twelve of the 23 individuals agreed to donate volunteer hours to assist the Extension Office after the gardening classes were finished. To illustrate knowledge gained from the classes, one student commented “I ‘see’ now. I walk in the park during the week. I saw an old cottonwood on the waterway. Its roots have girdled it. I mentally picture where trees need to be pruned. Thank you!”

Master Gardeners assisted the agent in disseminating NMSU Cooperative Extension Service publications on horticulture and related topics and answering questions at Roswell Parks and Recreation Department’s Arbor Day Celebration, reaching approximately 50 people.

The agent coordinated another gardening information table which was displayed at a health fair organized by a local grocery store. Master Gardeners and the agent spent the day distributing gardening literature and visiting with the public about local practices and gardening issues. Thirty-eight persons visited the booth and gained information about how to be a more successful gardener in New Mexico.

Master Gardeners also assisted in the care of the ornamental garden at the Southeastern New Mexico Historical Society Museum in Roswell. Volunteers were able to put to work the knowledge that they gained while participating in the Master Gardener classes earlier in the year. The museum’s garden needed much help after the hard freeze in February dealt a blow to many of the plants and the hot temperatures later were unrelenting to those left. The volunteers met each Tuesday morning throughout the summer months to weed, prune, mulch, identify plants, and assist the museum board with overall care and maintenance of the grounds.

The agent worked with Master Gardeners to display an educational booth on “Survival of the Fittest” for the Eastern New Mexico State Fair. The main focus of the booth was the use of xeriscape and native plants to result in more successful gardening in the Pecos Valley. Master Gardener volunteers were organized to “man” the booth over a six day period to answer questions and distribute written literature to the public. Approximately 250 persons took advantage of written literature and information from the Master Gardeners.

Participants of the Master Gardener Program are more knowledgeable about gardening in the Pecos Valley and are more successful, saving time and dollars. The Master Gardener volunteers have been instrumental in disseminating research-based gardening information throughout the community, as well.

Urban Horticulture
The majority of Chaves County's residents are urban. There is a high demand for information on planting trees and other ornamental gardening, safe and efficient home vegetable gardening, reducing water use, insect identification and management, and environmental safety. County residents are in need of scientific-based research in all of these areas. The agent assisted over 200 people on an individual basis with urban horticulture problems, insect control, wildlife damage control, and soil analysis. Persons were assisted by telephone contact, office visits, site visits, and e-mail and gained information that allowed them to be more successful in growing and maintaining home gardens and landscapes around their businesses and homes.