Note: This site is for reviewing legacy plan of work data from 2007-2011. If you are looking for the current plan of work interface, visit pow.nmsu.edu.
Plant Management Systems: Urban Horticulture (Chaves County)
Plan Goals
Increase, enhance, and sustain New Mexico urban and rural lifestyles by teaching proper landscape plant selection, management, and efficient water use.
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Plant Management Systems: Urban Horticulture
Impact Reports
“Backyard Gardening”
A public program entitled “Backyard Gardening” was presented by the agent to educate individuals on gardening in New Mexico. The program included information on understanding New Mexico soils, pH, soil analysis, soil amendments, fertilizers, mulches, climate zones, microclimates, and irrigation. Approximately 30 attendees gained knowledge that will enable them to be better gardeners in New Mexico. One attendee stated that she now understood why things that grew in Illinois, where she had previously lived, won’t grow in New Mexico.
A public program entitled “Backyard Gardening” was presented by the agent to educate individuals on gardening in New Mexico. The program included information on understanding New Mexico soils, pH, soil analysis, soil amendments, fertilizers, mulches, climate zones, microclimates, and irrigation. Approximately 30 attendees gained knowledge that will enable them to be better gardeners in New Mexico. One attendee stated that she now understood why things that grew in Illinois, where she had previously lived, won’t grow in New Mexico.
Arbor Day Celebration
The City of Roswell holds an Arbor Day Celebration each year, which has many organized festivities including giving away hundreds of tree seedlings to the public. The agent, with the assistance of the Chaves County Master Gardeners, had an informational booth available to the public during the Arbor Day event. Questions were answered and educational publications were distributed throughout the day. Over 50 individuals visited the booth and gained information on trees and other ornamentals, vegetable gardening, lawns, and other horticulture-related items that will make them more successful gardeners.
The City of Roswell holds an Arbor Day Celebration each year, which has many organized festivities including giving away hundreds of tree seedlings to the public. The agent, with the assistance of the Chaves County Master Gardeners, had an informational booth available to the public during the Arbor Day event. Questions were answered and educational publications were distributed throughout the day. Over 50 individuals visited the booth and gained information on trees and other ornamentals, vegetable gardening, lawns, and other horticulture-related items that will make them more successful gardeners.
Master Gardener’s Program
In New Mexico, most urban residents are very interested in home gardening and landscape gardening. Many of these gardeners gain information from sources that are not research-based. To assist in disseminating accurate, research-based information, the Chaves County Master Gardener Program was coordinated by the agent. The 12 week program met three hours each week to address topics pertinent for the Chaves County area. Various specialists, agents, and local individuals taught the programs. Twenty-two individuals, including personnel from the Roswell Parks and Recreation Department, attended the programs to gain knowledge of southwestern gardening, for a total of 226 contacts during classes. Thirteen of the individuals agreed to donate volunteer hours to assist the Extension Office after the gardening classes were finished. Volunteers assisted the agent with the Pecos Elementary School 4-H Garden project, organizing a gardening library in the Extension Office, working the Arbor Day Celebration, and donated well over 200 hours of volunteer time since the spring. Participants of the Master Gardener Program are more knowledgeable about gardening in the Pecos Valley and are more successful, thus saving time and dollars.
In New Mexico, most urban residents are very interested in home gardening and landscape gardening. Many of these gardeners gain information from sources that are not research-based. To assist in disseminating accurate, research-based information, the Chaves County Master Gardener Program was coordinated by the agent. The 12 week program met three hours each week to address topics pertinent for the Chaves County area. Various specialists, agents, and local individuals taught the programs. Twenty-two individuals, including personnel from the Roswell Parks and Recreation Department, attended the programs to gain knowledge of southwestern gardening, for a total of 226 contacts during classes. Thirteen of the individuals agreed to donate volunteer hours to assist the Extension Office after the gardening classes were finished. Volunteers assisted the agent with the Pecos Elementary School 4-H Garden project, organizing a gardening library in the Extension Office, working the Arbor Day Celebration, and donated well over 200 hours of volunteer time since the spring. Participants of the Master Gardener Program are more knowledgeable about gardening in the Pecos Valley and are more successful, thus saving time and dollars.
1. Media
TV and newspaper: Numerous readers and viewers have approached me personally at various events and a.)stated that they have learned much about gardening in the Southwest from Southwest Yard and Garden (both print and tv), b.) people attending Extension Programs state that one reason they attend is that they learned from Southwest Yard and Garden (print and tv) that the Extension Service has information that benefits them and they want more Extension information, c.)many questions for the print Yard and Garden are prefaced with a thank you regarding what they have already learned, d.)viewers of tv SW Y&G have requested more shows and some potential underwriters have expressed willingness to help fund production o f new shows.
I have received messages on my office answering machine that just said “Thank you for all you do to help us garden in New Mexico.”
2. Master Gardeners
With specialist assistance Master Gardener programs in the counties are growing and providing increased assistance to the Extension Service agents as stated in the Agents’ impact statements.
Some Master Gardener programs have resulted in significant teaching opportunities for county residents:
Lea Co. – Waite House – the oldest residence in Lovington was donated to the Historical Society and Museum. The museum then gave access to this house to Lea County Master Gardeners to develop a demonstration garden and access to the house as a classroom.
NM Jr. College in Hobbs has been impressed by the Lea County Master Gardener program and has offered to provide classroom space for teaching Master Gardeners, advertising for the Master Gardener classes, and willingness to offer Junior College continuing education credits to people who take the Master Gardener classes.
Santa Fe - Habitat for Humanity has been using Santa Fe County Master Gardeners to design and install water efficient landscapes at the homes they build. The Master Gardeners then teach the new homeowners how to garden appropriately and conserve water.
El Rancho de los Golondrinos has worked with Master Gardeners maintaining a heritage apple orchard to demonstrate historical gardening practices to visitors.
Master Gardeners have maintained demonstration gardens and collaboration with NMSU Extension faculty (George Dickerson’s herb garden and Curtis Smith’s olla garden). This provides hands-on experience for the Master Gardeners who then teach this to their fellow citizens and to visitors to the demonstration garden site adjacent to the County Extension Service office.
Otero - An Otero County Master Gardener has become a regular landscape and garden columnist for the local newspaper providing appropriate information to the citizens of her county.
Sandoval - A demonstration garden in developed in cooperation with city of Rio Rancho, Sandoval Extension Service, and Master Gardener has been highly regarded locally and nationally.
3. Partnerships with other institutions:
CNM (formerly TV-I) – as chairman of the advisory committee for the Landscape Horticulture training program at CNM the Horticulture Specialist was in a position to encourage cooperation between NMSU and CNM. Dr. St. Hilaire on the NMSU end and Paul Zalesak at CNM have developed articulation agreements between NMSU and CNM. Distance learning venues were developed so that NMSU professors could teach some of the classes at CNM and some CNM teaching could be made available to NMSU students as desired by the faculty.
Northern NM Jr. College requested advice regarding landscape problems on the campus in Espanola, NM. A visit by the Horticulture Specialist and County Agent resulted in several solutions to the problems that the Physical Plant director and Grounds supervisor stated that they would implement. They were very thankful for the help and want to increase cooperation with NMSU.
4. As reported in County Agents’ impact statements, specialist support of county agents and county Master Gardeners has enabled them to meet the changing needs of the nursery industry and home gardeners in their counties, to develop educational programs in schools and among the public.
Specialist support of county Extension programs have enhanced agent respect within the counties to the point that they are often the source of information that cities, counties, and other organizations use for referrals.
TV and newspaper: Numerous readers and viewers have approached me personally at various events and a.)stated that they have learned much about gardening in the Southwest from Southwest Yard and Garden (both print and tv), b.) people attending Extension Programs state that one reason they attend is that they learned from Southwest Yard and Garden (print and tv) that the Extension Service has information that benefits them and they want more Extension information, c.)many questions for the print Yard and Garden are prefaced with a thank you regarding what they have already learned, d.)viewers of tv SW Y&G have requested more shows and some potential underwriters have expressed willingness to help fund production o f new shows.
I have received messages on my office answering machine that just said “Thank you for all you do to help us garden in New Mexico.”
2. Master Gardeners
With specialist assistance Master Gardener programs in the counties are growing and providing increased assistance to the Extension Service agents as stated in the Agents’ impact statements.
Some Master Gardener programs have resulted in significant teaching opportunities for county residents:
Lea Co. – Waite House – the oldest residence in Lovington was donated to the Historical Society and Museum. The museum then gave access to this house to Lea County Master Gardeners to develop a demonstration garden and access to the house as a classroom.
NM Jr. College in Hobbs has been impressed by the Lea County Master Gardener program and has offered to provide classroom space for teaching Master Gardeners, advertising for the Master Gardener classes, and willingness to offer Junior College continuing education credits to people who take the Master Gardener classes.
Santa Fe - Habitat for Humanity has been using Santa Fe County Master Gardeners to design and install water efficient landscapes at the homes they build. The Master Gardeners then teach the new homeowners how to garden appropriately and conserve water.
El Rancho de los Golondrinos has worked with Master Gardeners maintaining a heritage apple orchard to demonstrate historical gardening practices to visitors.
Master Gardeners have maintained demonstration gardens and collaboration with NMSU Extension faculty (George Dickerson’s herb garden and Curtis Smith’s olla garden). This provides hands-on experience for the Master Gardeners who then teach this to their fellow citizens and to visitors to the demonstration garden site adjacent to the County Extension Service office.
Otero - An Otero County Master Gardener has become a regular landscape and garden columnist for the local newspaper providing appropriate information to the citizens of her county.
Sandoval - A demonstration garden in developed in cooperation with city of Rio Rancho, Sandoval Extension Service, and Master Gardener has been highly regarded locally and nationally.
3. Partnerships with other institutions:
CNM (formerly TV-I) – as chairman of the advisory committee for the Landscape Horticulture training program at CNM the Horticulture Specialist was in a position to encourage cooperation between NMSU and CNM. Dr. St. Hilaire on the NMSU end and Paul Zalesak at CNM have developed articulation agreements between NMSU and CNM. Distance learning venues were developed so that NMSU professors could teach some of the classes at CNM and some CNM teaching could be made available to NMSU students as desired by the faculty.
Northern NM Jr. College requested advice regarding landscape problems on the campus in Espanola, NM. A visit by the Horticulture Specialist and County Agent resulted in several solutions to the problems that the Physical Plant director and Grounds supervisor stated that they would implement. They were very thankful for the help and want to increase cooperation with NMSU.
4. As reported in County Agents’ impact statements, specialist support of county agents and county Master Gardeners has enabled them to meet the changing needs of the nursery industry and home gardeners in their counties, to develop educational programs in schools and among the public.
Specialist support of county Extension programs have enhanced agent respect within the counties to the point that they are often the source of information that cities, counties, and other organizations use for referrals.
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 12 week-long program met three hours each week to address pertinent topics for the Chaves County area. Various specialists, agents, and local individuals taught the programs. Fifteen individuals, including personnel from the Chaves County Maintenance Department, attended the programs to gain knowledge of southwestern gardening, for a total of 172 contacts during classes. Eleven of the 15 individuals agreed to donate volunteer hours to assist the Extension Office after the gardening classes were finished. Four individuals assisted the agent in disseminating NMSU Cooperative Extension Service publications on horticulture and related topics at a local hardware store in Roswell twice during the spring. Five volunteers assisted the agent with planning, constructing, and maintaining the Pecos Elementary School 4-H Garden throughout the spring, summer, and fall. Participants of the Master Gardener Program are more knowledgeable about gardening in the Pecos Valley and are more successful, saving time and dollars. The community has gained gardening information from the Master Gardener volunteers, as well.
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 12 week-long program met three hours each week to address pertinent topics for the Chaves County area. Various specialists, agents, and local individuals taught the programs. Fifteen individuals, including personnel from the Chaves County Maintenance Department, attended the programs to gain knowledge of southwestern gardening, for a total of 172 contacts during classes. Eleven of the 15 individuals agreed to donate volunteer hours to assist the Extension Office after the gardening classes were finished. Four individuals assisted the agent in disseminating NMSU Cooperative Extension Service publications on horticulture and related topics at a local hardware store in Roswell twice during the spring. Five volunteers assisted the agent with planning, constructing, and maintaining the Pecos Elementary School 4-H Garden throughout the spring, summer, and fall. Participants of the Master Gardener Program are more knowledgeable about gardening in the Pecos Valley and are more successful, saving time and dollars. The community has gained gardening information from the Master Gardener volunteers, as well.