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Keep the Moisture Coming!

Greetings and welcome to the new subscribers!

The subject line of last month's newsletter was Glorious Snow! Today I just added the word More to it. I got about 3" Saturday. That's a guess, because it was melting as fast as it came down. Storms seem to be targeting the mountains more than the valley this year, but that means much-needed ditch water.

I don't have to tell anyone what a dry winter it's been overall, but a good monsoon season is forecast. We'll see. There is so much We'll see this year with the weather and the political atmosphere. I can only say we'll see...

A dry year is a good time to get serious about planting native and adaptable plants. In 2018, the hottest and driest year I can recall, my foundation plantings were thriving with only water from the roof. These beds never get supplemental water. So if you want greenery in dry years, consider natives and adaptables. They're low maintenance and hardy.
Front porch May 26, 2018 - Tatarian honeysuckle, Jupiter's Beard, hollyhocks, Autumn Joy sedum, Cistena plum. A black currant and butterfly bush are out of sight but doing just as well.

Back porch May 26, 2018 - Tatarian honeysuckle, lilies, true geraniums, columbine.

CSA Shares

Summer Share orders are due by April 15. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, flowers, basil, and summer and winter squash are ready in late May at the right time for you to plant.

Spring Share pick-up will be the last week of April. I'll send out a notification.

With unpredictable food prices, it's a great time to grow your own, even if it's just a plant or two. A garden is an excellent buffer against rising grocery bills.

The Main Menu is here.

Camp Joy red cherry tomatoes

Events

The Annual Plant Sale is Saturday April 26, 11-2 at Earthgoods. This year there is a vendor fee of $15, and we ask that you have garden-related products. Fingers crossed for a warm sunny day! If it snows like last year, we'll do a repeat the following week.

We haven't planned anything else yet. It's another case of We'll see. Stay tuned to the FB page and this newsletter to find out what's happening!

THE NEW BOOK!

The 2nd edition of The Book is available from UNM Press! I'll have them at the plant sale on April 26, and you can also get a copy at Earthgoods.

Order here!

If you're a retailer and would like to carry The New Book, please call Longleaf Services to open a tax-exempt account, at 1-800-848-6224, then press 1 for customer service. They'll set you right up! Thanks!
Sponsored content from a trusted local resource.

Podcast

I spoke with Emery Veilleux of the Taos News for their podcast, Voices of Taos. Check it out! There was much more to say, so we may do it again!

April Garden Tasks

A couple weeks ago, I was in Walmart. The lines were long, so I thought I'd wander over to the garden center for a while. Their hummingbird feeders were out! I realized it was time to get mine ready. Hummers return around mid-April, but most of the migrating birds have arrived early this year, so they may, too. Either way, I like to be ready to put up a feeder as soon as I hear one whizzing around the hood.

Scrub your feeders, and fill one part-way with a solution of 4 parts water to 1 part white sugar. I make mine in a quart mason jar. I put in a cup of sugar, fill it halfway with hot tap water and stir until the sugar dissolves. Then I top it off with cold water so I can use it right away. I only fill one feeder part-way at first, because there aren't many birds yet. Put the rest of your mixture in the fridge. Otherwise it'll spoil.

Get on your garden clean-up in earnest! Rake up dead debris being careful not to injure new growth. Add compost to your beds. Sometimes the piles are still frozen, but I'm pretty sure that's not the case this year!

Start tomatoes and peppers in the first two weeks of April. Plant out and direct seed cool weather crops at the end of the month.

Get your gear ready - tools, season extenders, trellises, row covers, and pots and soil for container growing. Don't go scrambling for equipment when you need it. Be prepared!

Enjoy your spring bulbs - daffodils, Muscari, Hyacinth, tulips, allium. Their seasons are so short! Savor them!

Much more info in The New Book!

Merch

The Write Shit Down Garden Journal at 4" x 5.5" is a handy size to take out to the garden. They're also available at Earthgoods and Moxie.

Renee's Garden Seeds Scatter Cans are at Earthgoods. Supplies are limited.

Ranchitos Keychains were made by my older daughter and inspired by the turquoise truck full of sunflowers on Lower Ranchitos.

E-gift cards for $25-100, mailed to the recipient on a day of your choosing.
Renee's Garden Seeds are at Earthgoods.

The Write Shit Down Garden Journal, available at Earthgoods and Moxie, and Ranchitos keychains, from me.

Seed Exchange

Auntie Nannie's Seed Exchange seed boxes are at these locations. Leave a little, take a little. Contact Sarah at the Taos Land Trust for info and questions. This is her baby now, and she's doing a great job!

Taos:
Red Willow Center 885 Star Rd Taos, NM 87571
Taos Land Trust 410 La Posta Road Taos, NM 87571
Re-Threads 302 Paseo Del Pueblo Sur, Taos, NM 87571
Not Forgotten Outreach 610 Paseo Del Pueblo Norte, Taos, NM 87571
Taos Library 402 Camino De La Placita, Taos, NM 87571

El Prado:
Habitat Restore 16 NM-522, El Prado, NM 87529

Questa:
Rael’s Store & Coffee Shop 2430 NM-522, Questa, NM 87556
Questa Library 6 1/2 Municipal Park Rd, Questa, NM 87556

Carson:
Carson Cafe & Grocery 509 NM-567, Carson, NM 87517

Ranchos/Talpa:
Talpa Community Center 3 Archuleta Rd, Ranchos De Taos, NM 87557

Penasco:
The SPOT 14156 State Road 75 Penasco, NM 87553
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