Small Yard Big Garden Gardening in New Mexico Soil

You can use crushed eggshells and antacid tablets like Tums to add calcium to the soil for tomato and pepper plants.

It is best to plant in the late afternoon or very early in the morning before the sun can beat down, as this allows plants to fight just one battle - getting used to the soil - rather than two, including the sun.

Before planting, it's a good idea to lay out your plants in the area where you think they will go. This way, if you change your mind, you won't have to dig up a plant and cause it extra stress.

Signs of a plant going into shock may include the plant looking drab, not growing new leaves, or shedding flowers/petals. However, if new leaves are growing bigger since the day it was planted, that is a good sign.

You need to consider how the plants will grow and the space they will require in the future. For example, if grapevines and honeysuckle are expected to sprawl through an area, you may not be able to plant certain crops there the following year.

New Mexico soil commonly consists of sand, hard ground, clay in certain areas, and is often nutrient deficient, leading to hard soil that can be challenging for plants.

You can improve the soil by amending it with horse manure, cow manure, compost, mulch, and by avoiding tilling which can bury important nutrients. Adopting methods like raised beds, adding wood chips, leaves, and other organic materials can also help feed and soften the soil naturally.