In this month-by-month guide to home gardening in Northern New Mexico and the Southern Rocky Mountains, Nan Fischer-proprietor of nannie plants LLC in Taos-gives readers advice on composting, mulching, soil improvements, cold-frame planting for the extension of the growing season, hardy plant selection for the Rocky Mountains, and the wise use of small quantities of water for both ornamental and vegetable gardening at a small, residential garden scale. From planning in the winter to sowing in the spring and harvesting food and flowers throughout the growing season, Growing a Sensational Garden in the Southern Rocky Mountains: A Monthly Guide will help you plan and grow a successful garden in the challenging conditions of the Intermountain West. Whether you're a novice gardener, a grower from another area, or a seasoned gardener from the region, you'll find this monthly guide invaluable when creating a beautiful garden that will overflow with vegetables, herbs, flowers, and more. Note-taking pages are included at the end of each month to get you started on a garden journal that is sure to become a personalized, treasured resource.
Nan Fischer is a horticulturalist and nursery owner in Taos, New Mexico, with decades of growing experience in the Southern Rocky Mountains. She has written extensively on gardening topics for many publications including Mother Earth Gardener, GRIT, and the Taos News.
Interview with the Gardener Hank Will Thank You, Everybody! LET'S GET STARTED Introduction The Basics of Organic Gardening Adapting to Climate Change in the Garden JANUARY January Task List Start a Garden Journal Heirloom, Open-Pollinated, and Hybrid Seeds and Plants: What Are They? Plan Your Garden for Seed Saving Easy Plants for Beginners The Benefits of Companion Planting and Crop Rotation Other January Tasks Resources My January Garden Journal FEBRUARY February Task List Five Short-Season Tomato Cultivars The Three Sisters Garden Plant a Hummingbird Garden Resources My February Garden Journal MARCH March Task List Transforming Dirt into Soil When Pocket Gophers Destroy Your Landscape Season Extenders My March Garden Journal APRIL April Task List A Container Gardening Primer Garden Storage The History of Lettuce My April Garden Journal MAY May Task List Vertical Growing in Small Garden Spaces Pollinator Decline and What You Can Do about It Growing Ancient Legumes (with Recipes) Resources My May Garden Journal JUNE June Task List To Weed or Not to Weed? Organic Weeding Methods My June Garden Journal JULY July Task List Organic Fertilizers As Above, So Below: How Plants Communicate Above and Below Ground My July Garden Journal AUGUST August Task List First Frost Is Just Around the Corner Saving Tomato Seed 101 My August Garden Journal SEPTEMBER September Task List Garden Clean Up Dos and Don'ts Taking Care of Wild Birds through Winter My September Garden Journal OCTOBER October Task List Seed Catalogs The Open Source Seed Initiative Resources My October Garden Journal NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER November and December Task Lists Cutting, Digging, or Buying a Christmas Tree Gifts for Gardeners Gardening Indoors in Winter Resources My November and December Garden Journal THE THREE SISTERS Ancient Companion Planting: The Three Sisters A-Maize-ing Maize: The History of Corn From Ancient to Heirloom: The History of the Humble Bean Squash on the Scene: The Evolution of Cucurbits
"Nan Fischer gives novice or new-to-the-area gardeners practical, seasonal information to make any gardening task something to look forward to. With good historical information on specific herbs and vegetables and gardening practices, it includes a list of sources for information or seeds at the end of each monthly chapter. This publication also has space for record keeping or note taking, so it may indeed end up dog-eared and soil stained as the reader takes it into the garden with them." - Wesley Brittenham, former director of horticulture at Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm "This monthly guide to growing in Northern New Mexico and the Southern Rocky Mountains provides step-by-step instructions and support to both the new and the experienced gardener. The author breaks down gardening in our challenging climate into easy-to-understand steps that help the gardener build confidence and create more beautiful, productive, and healthy gardens." - Cindy Brown, Taos News
