When to Sow Parsnips in New Mexico
In the Albuquerque area, the last spring frost falls between March 31 and April 12, so parsnip seed goes into the ground roughly two to three weeks…
Gardening in New Mexico
Everything we have worked out for New Mexico: what to plant and when, which varieties finish in time, the pests that actually turn up here, and the jobs that pay off month by month. We also cover the rest of the property, from lawns and soil to home care and energy, because a garden rarely stops at the vegetable bed.
The numbers first, because everything else follows from them. Measured at the weather station in Albuquerque, the last spring freeze runs March 31 to April 12 and the first fall freeze runs October 29 to November 9, USDA zones 4b-9a, 4,341 growing degree days in the year.
Garlic does well: 21.8 weeks below 40 °F, comfortably past the six it needs to form a proper head.
Elsewhere on the property in New Mexico: the pests that turn up here.
Figures from NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals. A state is not one climate: elevation, a large lake or the coast can move these dates by two weeks either way, so check your own county with the extension service before you spend money.
Will Parsnips Sweeten in New Mexico?
Yes, but with a real caveat. New Mexico’s high desert winters hand parsnips exactly what they need: weeks below freezing to convert stored starch into…
Growing Spinach in New Mexico: When Will It Bolt?
Spinach in New Mexico bolts fast because two forces hit it at once: the state’s long summer days and its early heat load.
Growing Pumpkins in New Mexico: Will They Ripen in Time?
New Mexico’s growing season leaves a narrow but real window for pumpkins to ripen before the first hard frost.
When to Sow Carrots in New Mexico: Counting Back From the Last Frost
New Mexico gardeners sow carrot seed directly into the ground while soil is still cool, ahead of the last frost, because young carrot plants shrug off a…
Will Carrots Fork in New Mexico Soil?
New Mexico’s representative soil, the Penistaja series, is sandy and well drained with only 15 percent clay.
Beet Soil in New Mexico: What the Root Will Meet
New Mexico’s representative soil is sandy, alkaline and low in organic matter, which cuts two ways for beets: it drains fast enough to prevent rot, but…
Growing Parsnips in New Mexico: Will They Sweeten?
New Mexico’s high, dry winters deliver exactly what a parsnip needs: weeks of real cold.
Growing Carrots in New Mexico: Soil, Sowing and Forked Roots
New Mexico’s dominant garden soil leans sandy and alkaline, which works in a carrot’s favor: sandy ground rarely produces the forking and stunting that…
Growing Beets in New Mexico: Soil, Sowing and Bolting
In New Mexico, beets do best in deep, sandy, well-drained soil built up with organic matter, seeded directly into the ground two to three weeks before…