Ready, Set, GROW!

a FREE Webinar Series *NOW OFFERED ON THE 3rd WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH at 3 pm*

With a surge in gardening questions and requests for gardening presentations, the New Mexico State University - Cooperative Extension Service is offering this FREE "Ready, Set, GROW!" gardening series to share recommended gardening practices.

Presenters will include County Extension Agents and State Extension Specialists with experience in horticulture, insects, and food.

Webinars are listed below with registration links. Sign up separately for each of the classes you would like to attend!

Each webinar is being recorded too! Links to the videos and presentation slides will be added as they become available (within a few days of the live "show"). Scroll further down for info on previously aired webinars in our ongoing series.

Cherry Tomatoes from the NMSU Learning Garden at the NMSU Ag Science Center at Los Lunas
Cherry tomatoes from the NMSU Learning Garden in Los Lunas. Photo credit Marisa Thompson, Aug. 2020.


Presented By:
New Mexico State Cooperative Extension Service
The NMSU Agricultural Science Center at Los Lunas
NMSU Department of Extension Plant Sciences

Upcoming "Ready, Set, GROW!" Webinars in 2022 Click session titles below to register for each class

  • May 18, 2022 - "Soil Issues in New Mexico" with Gabriella Coughlin, Agronomist/Agroecologist for the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District

  • June 15, 2022 - "Keep It Cool: Shading Your Veggies" with Dr. Stephanie Walker, NMSU Extension Vegetable Specialist

  • July 20, 2022 - "Water Storage" with Lynda Garvin, NM State Master Gardener Program Manager

  • Aug 17, 2022 - "Pollinators" with Miranda Kersten, Senior Program Specialist, NMSU Agricultural Science Center at Los Lunas

  • Sept 21, 2022 - "Top 10 Most Common Plant Diagnoses" with Phil Lujan, NMSU Plant Diagnostic Clinic

  • Oct 19, 2022 - "Landscaping with Native Plants" - TBA! ;)

  • Nov 16, 2022 - "Food Preservation" with Suzanne Cole, Mora County Cooperative Extension

  • Dec 14, 2022 - "Landscaping Magic: Inspiration for Your Winter Garden" with Wes Brittenham, Director of Horticulture at Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm

Previously-aired "Ready, Set, GROW!" Webinars

Drip Irrigation for the Home Garden - April 20, 2022 with Tom Dominguez, Santa Fe County Cooperative Extension

Spring Veggie Gardening - Mar 16, 2022 with John Garlisch, Bernalillo County Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent

Pruning Galore - Feb 16, 2022 - with Dr. Marisa Thompson, NMSU Extension Urban Horticulture Specialist.

Common Evergreen Pests in New Mexico - Jan 19, 2022 - with Dr. John Formby, Forest Health Specialist with NM Forestry.

Holiday Plants - Dec. 15, 2021 - with our own Ready, Set, GROW! Team of NMSU Extension Agents

Home Composting - Nov. 17, 2021 - Want to learn more about improving the soil in your yard and garden? Enjoy this recorded webinar with John Zarola, Outreach Coordinator for the Bernalillo County Extension Master Composters program!

Healthy Soils - October 20, 2021 - Want to learn more about improving the soil in your yard and garden? Enjoy this recorded webinar with Isabelle Jenniches, Outreach Coordinator of The NM Healthy Soil Working Group!

Growing Fruits with Suzanne Cole and Sara Moran - September 15, 2021 - Learn about growing fruit in your garden, from apricots to quince, and currants to strawberries! Topics include: growing conditions, best varieties for New Mexico, & site placement.

Cover Crops as Garden Tools with Dr. Stephanie Walker - September 1, 2021 - The use of cover crops is a great way to improve soil, manage pests and disease, and increase your vegetable gardening success. NMSU Extension Vegetable Specialist Dr. Stephanie Walker discusses how to select and manage cover crops to overcome gardening challenges.

Planning the Fall Vegetable Garden with John Garlisch - August 18, 2021

Container Gardening - August 4, 2021 - Containers are GREAT for small spaces, patio charm, and movability (depending on the size). But they also present a slew of potential gardening problems. Urban Horticulture Extension Specialist Dr. Marisa Thompson discusses plants that do well in pots and gives tips on diagnosing and avoiding common problems.

Medicinal Plants - July 21, 2021 - Join us as Dr. Ivette Guzmán describes the fascinating world of medicinal plants and introduces us to common garden and house plants that have medicinal value. Dr. Ivette Guzman is the Assistant Professor of Horticulture at New Mexico State University. For more info on the Guzmán Farm-to-Cell research group, visit https://aces.nmsu.edu/guzman/.

Plant Diagnosis - July 7 - Phillip Lujan, Diagnostician for NMSU’s Plant Diagnostic Clinic & John Garlisch with the Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension Service help us diagnose plant problems in our own backyards.

Preserving the Harvest - June 16 - Food preservation and safety tips for home gardeners! Presented by Cindy Davies, retired Family Consumer Science Agent with NMSU's Cooperative Extension Service in Bernalillo County.

Gardening with Kids - June 2 - presented by Nissa Patterson, Program Assistant for the School Gardens Project with Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension. Gardening activities for adults to do with kids! Great for parents and teachers!

Pest Management for the Home Garden - May 19 - presented by Dr. Amanda Skidmore, the NMSU Extension Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Specialist. Dr. Skidmore helps us all avoid common garden pests this season using proven IPM techniques!

Permaculture for the Home Garden - May 5 - presented by Valencia County Extension Agriculture Agent Lynda Garvin.

Grapevine Management - April 21 - NMSU Extension Viticulture Specialist Dr. Gill Giese explains when to do what with your grapevines based on their cycle of growth, including watering, fertilizing, managing the canopy and heat stress, and when to harvest.

Planting the Vegetable Garden - April 7 - John Garlisch with the Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension Service helped us start this season off on the right foot!

Tree Pruning Basics - March 17 - Dr. Marisa Thompson, NMSU Extension Urban Horticulture Specialist

Designing Landscapes for Diversity - March 3 - Dr. Amanda Skidmore, NMSU Extension IPM Specialist

Winter Weed Management - Feb 17, 2021 - presented by Dr. Leslie Beck, NMSU Extension Weed Specialist

Starting Seeds Indoors - 3 Feb 2021 - led by Nissa Patterson - NMSU Bernalillo Extension Program

Health Benefits of Gardening - Jan 20, 2021 -- with Suzanne Cole, Mora County Extension

Houseplant Care - Jan 6, 2021 - with John Garlisch of Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension

Holiday Wine Pairings for New Mexico with Dr. Gill Giese

Gardening Gift Ideas

Taking Care of the Winter Landscape

Selecting and Planting Trees

Seed Saving

The Humble Herb - Oct. 7, 2020 - Suzanne Cole, Mora County Extension

Pollinator Habitat for the Fall/Winter Garden

  • Amanda Skidmore, NMSU Integrated Pest Management Specialist, presenter

  • Want to provide food and shelter to protect pollinators during fall and winter? Dr. Amanda Skidmore will present tips about providing resources to support the pollinator community in the garden.

  • Event occurred on Sept. 16 - CLICK HERE FOR THE RECORDED SESSION ON YOUTUBE Please note that full closed captioning will be made available as soon as possible, using this link.

  • Presentation Slides

Planting the Fall Veggie Garden - Sept. 2, 2020 - with John Garlisch, Bernalillo Extension

For more information, contact Marisa Thompson
Email: desertblooms@nmsu.edu