At the time of this writing, we have had a most unusual mild and dry winter. If it continues, you can look forward to an early crop of lettuce and other cool season crops. My spring bulbs of crocus and daffodils came up in early February and will be blooming early. If temperatures are completely erratic and we finally get our winter, we may be facing a spring where we lose all the early blooming fruit tree crop and anything we put out in anticipation of an early spring. Such are the gambles of farmers and gardeners world-wide.
There are some things you can do to decrease your change of a crop loss. If you have only a few small fruit trees, they can be covered with a light weight cover when temperatures drop below 30 degrees. Row crops of lettuce, cabbage, greens, and others can tolerate temperatures down to about 24 degrees. Below that, hoops over the rows covered with a “seasonextender cloth” will give them more protection. Part of the fun of gardening is to challenge the expected and try something new.
The “To Do List” for the early spring garden and yard:
• Weed control. In the warm winter days get out and see what has started greening up. You will find plenty of weeds that start growing in the Fall and with the first warming of spring explode with growth. I have been digging out these winter hardy weeds that I neglected to pull last Fall. An hour spent outside on a mild day can save hours of labor later in spring when they are a foot high and in bloom. Use a preemergent herbicide or corn gluten meal for the weeds that come up from seeds sown by wind and pets over the winter. Be sure to follow the instructions on the box for best results.
• Plant seeds indoors for summer flowers and vegetables like tomatoes, chilies, and squash that need a head-start for our short growing season. A bright window will do, but if you plan to do this yearly, invest in a small system of lights and a seed heating pad. You will be rewarded with an increased plant growth.
• Dig up and divide summer and fall blooming flowers that have outgrown their space. (If you have spring blooming perennials, they are divided in the fall). Keep what you need and give the rest to neighbors, friends, and relatives. People love free plants and you may start someone on a new hobby.
• Shop for seeds and other new plants. Some can be found in local stores and nurseries. If you want more selection, try a garden catalog. Beware of the plants on the internet. If it looks to good to be true, it probably has been photoshopped.
• Pruning is best done before plants are fully-leaved. Shrubs that die-back can be pruned hard (to a couple of inches above the ground). For shrubs that green up early, wait until you can see the “die-back” and cut anything above the dead area. This is also true for raspberries and other fruiting shrubs.
• Do an early fertilization for plants, trees, and bushes as they start new growth. Lawns need evaluation for aeration and dethatching. Flower beds need heavy mulch removed before adding fertilizer. Water perennial plants, bushes, trees, and lawns. Trees in particular need a deep watering to make up for last year’s drought. If you have room for it, plant a shade tree. Check the gardening articles done in the Gallup Journey last summer for ideas or go online and check out Tree NM for the work they are doing.
Happy gardening in 2026! If you garden in clay soil, be sure to check next month’s gardening article on How to Garden in Clay Soil.
Edith Iwan is a Cibola- McKinley County Master Gardener who lives and works in Thoreau. As a Master Gardener she assists the County Cooperative Extension Service in providing accurate, research-based gardening information to county residents. If you have any gardening questions, please call the NMSU Cibola County Extension at 505-287-9266 or NMSU McKinley County Extension at 505-863-3432