I am not known in my family for having a green thumb. My mom gave me a house plant in college that theoretically I shouldn’t have been able to kill. It was dead by the second semester of my freshman year. As a result, I approach gardening with a massive dose of trepidation. After all, I don’t want to buy a bunch of plants and end up with a withered, pitiful-looking garden.
On top of not successfully growing a house plant in college, I now find myself in the middle of the desert. The past few years, I have found that the things I want to grow take more work than I ever imagined, and the things that I don’t want to grow (namely weeds) grow in abundance. I have to be intentional and attentive to anything I grow at my house.
This year, I have decided to give gardening another chance. Nothing compares to home-grown tomatoes. Last year, a friend gave me some heirloom tomatoes her parents had grown, and I cannot get the sweetness and the texture out of my mind. Gardening is such a fantastic opportunity to involve my kids in learning about food and the way it is grown and prepared. I’m working on a game plan to set myself up for success. I’m starting small this year with some tomatoes, peppers, and herbs, but I need all the help I can get to be successful.
Resources for Gardening in Albuquerque
Native Plant Websites
New Mexico’s climate can make gardening difficult. You’ll want to find plants that naturally grow in our climate or plants that will do well in our zone. You can check out the New Mexico State University website for more resources about gardening in our state. There’s also the Native Plant Society of New Mexico for more information!
Seasonal Gardening Resources | New Mexico State University | BE BOLD. Shape the Future.
Native Plant Society of New Mexico | New Mexico’s Voice for Native Plants
Master Gardener Website
The Master Gardener Website seems to be the best resource for the Albuquerque/Bernalillo County area. I perused the website for a while and found more and more interesting information for growing here. The Extension Service also offers classes to help you become a Master Gardener if you are interested.
Down to Earth: A Gardener’s Guide to the Albuquerque Area (book)
I have Down to Earth checked out from the library currently, and I think I will buy the book because of how helpful it looks. I will barely scratch the surface of the information before I have to return it. The book has guides for what to do and what to prepare for on a monthly scale. You can find it at the library or at any of these local retailers.
Jericho Nursery
Our family has used Jericho Nursery several times over the past few years, and we have always had a great experience with them. Their staff is helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly. Their plants are lovely. If you are looking for a place that sells quality products and can answer your questions about planting, I encourage you to stop by their store.
This is the only local garden center I have experience with, but I would encourage you to shop local for any plants that you want to grow. Someone on staff at the local nurseries will most likely have some good advice on what will grow well in our climate or can point you in the right direction for an answer.
Other gardening centers around Albuquerque:
- Rehm’s Nursery and Garden Center | 5801 Lomas Blvd NE
- Albuquerque Garden Center | 10120 Lomas Blvd NE
- Osuna Nursery | 501 Osuna Rd NE
- Plants of the Southwest | 6680 NW 4th St
- Alameda Green House | 9515 NW 4th St
Take a Class
If you’re looking for kid-friendly classes, the Santa Fe Children’s Museum offers a weekly program called Seeds & Sprouts (Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.)
Weekly Programs | Santa Fe Children’s Museum : Santa Fe Children’s Museum
If you are a seasoned gardener, what tips do you have to share about gardening in Albuquerque? If you’re a newbie like me, what do you plan to try out this year?
Updates and additional resources added by Michelle Williams in 2025.
