San Luis Valley Gardening Info

Keep it growing!

Browse our blog to learn more about how you can get your green thumb. We’re your number one resource for specific gardening advice for the San Luis Valley desert climate.

Helpful Information

Tree and Shrub Planting Guideline
How often to water new plantings trees and shrubs
Recommended methods of watering
Determining how much to water
Fertilize
Winter care of new trees and shrubs

Gardening Language

Soil Amendment
Caliper
Deciduous
Dormancy
Evergreen
Full Sun
Dormancy
Plant Shock
Shade Plants
Wind Break
Xeriscape
Annual
Conifer
Deer Resistant
Drought Tolerant
Fertilize
Native Plant
Perennial
Pruning
Transplant
Winter Kill
Zeroscape

Watering Tips

A common mistake we come across with anything from houseplants and annuals to trees and shrubs is the plant is not getting watered enough.

When watering any type of plant, try to avoid spraying the leaves directly with water. This can create mold, mildew and other diseases on the plant. Instead, water the soil directly.
How to determine if a plant needs water
Watering Sod
How much water does the plant need?
Watering too much

When is it ok to

Plant Bulbs
Plant Perennials
Plant Vegetables
Fertilize Annuals
Water My Lawn
Plant Annuals outside
Plant Trees
Fertilize Lawn
Apply Wilt Pruf

Quarantined Plants in the SLV

Did you know there is a variety of plants that are quarantined from the valley?
Prunus Species including:
  • Cherries
  • Peaches
  • Plums
  • Nectarines
  • Almonds
  • Apricots
The reason for this quarantine is to protect potato crops from the spread of new diseases and pests.
These types of species are an overwintering site for the Green Peach Aphid that can affect potato crops, a large source of money for our valley.

Prunus Species that is not quarantined:
  • Western Sand Cherry
  • Purple Leaf Sand Cherry
  • Dward Flowering Almond
  • Chokecherry
  • Nanking Cherry
  • Flowering Plum
For more information, visit the Colorado Department of Agriculture
https://ag.colorado.gov/press-release/safeguarding-slv-farms-understand-prunus-quarantine-rules
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