Gardeners, who are preparing to harvest their last crop before the first frost, should also start cleaning vines and weeds and revitalize hard and worn-out soil, said a horticulture specialist with New Mexico State University. That means beefing up the soil with some extra organic matter before winter sets in. The best way to do this is by applying livestock manure or planting a green manure crop, he said. Many areas of New Mexico have an abundance of cow manure available from the dairy industry.
Gardeners can haul a pickup full of manure for a small loading fee.
Cow manure should be applied after frost at a rate of 50 to 100 pounds per 100 square feet of garden and incorporated with a garden fork or rototiller to a depth of 6-8 inches, Dickerson said. Chicken manure should be applied at half the rate. However, manure sometimes contains weed seed. Properly prepared compost will heat up and kill weed seed, he said. Use manure, leaves and crop residue for composting in the fall.