A soil test will be very helpful in doing this. Our soils tend to be low in organic matter. This is good for some of our xeriscape plants, but some of the others will benefit from the addition of organic material to the soil. If the soil in your landscape is too difficult to work with, consider building raised beds where you can also engineer the soil to suit your purpose. Just remember that water is a limiting resource in New Mexico and should be used wisely.
Improper irrigation is often the cause of disease problems in our gardens.
NM 87112 Curtis W. Smith, Ph.D., is an Extension Horticulture Specialist with New Mexico State University's Cooperative Extension Service.