BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — A mysterious malady that has been killing honeybees en masse for several years appears to have expanded drastically in the last year, commercial beekeepers say, wiping out 40 percent or even 50 percent of the hives needed to pollinate many of the nation's fruits and vegetables.

Read the entire New York Times article here.

Finding a good landscaper can be an overwhelming task, especially if you have just moved to Santa Fe. You may ask yourself, where do I start? How do I know that the landscape company is a reliable one?

It helps to have a checklist of what it is your needing a landscaper for. Are you looking to design a new garden area? A flagstone patio for an intimate sitting area? A stone retaining wall to help prevent water erosion? A maintenance program for your existing gardens? Or maybe you just want to update your existing landscape and need some ideas. These questions will be helpful when you find a company you are interested in using and have a checklist of questions to ask the company.

Read more: Finding a Reliable Landscaping Company

Well here it is mid April and we find ourselves in the mist of snowy blustery days and freezing night time temperatures. Once again Mother Nature is reminding us that gardening always begins on her terms!

Keeping the unpredictable weather in mind, there are several things you should be doing in preparations for that beautiful warm weather that we know will eventually get here.

The first thing is: Don't spend money on those beautiful annuals and plant them too soon!!

Typically in our area of Santa Fe, the date for safe planting and not risking a freeze is Mothers Day in mid May. That's not saying that I have seen freak spring snowstorms in May, but mid May is the general rule of thumb.

Read more: The gardener’s checklist for spring

When is organic really organic and when is the term organic meaningless?

This is a topic that I am very passionate about. I have in some compasidy been an organic grower/gardener all my life. It was the main driving force for me to choosing a degree in plant biology, and it is the core foundation of my company.

In order for an organic product in the United States to be considered truly organic, the following conditions must be met.

• A product bears the USDA Organic Seal.
• A product has been certified organic.
• A product contains 95% or more organic ingredients.

Read more: When is Organic really organic?

Recently I have come across many articles and reports on the possible effects that insecticides are having on the bee populations. I have also been reading many posts from New Mexico beekeepers about substantial losses of bee hives over this last winter. Could there be a possible link?

Read more: Possible effects of Neonicotinoid Insecticides on Bees