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New Year, New Garden, New Me

Canva: Arely Avitia
/
KTEP

On this week’s Good to Grow, hosts Denise and John will talk with a special guest, El Paso County extension agent for horticulture, Eddie Rascon. As the new year starts, they will dive into what gardeners add to their new year's list. Bone up on your water conservation for the El Paso climate, change some of your shrubs out, work on that irrigation system, so many things to add into your resolutions!

Pro-Tip: Grass areas or green spaces near the house can help reduce the surrounding temperature by approximately 80%. It doesn't have to be turf grass; you could look at ground covers or not-so-tall shrubs, as long as they are water-efficient and will keep the reflected heat off your home. Don’t miss this edition of Good to Grow, and stay tuned for the next episode!

The El Paso County Master Gardeners started in 1981 and has been growing with many volunteers and Master Gardeners ever since. The love of gardening and the search for knowledge are primary reasons people join the program to become trained and certified Master Gardeners. Texas Master Gardeners are united in name, but the program’s strength lies in its ability to meet the diverse needs of the communities it serves.

For more information visit the El Paso County Master Gardeners website for questions, tips and upcoming calendar events.

This program originally aired on January 10, 2026.

Denise S. Rodriguez, County Administrator and Horticulture Extension Agent, is an El Paso native who earned her BS and MS in Horticulture at New Mexico State University. Denise previously worked at the AgriLife Research Center at El Paso where she was part of a research team focusing on determining the drought and salt tolerance of low water use plants in urban horticulture. She has tailored her home gardens to be kid friendly in hopes of inspiring her own children to engage in gardening.
John White is a co-host of Good To Grow on KTEP and a curator of the Chihuahua Desert Garden at the University of Texas at El Paso. John is a professional Horticulturist and earned his Masters of Science in Horticulture from New Mexico State University.
Arely Avitia manages website content, graphic design and is part of the student outreach team. She works with audio producers to update production archives and news content, as well as maintain reporting for music licensing.