New Mexico’s agricultural industry is one of the important industries in the state.
New Mexico is home to a wide variety of crops, livestock, and agribusinesses, and the state’s farmers and ranchers are some of the most productive in the country.
The state’s climate and geography are well-suited for agriculture, and New Mexico’s farmers and ranchers have long been at the forefront of innovation in agriculture.
Plant Hardiness Zone Map
Let us get some insights into what the US Plant Hardiness Zone Map says about the state.
Plant Hardiness Zone Map for New Mexico
Climate
The state of New Mexico experiences a semi-arid to arid climate.
The state belongs to zone 4b-9a. Summers are hot but less humid, while the winters are cold in many parts of the state, experiencing temperatures below 0˚F.
Precipitation
The state receives very little rainfall of about 14 inches annually.
In the southern desert, precipitation is less than 10 inches whereas, in the higher elevations, it is more than 20 inches.
The mountains of the state receive heavy snowfall of 60- 160 inches during the winters.
Soil Type
The below map shows the ecoregions of the state.
Now, let us add some information on the soil types found in the state.
Soil Order Of New Mexico
| Soil / Sub Order | Location | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Aridisols/Argids, Calcids, and Gypsids | They are found mostly all over the state except on the northeastern side. | 1. Argids have an argillic or natric horizon 2. Calcids have a calcic or petro calcic horizon and have calcium carbonate in the layers above. 3. Gypsids are the Aridisols that have a gypsic or petrogypsic horizon. |
| Alfisols/Cryalfs and Ustalfs | They mostly occur in the Rocky mountains. | 1. Cryalfs, which are the cold Alfisols, occur mostly at high elevations. 2. Ustalfs have a ustic soil moisture regime. |
| Mollisols/Ustolls | In the Rocky Mountains and the high plains | 1. Ustolls are the more or less freely drained Mollisols of sub-humid to semiarid climates. 2. These soils are prone to droughts. |
| Inceptisols/Ustepts, Udepts, and Cryepts | Ustepts in the New Mexico mountains while the Udepts and Cryepts are in the Rocky Mountains regions. | 1. Ustepts are freely drained Inceptisols that have a ustic moisture regime. 2. Udepts are mainly freely drained Inceptisols that have a udic or perudic moisture regime. 3. Cryepts are the cold Inceptisols of high mountains or high latitudes. |
| Entisols/Orthents and Psamments | In the Colorado and New Mexico plateaus and the Chihuahuan desert | 1. Orthents are usually found on recent erosional surfaces. 2. Psamments are sandy soils. |
