Final Yard Contest entries due Oct. 8

The deadline for the final Valencia County Extension Master Gardeners and the News-Bulletin Yard/Garden of the Month contest for the season is Friday, Oct. 8.

Nominations or entries may be made of any yard or garden in Valencia County with the winner receiving a $100 prize and a photo of the winning yard also appearing in the Oct. 14 News-Bulletin.

Merlinda Acevedo, president of the Valencia County Master Gardeners, said judges will visit yards nominated on Saturday, Oct. 9, and will be looking at yard appearance and maintenance, plant variety, water use, and creativity and design.

Nominations/entries must include:

• The name and telephone number of the yard/garden owner;
• The address of where the yard/garden is located (all nominated yards/gardens must be in Valencia County);
• A brief statement of why the yard/garden deserves the award;
• Entries/nominations are due by noon, Friday, Oct. 8, and must be submitted via email to Merlinda Acevedo at mercruz_2000@yahoo.com or Rigo Chavez at chavrf66@gmail.com.
• Nominators/entrants also may submit up to two photos of the nominated yard/garden via email.

The Valencia County Extension Master Gardeners is a community service program of the New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service and provides courses and information to help community members improve their gardening skills.