Exposure: Full Sun
Water: Low
Height and Spread: H 2’ x W 3’
Blooming Season: Spring
Region: All areas
An early bloomer, this water thrifty plant is sure to provide you with large bright yellow flowers from spring through summer. Desert Mule’s Ear blossoms have a vanilla smell and are well adapted to sandy soil conditions. They are long-lived and can be a great addition to a dry flowerbed.
Photo Courtesy of Plants of the Southwest.
Exposure: Full Sun
Water: Medium
Height and Spread: H 25’ x W 15’
Blooming Season: Spring
Region: All areas
The Chanticleer Pear is a deciduous flowering tree that produces profuse clusters of white flowers in early spring followed by small round, hard, bitter fruits that can last into winter. Its shallow roots and pyramidal form make it a great choice for a landscape with limited space. Other advantages of the Chanticleer Pear are that it is favored by birds because of its dense branch structure and that it provides food throughout the year for birds, insects and bees.
Time to follow our spring watering recommendations. Remember, if it rains more than a half inch you can skip your next scheduled watering time as there is no need for supplemental irrigation.
One of the most frequent questions we get at NMSU Extension is, “Should I add fertilizer or amendments to the soil when planting?” The short answer is no. And the long-term answer is an even stronger no.
Soil amendments are materials that are worked into the soil with the intention of improving soil physical qualities. But it’s just not that simple. As City of Las Cruces Community Forester Jimmy Zabriskie said when I asked if he ever recommends using soil amendments when planting a tree, “Save your money for mulch.” Organic mulch is material that sits on top of the soil, providing an insulation layer that helps control soil temperature, retain moisture, and suppress weeds.
When planting ornamental plants, the recommended species are the ones with roots that are well adapted to our native soils. They’re more likely to live long, sustainable lives in our native soils without amendments. The bottom line: Always put the same soil you dug up right back into the hole with the new plant, and top dress with a thick layer of mulch.
As for fertilizers, slow and steady wins this race. As Albuquerque City Forester Joran Viers said recently at a tree planting demo put on by Tree New Mexico and The Nature Conservancy, it helps to think of our trees (and other plants) as marathoners, not sprinters. When fertilizer is applied to trees, they can grow too fast for their own good and are more likely to develop structural problems and other issues. Fertilizers are not recommended at the time of planting perennial plants, either, because we want the plant’s energy to go into root establishment at a healthy rate to support the aboveground growth. The growth hormones necessary for healthy root development are found in the root tips and are made by the plant itself, so adding root stimulator to living roots is not necessary or even helpful. (Side note: Rooting hormone is potentially useful when you’re trying to get roots to grow quickly from cuttings where the roots have been removed completely.) So hold off on fertilizing for at least a few years while your plants are setting down roots.
Research on all sorts of landscape plants has shown that by adding amendments (like organic matter or perlite) to your soil backfill, the initial, short-term results are good. But the interface between the amended soil and the native soil is bad news. Water doesn’t move well across the interface, and neither do roots. With time, the roots may be inclined to stay in the original planting hole and spiral around, so you end up with essentially a potted tree or plant with reduced growth rate, constant water and nutrient stress (because lateral roots never fully developed), heightened vulnerability to pests and diseases, and even an increased falling hazard (think root ball in socket).
Having a healthy and functional (and desert friendly) landscape is about making smart horticultural and irrigation decisions. Burqueños know that water conservation is a way of life -- and an important responsibility in this beautiful high-desert region. By working together, we can continue to ensure a reliable water supply and keep Albuquerque landscapes colorful and beautiful.
Watering your yard efficiently is one of the best and easiest ways to conserve water. More importantly, proper watering will keep your plants healthy throughout the year. The trick is to give your plants enough water – but not too much.. Fortunately, improvements in irrigation system technology are making it easier to do just that – and the Water Authority is rolling out new rebates in April to help you add the latest in irrigation tech:
WaterSense-labeled controllers allow watering schedules to better match plants' water needs.
A WaterSense labeled controller can automatically or manually reduce watering times or the number of days when the system operates. That means less water is delivered to the plants during cooler months or when it has rained recently. As outdoor temperatures increase or rainfall decreases, WaterSense labeled controllers increase irrigation systems’ watering run times or schedule to compensate. Some of these controllers are equipped with smartphone friendly irrigation technology that allows the user to set watering times remotely. Replacing a standard irrigation timer with a WaterSense labeled irrigation controller can save up to 30% in outdoor watering. Customers can choose from a list of pre-qualified controllers.
Irrigation flow sensors measure the speed at which water travels through an irrigation system and sends that information to the Smart Irrigation Controller. This helps detect issues and conserves water. For example, if water is flowing at an unusually high rate (because of a line break or broken sprinkler), a flow sensor works with the controller to take corrective action. Such action could include stopping the water flow or sending alert messages to your device. Additionally, some flow sensors can quantify how much water is used in a landscape, making it easier to stick to a landscape water budget.
Pressure regulation devices increase the efficiency and performance of your sprinkler and drip system by reducing the water pressure to a set, optimal rate. This is important to improve water distribution uniformity and avoid underwatering or overwatering. The three most common pressure regulating devices are pressure reducing valves, flow control valves and pressure sustaining valves.
These devices provide pressure regulation at each individual spray head. The sprinkler body is the exterior shell that connects to the irrigation system piping and houses the spray nozzle that applies water on the landscape. WaterSense labeled spray sprinkler bodies with internal pressure regulation can reduce water waste by providing a consistent flow at the sprinkler nozzle. When the sprinkler body maintains pressure near its optimal operating pressure, the connected nozzle is better able to generate the right amount of water spray and coverage for more uniform distribution of water across the landscape. Customers can choose from a list of pre-qualified spray sprinkler bodies.
