It’s officially winter and cold weather will be here for a while. January’s service tip is to take a moment to inspect the trees on your property to see how they are doing.
Walk outside and take a good look at
your tree, starting with where the tree enters the ground. Your looking to see that
the tree trunk flare out as it goes into the ground. This is called a root
collar.
If your tree goes straight into the
ground, it’s most likely planted too deep. You’ll want to remove the dirt
around the tree until you can see the flare of the root collar.
Next, look up into your tree and check for a main central leader on your tree. Now notice the spacing between the branches. Each branch should have its own space. If your tree looks like it doesn’t have the above characteristics, then it’s probably time to call in an arborist for advice.
WATERING RECOMMENDATIONS:
This winter continues to bring much needed precipitation to meet the needs of your landscape, no need to water this month.
When we think of the word evergreen, many of us think about pine trees, cedars and junipers. However, an evergreen is simply any plant that remains green all year long. These plants are welcome fixtures in our winter landscapes, too. 505Outside highlights these essential elements of the greater Albuquerque area landscape by asking local plant experts which ones they love. Below are some of their favorites.
When the last of the yellow and purple perennial colors fade away in the fall, these (and other) evergreen plants provide the structure that holds landscapes together through the winter months. Don’t forget to include evergreen plants in your landscape for year-round interest.
This deciduous warm season bunchgrass is
a delight in fall gardens. In the late summer, seed stalks appear, providing
beautiful visual interest when backlit by the sun and gently blowing in the
wind. This grass occurs naturally in floodplains and does well if deeply
watered twice a month in summer. Water monthly the rest of the year. Giant Sacaton
looks lovely when mass planted but can also stand alone when planted among late
blooming summer perennials. In late February, trim this grass to about a foot
from the ground so it will be ready for spring.
Now that the weather is colder, curl up with a book and
learn more about our global and local water resources.
Here are a few of my favorites to get you started. If you’ve
got a water book to recommend for future newsletters, please email me at kyuhas@abcwua.org
For a thought-provoking read about the effect of rising sea
levels throughout the world, pick up The Water Will Come: Rising Seas,
Sinking Cities And The Remaking Of The Civilized World by Jeff Goddell. He
uses a blend of science and first-person accounts to create an engaging and
informative read. This book made many top book lists when it was released in
2017.
Replenish: The Virtuous Cycle of Water and Prosperity by
Sandra Postel explores many projects, including some in New Mexico, that work
with nature to enhance and preserve the earth’s water resources. Ms. Postel is
a world-renowned water expert we’re lucky to have living with us here in New
Mexico.
Another New Mexico book is A Song for the River by
Philip Connors. This is beautiful, meditative exploration of his time in the
Gila National Forest and of the Gila River. Those who want more of Mr. Connors’
writing on the Southwest should also pick up the multiple award-winning Fire
Season: Field Notes from a Wilderness Lookout.
Finally, for those who want to get started dreaming about their
spring garden, try Growing the Southwest Garden: Regional Ornamental
Gardening or any of the other gorgeous, picture-laden titles by Judith
Phillips, another author we are lucky to call our own. Her beautiful books can
be found at local bookstores and libraries.
Author: Katherine Yuhas, Water Resources Division Manager with Albuquerque Bernalillo Water Utility Authority
Last month we recommended you shut down your irrigation system. If you haven’t had a chance to do that yet, December is the time. Read how here.
Trees still need to be watered once a month in the winter, meaning you can hand water your trees per the Winter Watering Recommendations. However, due to the recent record snow storm in Albuquerque your trees have received enough water this month so there is no need to water.
If your landscape gets more than ½” of rain or 6″ of snow during any given winter month (December, January and February) there is no need for supplemental irrigation on that month.
