Everyone should consider planting fruit trees in their yard.
Because of our climate, fruit trees grow really well in our area. Besides the
joy they bring when we harvest delicious fruit, they put on a beautiful show
with spring flowers, create shade, and provide shelter and food for wildlife
and pollinators. The Water Authority encourages the planting of fruit and shade
trees by providing a generous annual rebate (click here
for more information). Thinking of planting a new fruit tree? Check out our
blog post about the proper way to plant trees here.
All trees require some amount of pruning, especially when
young, in order to set up good structure. Fruit trees have a few special
considerations related to our intense sunlight, specific pests, and where on
the tree the fruit is produced.
Pruning has been called “one of the best, worst practices
for trees,” because removing branches and leaves limits the tree’s ability to
produce energy. Pruning wounds also create a place for decay to enter the tree.
You should always have a reason for pruning a tree and understand why you are
making specific cuts – not just because it’s a nice day and you remember
reading somewhere that you should prune your fruit tree. Pruning is good
because it reduces the length of branches to prevent breakage from heavy fruit
years; removes dead or diseased branches; and/or reduces limbs to keep them
from rubbing against a wall.
There is a ton of great information available online and in books about how to prune specific types of fruit trees. Below are a few resources. But remember that the way you care for your fruit tree will be a bit different than that of a commercial orchard. Besides producing fruit, the tree in your yard will also provide shade and beauty, so keep this in mind when studying resources about fruit trees and deciding which cuts to make.
Unlike in many other climates, our intense sunlight means that over-pruning can to lead to sunscald. This occurs when a branch is suddenly exposed to bright sunlight, causing areas of the bark to become burned and crack, exposing them to disease and rot. In order to avoid this, be careful about removing too many branches from the top, south and west sides of the tree. This exposes remaining branches to intense sunlight, causing sunscald.
Darkening on tree on the south side is a sign of sunscald.
Stone fruit trees such as apricots, peaches, and cherries thrive
in our area and can be really rewarding to grow. Unfortunately, there is also a
pest called a borer (often referred to as a peach borer) that loves other fruit
trees, too. This pest is very common and many feel that it is not a matter of if but when your stone fruit tree will
get borers. Luckily a healthy tree can resist this pest on its own through
natural defenses.
You can support and keep your tree healthy by doing the following three things:
Selecting an appropriate irrigation system ensuring that it is properly watered (see our seasonal plant watering guide here)
Adding mulch (see information about treebates for irrigation improvements and mulch)
Keeping the root collar of the tree exposed. (see tree detail)
Even trees that have borers can continue to live and produce fruit for more than a decade if they are well taken care of. Drought-stressed trees which have borers, on the other hand, often die within a few years.
If you think that you have borers in your stone fruit tree, there are several treatment options. These range from predatory soil nematodes to plant-derived and chemical pesticides that are sprayed, injected, or applied as a root drench. As with any plant pest treatment, the timing is critical. This is especially true with borers. If done at the incorrect time during the borer’s lifecycle, your effort will be completely wasted and you may kill beneficial insects that help your fruit tree. Resources or more information about borers here.
Fruit Tree Borer Infection
Fruit trees are usually pruned in late winter (February –
early March) to adjust the tree’s structure. Summer pruning can also be done,
but this is typically used to control or slow down growth. Removing dead,
diseased, or dying branches can be done at any time of the year. It is
important to remove dead branches so you can determine later if more branches
are dying, and thus judge the general health and vigor of the tree. For young
trees, it is especially important to leave as many small branches as possible. These
help to produce energy for the tree as it is getting established, and can be
removed later if they are not desirable for the mature tree structure. It is
extremely important to never prune living branches if the tree is stressed by
drought conditions.
Most fruit trees bear flower buds, then fruit, on
specialized branch structures called fruit spurs. Fruit spurs will look
different depending on the type of tree. Although variable, these usually occur
on parts of the branch that are at least two years old, and individual fruit
spurs can last for up to 10 years. In general, flower buds located on fruit
spurs are fat, fuzzy and plump, as opposed to leaf buds which are pointed and
flat. It’s important to know how to recognize these so you don’t prune off the
coming year’s fruit harvest.
Because of how damaging bad pruning can be, and how valuable trees are, it may be worthwhile to hire an expert. Be sure that they have experience with fruit tree pruning in our area and are certified arborists by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). To find a local certified arborist, visit this site.
Author: Amos Arber, ASLA, ISA Xeriscape Incentive Inspector for Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority
There is no need to water this month because the greater Albuquerque area received up to 8" inches of snow in the month of January to meet our plants' water needs!
505Outside follows this basic rule for watering during winter months: If it has rained more than 1/2 inch (or snowed more than 6 inches) in the last 4 weeks, then there is no need to water. It snowed more than that in January, so there is no need to water this month.
Below are our Winter Watering Recommendations. If by the third week in February we have not received precipitation please follow the guidelines below.
Remember to mark your calendar on the day of the last big rainstorm, then make a note to review the winter water recommendation chart on the same date of the next month. Keeping track of precipitation will help you decide whether you need to water during the winter months.
Mature Size (H x W): 3-6’X 3-6’ Blooming Season: Early Spring Flower Color: White
Region: New Mexico
A dramatic member of the Heath family native to New Mexico, the Pointleaf Manzanita is one of the few true broad-leafed evergreens that can handle the challenges of our cold, dry climate. It’s found in open pine forests and piñon-juniper woodlands, from 3000’ to 8000’ elevation, with a native range from California to Nevada to Texas. Hardy to at least -20 degrees. Tolerant of some alkalinity, and of soils ranging from sand to clay. Birds love the summer display of pea-sized bronze-colored fruits, which follow clusters of urn-shaped soft pink flowers. This eye-catching native also attracts hummingbirds, butterflies and bees. This plant can stand alone as a specimen or be clustered with other evergreens as part of a hedge or screen. Its exfoliating mahogany-colored bark and matte green leaves lend contrast when planted near sage or blue juniper foliage.
Tips for success with this sometimes-challenging plant: Start with small plants, and make sure to choose a good long-term location, as Manzanitas don’t like to be transplanted. If you plan to highlight the Pointleaf Manzanita’s sinewy structure, begin pruning up at a young age to develop an open structure, since they tolerate pruning of mature branches poorly. This plant should be watered deeply every 2 weeks in summer and monthly for the rest of the year.
The only thing missing with this wonderful shrub may be easy availability, so be sure to mention to your local garden center that you’re interested! North America boasts around 60 plants in the Arctostaphylos genus, and numerous cultivars are available, so also keep an eye open for the Pointleaf Manzanita’s botanical relatives during your travels!
There is no need to water this month because the greater Albuquerque area received enough precipitation in the last week of December to meet our plants’ water needs! 505Outside follows this basic rule for watering during winter months: If it has rained more than ½ inch (or snowed more than 6 inches) in the last 4 weeks, then there is no need to water. We’ve checked the precipitation rates for our area and we are above a half inch of moisture, with some areas receiving over an inch of precipitation in December!
Below are our Winter Watering Recommendations for future months. Again, no need to water in January 2019.
Always remember to mark your calendar on the day of the last big rainstorm then make a note the same date on the next month. Keeping track of precipitation will help you in deciding whether you need to water during these winter months.
The Water Authority’s rate structure serves two purposes:
1) To recover the operational costs associated with running a utility (e.g., delivering water to our customers, collecting and treating wastewater, and maintaining our infrastructure to ensure reliable service); and
2) To encourage all our customers to conserve.
In order to meet both of these goals, there are two components that determine your bill each month.
The fixed charge. This is determined by your meter size and stays the same every month. Larger meter sizes have a higher fixed charge.
The commodity charge. This is determined by how much water you use each month, so it changes. The commodity charge for each unit of water (1 unit = 748 gallons) is the same for all customers, so as you use more units the overall charge increases.
For most customers, their winter water bills are the lowest of the year. And yet, it is very important to be aware of your winter water use and how it relates to your water rates.
Based on your use during winter months of December-March, the Water Authority calculates your winter water average (WWA). Your winter water average is used in two rate calculations.
1) During the irrigation season (April – October), your WWA sets your conservation average which determines how much water you can use before conservation surcharges are assessed to your account. For example, if your WWA is 6 units (1 unit = 748 gallons), you can use up to 12 units per month before any conservation surcharges are assessed. This might make you think that using more water during the winter will help you save money on your bill during the summer. BUT….
2) The WWA serves a second purpose which is to determine your sewer rate for the entire following year. The Water Authority assumes that all the water you use during the winter (Dec – March) is going into the sewer system after use (rather than onto your landscape). So, your sewer charges are based on how much you used during the winter.
Use more during the winter and not only will you have to pay for the water you used and probably didn’t need, but you’ll also be driving your sewer rates up for the entire following year.
Some things you might be wondering about now that you know about the WWA and how it is calculated:
For customers with a very low winter water use, the Water Authority sets their WWA at 4 for the purpose of calculating their irrigation season surcharges, but they are charged for sewer usage based on their actual winter water use.
For customers with a very high winter water use, the Water Authority caps their conservation average at 15. This was established so that high water users could not avoid incurring irrigation surcharges.
You can find your WWA on your water bill under the heading “Winter Average”. For most customers their Winter Average and their Conservation Average are the same. But, for customers with a very low or high winter usage, their conservation average will be adjusted as described in the two bullets above.
There is a “low use” discount to reward customers who conserve all year long. During the billing months of April – October, if you use less than 150% of what all the other customers with your meter size used on average during the winter, you receive a 50% discount on the outdoor water use commodity charge portion of your bill.
If you have a leak during the winter, it is important to contact the Water Authority’s Customer Service Division at 842-WATR (9287), Option 0 and review your account with a Customer Account Representative for any applicable adjustments.
A second article on water rates and conservation surcharges will follow in the spring!
Author: Katherine Yuhas, Water Resources Manager with Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority
Full Sun, Part Shade
Low Water
