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Pointleaf Manzanita, Arctostaphylos pungens

by 505 Outside | Jan 1, 2019 | Evergreen Shrubs

Full Sun, Part Shade

Low Water

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!

Watering Recommendations: January 2019

by 505 Outside | Jan 1, 2019 | Uncategorized

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.

WATER RATES: The Basics and Why You Should Pay Attention to Your Winter Water Bill

by 505 Outside | Jan 1, 2019 | Blog, Water Conservation, Winter

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

Simple Steps to Get Started Designing Your Yard

by 505 Outside | Jan 1, 2019 | Blog, Design, Do It Yourself (DIY), Xeriscape

A lot goes into designing a landscape, hence there’s an entire profession called landscape architecture devoted to designing outdoor spaces. We won’t be able to make you a landscape architect today, but we’re sharing six steps to get you started on a great landscape design.

Brainstorm what you want in your yard.

Think of this as a “brain dump,” which simply means you’ll transfer to paper all the things you are considering, imagining, and dreaming of for your yard. First, find a window that looks out onto a part of your yard. Set up a chair there, grab a pen, clear your mind and set a timer for five minutes. Now write down anything and everything that comes into your head that involves your yard. Ready, set, go.

Make a plan.

As the old saying goes, “All good things start with a plan.” It’s true! Think about how you approach your job; more than likely you have a general strategy about the steps you are going to take to perform the tasks on your to-do list. It’s the same with your yard: Developing a plan will save you time and money, and is more likely to result in a successful end product.

What is a plan? When it comes to landscapes, a plan is a scaled drawing showing your yard from a top-down perspective. To make sure the dimensions are accurate, it’s helpful to start with a “map” of your existing yard. You can use either a scaled aerial photograph or a surveyor’s plat drawing of the lot on which your house sits, or both.

Scaled aerial photograph. Numerous websites provide free aerial photography. Google Earth Pro, which can be downloaded for free, allows you to measure distances and save snapshots of satellite photography with a scale bar included. Though this next step will be a challenge, the aerial photograph can then be opened in a program like Microsoft Paint where you can change the size of the photo and get it to a standard scale (like 1”=10’). Resizing the aerial photograph to a larger-than-normal page size, like 11”x17”, may make it possible to fit your entire property onto one sheet at the desired scale. Don’t forget that you can print large pages at a commercial print shop.

Surveyor’s plat drawing.What is a plat? It’s a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. This should be included in the huge pack of documents you received when you bought your home. It should show overall property boundaries, and basic dimensions of the home. It sometimes includes existing features such as driveways, and exterior structures like sheds. If it does not show these, you can use a tape measure to measure the structures and hardscape areas such as patios, driveways or sidewalks then note them in pencil on the survey plat.

Once you’ve got your aerial photograph or surveyor’s plat, you may want to buy a book of tracing paper, which is see-through and will enable your next steps.

Take stock of what’s in your yard now

You’ve written down what you want to have in your yard, and you’ve got a photo or drawing showing the actual size of your landscape. Now you are ready to take stock of what’s already in your yard. Put a piece of tracing paper on top of your aerial photograph or plat plan, and head outside. You’ll want to populate your tracing paper with information on existing conditions like plant locations and names, patio positions, roof downspouts, and drainage patterns. Be sure to locate any special site features, identify problems such as erosion, excess runoff, ugliness and decline, and identify positive attributes such as a good view, a nice specimen plant or typical travel patterns.

You’ll want to note compass directions on your drawings, since we experience large temperature swings in New Mexico it’s important to note the different levels of sun exposure in your yard. Typically, the south side of your house will receive sun all day long. Compare this with the north side of your house, or northern exposure, where the ground is shaded most of the day. Once you understand the different microclimates of your yard you’ll be able to choose plants that grow best in those conditions.

It may be helpful to use multiple sheets of tracing paper that can be layered to create a full picture of your yard’s existing conditions. For help identifying underground utilities (like water lines) in your yard, call 811 (See https://www.pnm.com/call-before-you-dig1 for more information).

Analyze your landscape -- do you have enough space for what you want?

Now that you have identified all the existing elements in your yard, you can reflect on how well those elements are working. Take some time to walk around your yard and think through all your existing elements and spaces. Keep these questions in mind: Why is this located here? How does this space relate to the others? What are the pros and cons of my existing spaces?

These questions will help you analyze your yard. Through that process you’ll discover constraints and opportunities for improvement.

Research other landscape designs to get ideas for your yard

Now that you’ve done the hard work above it’s time to look at other people’s designs for some inspiration. The templates provided here were designed for the Water Authority by local landscape designer Judith Phillips, and landscape architects George Radnovich and David Cristiani. These templates can serve as thought-starters to guide homeowners in creating beautiful waterwise landscapes with color, logic, beauty and purpose.

You’ll want to read through each design and note the aspects of each that you like. Circle your favorite plants, materials and how they shape certain spaces. All of this will help inform your landscape design.

Landscape design templates

Kaleidoscapes (509KB PDF)

Judith Phillips creates vivid, striking plant arrangements with abundant textures and rotating, colorful perennials.

Greenscapes (508KB PDF)

David Cristiani combines contouring with groundcovers, grasses, vines, shrubs and trees for a lush, green xeriscape year-round.

Loungescapes (518KB PDF)

George Radnovich blends dramatic native and xeric plants for a spectacular lower-maintenance xeriscape.

Wildscapes (553KB PDF)

Judith Phillips balances copious blooming perennials with intensely aromatic plants to attract abundant local wildlife.

Hotscapes (91KB PDF)

David Cristiani fuses succulent textures and groupings that thrive in full sun and high heat for impressive visual impact.

Coolscapes (503KB PDF)

George Radnovich orchestrates an elegant, simple mixture of ornamental plants and features for north-facing xeriscapes.

Draw out your own design

Now it’s time to try this for yourself. Grab your list of wants from your “brain dump,” pull out your plans with all your notes, and lay out the design templates in front of you. A pen, pencil, rule or scale bar, and some tracing paper will be everything you need to start marking up your plan with your new design ideas.

This is the fun part, all the stuff you just brainstormed, inventoried, analyzed and learned can all come together to help you design a really great landscape. Draw out as many ideas as you like and have fun with it. You are now on your way to a beautiful yard!

Author: Jill Brown, ASLA Landscape Architect and owner of My Landscape Coach in Albuquerque, NM.

Ice Hazards in the Landscape

by 505 Outside | Dec 12, 2018 | Blog, Maintenance, Winter

Icy sidewalks and streets pose a serious danger to the safety of those who use them. Water Authority customers are subject to fines when water causes ice formation on adjacent property, or the public right-of-way, including sidewalks or other impervious surfaces.

Ice violations issued by the Water Authority can range from $20 for a first violation and up to $2,000 for multiple violations. These violations generally occur as a result of irrigation overflow, overspray, and/or malfunctions. If you choose to use your automatic irrigation system during the winter months, please check for the following to avoid ice formation:

Low head drainage

This generally happens on sloped areas and can be fixed by installing a sprinkler head with a built-in check valve. Many major brands of heads can be retrofitted with a check valve.

Misaligned sprinkler

A misaligned sprinkler may cause water to flow into the public right of way. Turn on your irrigation system to check each sprinkler head’s angle and the distance it sprays. Make sure your water use is beneficial to your landscape and not wasted.

Overflow

Cut back your watering time. If your landscape needs more water than what is applied before overflow occurs, practice the cycle and soak method. Break up the total watering time in order to allow water to soak in better. For example, instead of running your system one time for 10 minutes in the winter, try running it two times for 5 minutes each with an hour or more between cycles. This allows time in between for the grass to soak up the water.

Unrepaired malfunctions

Visually inspect all the components of your irrigation system and repair any issues that may be causing a problem.

Watering time

Watering too early or too late can both cause the formation of ice. Mid-day is the best time to apply landscape irrigation in the winter so that water will have time to evaporate before freezing.

Ultimately, winterizing your irrigation system for the winter is the best way to avoid ice violations. Click here to learn how to winterize your system. We are happy to assist you with your landscape water needs or to answer your scheduling questions. Call 505.289.3003 to schedule an Outdoor Irrigation Efficiency Consultation today!

For further information, view our current Water Waste Ordinance.

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