Maintenance | 505 Outside

The Dirt on Albuquerque’s Weeds

by 505 Outside | Feb 5, 2019 | Blog, Maintenance, Maintenance Tips, Weed Prevention

WEED IDENTIFICATION

Most definitions of a weed call it “a wild plant growing where it is not wanted and in competition of cultivated plants.” What you may call a weed in your yard may be a beloved plant in your neighbor’s yard.

There are two times a year in the greater Albuquerque area when weeds can get out of hand. This happens typically in early spring after a wet winter and after a monsoon season in late summer. The first thing to do is to identify the plant and decide whether it is actually a weed.

There are some common plants most people in our area think of as weeds. These are broken up into two categories: annual weeds and perennial weeds.

According to the NMSU blog “Desert Blooms”

Annual weeds (puncture vine/goathead, pig weed, purslane, mustard weeds, spurge, and many others) must grow from seeds each year. Prevent them from forming seeds to reduce potential weed problems for the next year. However, since weed seeds can persist in the soil many years before germinating, they will continue to reappear. Be persistent!

Perennial weeds (silverleaf nightshade, bindweed, and others) grow from seeds as well, but they also are able to regrow from their root systems. Pulling newly germinated perennial weeds before they can establish their perennial root system helps reduce the problem. As they regrow from established root systems, frequent removal of the tops will help diminish the food reserves in the roots and weaken the weeds over time. As they become weaker, they become easier to manage.

WEED REMOVAL

Chemical sprays are typically not recommended due to the health hazards and environmental pollution they produce if used incorrectly. It mightsound easier to use the chemical sprays, but once the weeds die from the chemicals, you still have to pull the dead weeds from your yard. Instead, most weeds should be removed manually.

There are few ways to manually remove weeds: hand pulling, using a hand weeder tool, or using a tool called a hula hoe.

Hand Pulling

When hand pulling weeds, definitely wear gloves. Rubber coated gloves are good for small weeds where you need dexterity. Leather gloves are good for larger weeds with thorns. Weeds are most easily pulled when the ground is wet.

Hand Weeder

If the weed doesn’t easily come out by hand, then use a weed tool known as a hand weeder. This tool is dug into the base of the weed near the roots and wiggled around to pop out the weed with the root.

Hula Hoe

If you have a large area of small weeds to remove, a third method is to use a hula hoe tool. This tool allows you to easily pull up the weeds by gently pushing the tool a few inches into the ground. Some hula hoes, also known as scuffle hoes, have a pointed tip to allow the user to pop the weed out at the root. Another benefit to hula hoeing is that it avoids excessive disturbance to the soil, preventing new seeds from being exposed to light and then germinating. This is the best option if you have a large areas of weeds less than 3” high.

What to do with your pile of weeds after you have removed them?

If you have not used chemicals on your weeds, then you could compost them. But only compost if you know the weeds have not gone to seed and that your compost pile will heat up sufficiently. When in doubt, dispose of them in the trash or take them to a local composting facility.

COMMON WEEDS IN THE GREATER ALBUQUERQUE AREA

Puncture Vine/Goathead, Tribulus terrestris

This plant appears in summer. We all love to hate the seeds of this plant, especially if you have ever stepped on them with bare feet. They are also frustrating for cyclists because they cause flat tires. Each goathead fruit contains 5-7 additional seeds, meaning that each plant can easily produce 200 - 5,000 seeds. That’s why it is so important to remove this plant before it flowers and goes to seed.

How to remove: Remove before plant starts to flower. If you notice the bright yellow flowers it’s time to get after it with a hula hoe. Because of this plant’s spreading nature, just a few plants can take up a relatively large area. With a hula hoe, these areas can be cleaned up quickly. A thick layer (3-4 inches) of organic mulch can be effective in controlling this plant from germinating.

Pig weed, Amaranthus alba

Related to the South American ‘ancient grain’ amaranth, pig weed usually appears after summer rains and grows quickly. It can easily reach over 6 feet tall, if allowed. Mowing or line trimming will only encourage this plant to grow low and horizontally, and to go to seed earlier. Like most weeds, pig weed is worth controlling when it is young to reduce the amount of work to remove it later, and to reduce the number of seeds it produces. Remove pig weed when it is less than 8-12 inches tall and when the soil is a little damp with a hula hoe. When larger, this weed is relatively easy to hand pull when soil is damp. If large, chop below ground with a shovel or heavy garden hoe.

Purslane, Portulaca oleracea

Purslane - Annual Weed
(Photo courtesy of NMSU)

This plant appears in mid-summer and should be removed before it flowers. Use a hula hoe for removal when the plant is less than 3 inches wide. Hand pull larger than 3-inch plants. This plant, which is known locally as verdolagas, is also an edible plant that is packed with nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids. It can sometimes be found in local farmers’ markets.

Mustard Weed, London Rocket Sisymbrium irio

This plant appears in the winter months in pockets of dampness. It should be removed before yellow flowers appear. Use a hula hoe to remove when the plant is less than 4 inches tall and the soil is damp. Hand pulling is recommended once mustard weed reaches over 6 inches tall. As with all weeds, mustard weed is easiest to pull when the soil is moist. If the soil is dry, use the hand weeder tool to dig out the tap root.

Spurge, Euphorbia serpens

Spurge - Annual Weed
(Photo courtesy of New Mexico State University (NMSU) by Leslie Beck)

This plant appears in early spring. Use a hula hoe to remove when the soil is damp. Spurge is most often seen in patchy lawns with sprinklers. Spurge goes to seed very quickly, so removal should happen the moment you first notice it. The milky sap of this plant is toxic, be sure to avoid touching eyes and wash your hands after handling.

Tumbleweed, Salsola tragus

Tumbleweed - Annual Weed
(young plant)
(Photo courtesy of NMSU)

Tumbleweed - Annual Weed
(Photo courtesy of NMSU)

Infamous around the state, this plant appears in early summer. Seedlings and small plants look very different from the dry tumbleweeds seen blowing across the highway in the fall. Learn how to identify these when they are young as early removal is recommended. Use a hula hoe to remove when the plant is less than 4 inches tall and the soil is damp. Hand pull plants larger than 4 inches. Eradication of tumbleweed seed can take between 2-3 years because of the numerous seeds in the soil. For more extensive recommendations on removal visit this website.

Fox Tail, Hordeum murinum

Foxtail - Annual Weed
(Photo courtesy of NMSU)

This winter weed has seeds that can get lodged into pets’ paws, coat, nose and ears and cause extreme danger in the animal if not removed promptly. The fox tail has very shallow roots and is easily removed by hand or hula hoe.

Silverleaf nightshade, Solanum elaeagnifolium

Purple flowers appear between April and August. This plant is in the nightshade family and can be toxic if consumed by humans or cattle. Its prickly branches produce purple flowers followed by yellow berries. The deep taproot can be difficult to remove, so deep watering, a hand weeder, and gloves are recommended for removal. This is a native plant, so consider leaving it for pollinators to enjoy the purple flowers. But never let it grow where it may be accidentally consumed by pets or children.

Bindweed, Convolvulus arvensis

Pink or white trumpet shaped flowers appear on this weed in June. The leaves are shaped like arrowheads and the first sign of this weed appears as thin stems wrapped around existing plants. Bindweed is a tenacious plant, powered by a root system that can reach 20 feet deep, and a dense root system that looks like a bowl of noodles. Repeated hand removal is the key to eliminating this weed because it forces the plant to use up the energy reserves in its root system. You may have to pull the tops every 5 days for several months to get it under control. Never put these in the compost.

Bermudagrass: Cynodon dactylon

Bermudagrass was the main grass planted as a lawn in Albuquerque homes 50-60 years ago. This plant can make a great durable low water lawn but can be a nuisance in every other situation. This grass is considered a warm season grass, meaning it is green from the spring to the fall and dormant in the water. Licensed professionals can be hired to eradicate large areas of Bermuda grass with an herbicide. Like bindweed, this aggressive weed grows from persistent underground roots called rhizomes. Rhizomes allow the plant to store energy and continue to resprout many times and allow it to grow up through mulch and even weed fabric. It is important to prevent this plant from becoming established and to continually pull the tops to reduce energy reserves. When removing this plant, the grass lawn can be dug out with digging forks and shovels to loosen the soil then remove and dispose of the rhizomes by hand.

Bermuda Grass re-appearing in a Landscape.

WEED PREVENTION

Have you ever driven across the city and wondered why the parks and medians are weed free, yet your yard seems to be their breeding ground? The City has a specific weed management plan for the parks and medians to prevent weeds from germinating. Homeowners can benefit from a management plan or strategy, as well.

Even with a good weed management plan, it takes an average of three years to really control a weed problem. Each weed requires a different approach, too. One of the best prevention methods is to avoid the conditions that allow weeds to grow.

The most common conditions that allow weeds to proliferate is sprinklers from a lawn over-spraying into a planting area. This can be due to mismanaged or poorly adjusted sprinklers. Check your sprinklers each month and adjust as necessary to prevent overspray. The Water Authority offers free one-on-one irrigation consultations for those interested in improving the efficiency of their irrigation system and improving the health of their landscapes.

For persistent weed problems in a lawn, consider converting the lawn to a desert-friendly landscape with drip irrigation. This will greatly reduce both weeds and your water bill. The Water Authority offers generous rebates for lawn to desert-friendly conversions -- learn more here.

Another common condition that encourages weeds is bare dirt. Weeds thrive in bare dirt, so cover the dirt with organic mulch or plants. Organic mulch is a natural covering, and includes such material as straw, chipped wood, shredded wood, or pecan shells. (The phrase organic refers to material relating to or derived from living matter. It’s not related to the food or farming method of food production without the use of chemicals.) Organic mulch spread on the ground around plants has the added benefit of preventing excessive evaporation and erosion. Organic mulch will also enrich the soil as it breaks down. A depth of 4 inches of organic mulch will inhibit weed growth by preventing sunlight from reaching weed seeds. The Water Authority offers a rebate for mulch when used around trees – check out our Treebate here or information on converting lawn to desert-friendly landscape.

Covering your yard with plants is another great way to prevent weeds. Weeds don’t typically grow in the shade of other plants. The more you plant, the fewer weeds and more beautiful yard you’ll have!

You might be wondering about weed fabric (also known as landscape fabric). There are a few things to keep in mind regarding this product. Weed seeds can still germinate and grow on top of weed fabric as the New Mexico winds blow in new seeds and dust every season. Those new seeds are happy to grow in the dust that collects over the weed fabric.

Landscape fabric is also not a permanent solution. It has a limited lifespan in the landscape, and many weed roots will grow through the fabric, making their removal even more difficult. Weed fabric can also be expensive, it’s difficult to install, can restrict growth of plants you actually want. Additionally weed fabric can also inhibit the soil fertility by not allowing leaves to decompose back into the soil or allowing oxygen exchange and plant roots to “breathe”.

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

The Basics of Fruit Tree Pruning

by 505 Outside | Feb 4, 2019 | Blog, Do It Yourself (DIY), Edibles, Maintenance, Maintenance Tips, Tree Care

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.

NMSU Basic Fruit Tree Pruning: Fruit Trees for the Home Orchard, Pruning the Home Orchard.
“Holistic Orchard” by Michael Phillips
Tree Owner’s Manual

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 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

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.

Time to winterize – Prepare your landscape for winter

by 505 Outside | Nov 9, 2018 | Blog, Maintenance, Waterwise Tips, Winter

November is the time to prepare your landscape for winter. By following the simple recommendations outlined below, you can get your yard ready to endure the coming winter months so it can flourish next spring.

How do I prepare my plants for the winter season?

Turf grass:

Mow your lawn to a height of 1-2 inches. Grass left too long over the winter can develop brown patches.
Aerate the ground before it freezes. Aerating involves penetrating the lawn with small holes to allow air, water and nutrients to reach the roots over winter. Power aerators are available to rent at your local home and garden center, or you can try a strap-on shoe aerator.
Remove fallen leaves from the lawn. These may cause damage to the grass if left over the winter.

All other plants:

Add mulch to existing plants. Mulch helps retain moisture and keeps the soil a more consistent temperature in the winter. When mulching trees, be sure to leave space around the trunk.

Do I need to water my plants in the winter?

Yes! In our area we recommend you continue to water your plants over the winter. But you won’t need to water as often. During the winter, soil retains water for longer periods because of the colder nights and shorter days.

You’ll want to pay attention to how much rain and snow you get in your yard each month. If it has rained more than ½ inch (or snowed more than 6 inches) in the last 4 weeks, then no need to water. If we are having a dry winter (less than ½ inch of precipitation in a month), then your yard is thirsty! Give it a drink.

When watering during the winter, we recommend you water during the warmest part of the day. Below is a chart with watering recommendations.

How much do I water my plants during the winter?

Plant Type	How often?	How deep?
Trees	1 time a month	24 inches
Shrubs	1 time a month	18 inches
Flowering plants	1 time a month	12 inches
Desert accents	none	none
Groundcover	1 time a month	12 inches
Grass: turf	2 times a month	6 inches
Grass: ornamental	1 time a month	12 inches
Vines	1 time a month	18 inches

How do I know how deeply I’m watering my plants?

Testing soil moisture with a long screwdriver.

Use a soil probe or a long screwdriver to test soil moisture. Push the screwdriver into the soil about an hour after you’ve watered your plants. It will go easily into moist soil. Mark and measure how far it went into the ground. That will tell you how deep you have watered that plant. Every yard is different, but once you figure out how long it takes your watering system to water to certain depths, you’ll be set.

Winterize your irrigation system

In a climate where winter temperatures can get below freezing, it may be advisable to “winterize” your irrigation system in order to avoid damage. If water is left in pipes, valves and sprinkler heads during freezing temperatures, that water may expand. You can imagine the results.

The steps you should take to prepare your irrigation system for winter depend on a lot of factors, but the overall goals for winterizing are the same for most systems:

Shut-off valve with sprinkler valve key.

Shut off the water supply to your irrigation system

Locate your shut-off valve (often hidden in a 3” PVC pipe; sometimes this pipe has a white or yellow cap on it as shown in the photo) and turn it to the right to shut it off

Controller set to the "off"position.

2. Turn off the irrigation system controller (if you have one)

Leave your controller plugged in to save programming information for next year
Turn the controller dial to OFF.

Flush Cap at the end of a drip system.

3. Drain the water from all pipes, valves, and sprinkler heads

There are several ways to drain your system. Manual drain valves, automatic drain valves, are blown out with compressed air. This should be left to trained professionals.
Local irrigation specialists can be hired to help.
If you have an irrigation system with drip hoses, we recommend you locate the end cap (flush cap) of the drip hose and drain out the water.

Don’t forget – hose bibs (or faucets located on the outside of your house) can also freeze. Make sure that water to your hose bibs is shut off. Remove any hoses that are connected to hose bibs, and turn on the faucet to allow any trapped water to drain out. On warm winter days, you may want to turn the water back ON in order to water with a hose.

“Low Maintenance” is Not“No Maintenance”

by 505 Outside | Aug 2, 2018 | Blog, Maintenance, Maintenance Tips, Xeriscape

Xeriscapes can be designed to require very little maintenance, to be healthy and attractive with seasonal cleanup and pruning rather than weekly mowing, but no garden is completely maintenance-free. To ensure that your landscape looks its best and stays water-wise, you may need to:

remove fallen leaves
trim off old flower stems
pull a few weeds
observe insect activity and decide when intervention is warranted and what the least invasive and most effective approach might be,
monitor watering
fertilize plants that need supplementing

While this may seem like a long list of tasks, in real time most of these may amount to a few hours every two or three months. The preventative pest patrol and irrigation check can be done in the evening every week or two with a cool drink in your hand a relaxing reminder to stop and smell the roses.

Mulching

by 505 Outside | Aug 2, 2018 | Blog, Maintenance, Maintenance Tips, Xeriscape

Mulches are blankets of loose material that cover the soil to minimize evaporation, keep roots cool in summer, suppress weed growth and slow erosion. Mulches can also provide visual interest and make the landscape more cohesive until young plants mature to fill the space.

Fibrous mulches such as pecan shells, shredded bark and composted cotton burrs are commonly used in planting beds, especially where plants prefer organic matter.

Stone mulches such as crusher fines and gravel of various sizes and colors, can be used as pathways, lining rainwa- ter catchment, streambeds and basins, and to add texture to planting areas where desert plants prefer improved drainage.

Never use impervious plastic sheeting under mulches as it blocks air movement needed for healthy root growth and results in shallowly rooted plants more vulnerable to wind throw. Many types of pervious landscape fabrics are available where such material is needed for weed suppression or erosion control.

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