With drought conditions predicted to continue for the foreseeable future, we’re likely to water more often this spring and summer. Make every drop count – and keep us on track to meet our conservation goals – by performing routine maintenance to maximize your sprinkler system’s efficiency.
Monthly
Check for leaks by inspecting water lines, sprinklers, emitters, and other components. Look for wet spots in the landscape and listen for hissing to help locate issues.
Your irrigation system is only as good as its aim. Adjust sprinklers and emitters to make sure they’re delivering water to the landscape and not onto rocks, bare earth, or pavement.
Replace damaged parts immediately with identical or equivalent parts. This ensures uniform coverage and optimal system efficiency.
Locate and clean any clogged equipment.
Use water meter and historical data to help reveal hidden leaks.
Check to make sure irrigation controller is set appropriately for the season
Spring
As the watering season gets underway, check your irrigation system for leaks and clogged, broken, or missing sprinkler heads and emitters.
An outdated irrigation system can waste time, water, and money. Consider installing a new WaterSense-labeled, “smart” irrigation controller to take the guesswork out of scheduling (rebates available).
Set the controller for watering frequency, start times, and duration per zone per program.
Replace the back-up battery in the controller.
Test the manual shut-off or isolation valve.
Check the water pressure in each irrigation zone.
Check and clean filters, wherever they are in the system.
Check and clean the filter screen in each sprinkler body. Adjust the rotor arc or spray pattern to eliminate water waste.
Test heads to make sure they are delivering consistently and efficiently.
Inspect all drip emitters (look for wet zones after running a complete cycle). Unclog or replace any that are malfunctioning.
Early Summer
Adjust controller for the appropriate seasonal setting.
Adjust sprinklers and emitters to make sure they’re delivering water to the landscape and not onto rocks, bare earth, or pavement.
Check and clean filters, wherever they are in the system.
Inspect all drip emitters (look for wet zones after running a complete cycle). Unclog or replace any that are malfunctioning.
As plants grow bigger, move the emitters to the edge of each plant’s root ball or drip line to encourage further root development.
Fall
Adjust controller for the appropriate seasonal setting.
Test the manual shut-off or isolation valve.
Check and clean filters, wherever they are in the system.
Inspect all drip emitters (look for wet zones after running a complete cycle). Unclog or replace any that are malfunctioning.
Winter
Guard your irrigation system against freezing temperatures by draining pipes and tubing and properly winterizing your system.
When temperatures are below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, discontinue automatic watering and turn on systems manually or hand water as needed.
In an arid city like Albuquerque, trees and the urban forest are even more important than in places with more moisture. Trees provide shade and habitat, and help cool the urban landscape. To sustain a healthy canopy trees require special care given the arid climate, ongoing drought, and warming temperatures. This year’s hot, dry conditions highlight the need for New Mexicans to take even more care of their trees – and to plan for which species will grow best in increasingly warm conditions. This was especially true this past September when a windstorm wreaked havoc on trees throughout the city.
In collaboration with Our Land New Mexico, a local environmental show on NMPBS, we are sharing a short (7 minute) episode they did about the urban forest in Albuquerque.
The episode discusses how the vitality of a city can be measured in part by the health of its trees and plant life. There is also evidence that tells us how exposure to nature provides emotional and social benefits, lowers stress levels and encourages more community engagement in residential settings.
We encourage you to take care of your trees to support our urban forest and if you are adding a new tree email AskAnExpert@abcwua.org with questions. Local tree experts around the Southwest, including conservation staff from the Water Authority, with the guidance of the Nature Conservancy, have put together a climate-ready tree list that includes trees that will thrive in our current and future climate.
Author: Water Authority in collaboration with correspondent Laura Paskus of Our Land New Mexico and guest Joran Viers, City Forester, CABQ Parks Management Division. Have a question about the article? AskAnExpert@abcwua.org
With so much time spent at home this year, many homeowners have taken up gardening. To encourage this trend and spread the joy that spending time in nature brings, we’ve pulled together a list of Water Authority Conservation staff’s favorite garden tools they can’t live without.
Carlos Bustos, Water Conservation Program Manager and Paulina Aguilera-Eaton, Water Conservation Specialist, both recommend the Skidger® Xtreme Weeder™ - basically a hula hoe on steroids. “Weed early, weed often, and never bend over for a weed again. This tool works in perfect symbiosis with a landscape blanketed with organic mulch.”Amos Arber, Xeriscape Incentive Inspector, swears by garden glove clips. “I can’t live without glove clips for keeping my gloves together.”Denise Rumley, Water Conservation Specialist-Supervisor, loves bee houses! Richard Perce, Irrigation Efficiency Specialist, says this tool is not only indestructible, it’s also beautiful. Hori Hori Ultimate & SheathKatherine Yuhas, retired Water Resources Division Manager, says, “I love these garden seats. They are perfect little seats when pruning shrubs and flowers.”Author: Jill Brown, ASLA Landscape Architect and owner of My Landscape Coach in Albuquerque, NM. Photography courtesy of Andy Young, Albuquerque, NM. Have a question about the article? AskAnExpert@abcwua.org
Native ornamental grasses play an integral role in a landscape. Throughout the seasons, grasses enhance the beauty of our gardens and are often at their showiest during autumn. They create a masterful mix of hues, textures, and seasonal delight. From their graceful flower clusters that gently dance in the wind to their vibrant plumage and foliage illuminated by the red glow of the sun, grasses create attractive and alluring backdrops while also adding motion and sound to our landscape.
Several considerations should be made before selecting ornamental grasses regardless of the style of the garden. Understanding the site requirements – sun tolerance, water use, and hardiness – as well as the growth form of grasses can help determine which species will be ideal for your landscape. Growing a species with weedy or invasive tendencies in moist habitats, for example, may not be ideal near the bosque. Similarly, growing a variegated variety of grass in a sun-exposed slope could result in blistering and discoloration which may detract from its beauty and health. Being aware of how site conditions and plant characteristics interact can help in selecting ideal species.
Consider adding the following ornamental grasses to the landscape:
Muhly Grasses (Muhlenbergia species)
Muhly grasses (genus Muhlenbergia) are a non-invasive, ornamental grass native to the southwest. These grasses provide a wide range of favorable characteristics and perform well in full sun as well as partial shade. They are also heat and cold tolerant and can persist in most soil conditions. The plumy foliage often described as whispering, is quite attractive when a gentle breeze brings these plants to life. This species range in height from 1½ to 5 feet and has a variety of seed colors and textures blooming from August to November. Pink muhly (Muhlenbergiacapillaries) is an outstanding accent plant with its feathery, pink-hued flowers that float above dark green foliage (typically 3 feet). For a larger accent plant with a more subdued color, Deer grass (Muhlenbergiarigens) can make an excellent addition to any garden with its bright green leaves and slender tan flower stalks reaching upwards of 6 feet.
Big Bluestem Grass (Andropogon gerardii)
Several cultivars of the native prairie grass Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) can be spectacular in a landscape and reach heights up to 6 feet. ‘Red October’ is a common cultivar that boasts year-round visual interest. It emerges in the spring with vibrant red foliage that transitions to a striking scarlet color for the remainder of the season. ‘Rain Dance’ Big Bluestem is also a very showy cultivar, providing maroon foliage in both summer and fall. These clump-forming grasses will grow in attractive mounds that add wonderful accents or backgrounds to the landscape in higher elevation plantings like the East Mountains.
Prairie Dropseed Grass (Sporobolus heterolepis)
Prairie Dropseed Grass (Sporobolus heterolepis) is an exceptional bunch of grass that reaches 2 to 3 feet in height. This grass creates a fountain-like effect with its finely textured foliage – bright green in the summer and delightfully golden in the fall. Its flower spikes create a cloud of texture that becomes airier with see-through seed heads in autumn. Moreover, Prairie Dropseed Grass performs well in a wide range of conditions and soil types and is an excellent drought-tolerant addition to the landscape.
On top of their inherent aesthetic value, ornamental native grasses provide refuge and forage for pollinators and wildlife, which enhance the landscape’s ecosystems. Many bird species feast on the seeds of grasses, while the larval stage of butterflies use native grasses to shelter through the winter. For these reasons, ornamental grasses should be left uncut until early spring where they can be trimmed to encourage new growth. Incorporating ornamental grasses is a beautiful way to impart functionality and complexity to any landscape. Autumn is the perfect time to enjoy all that these grasses have to offer.
Author: Alissa Freeman, plant ecologist with an M.S. in Plant Biology, Ecology, and Evolution, has worked with NMSU Plant Extension and the City of Albuquerque on using native plants to enhance pollinator habitats. Photography: by Hunter Ten Broeck of Waterwise Landscapes and Judith Phillips of Design Oasis. Have a question about the article? AskAnExpert@abcwua.orgCaption for Feature Photo: Karl Forester Grass plumes with pink Bush Muhly grass located behind it.
Just as we take shelter when the weather turns colder, so do your plants. This time of year, plants store most of their nutrients in the roots and find shelter in the ground. We can support this transition to help plants thrive during the entire winter season.
Also, it is time to give your irrigation system a rest. The recent storm brought much-needed precipitation and along with the snow came freezing temperatures. To avoid damage to your irrigation system we recommend setting it to the OFF position. Your next step will be to wait for a warm day, to deeply water one more time and then take steps to winterize your irrigation system.
Follow this advice to ensure landscape success:
How much should I water this November?
1-2 more times this month
Give individual trees 100 gallons to a depth of 24”
Skip watering if it rains or snows
Water turf to ½ inch, 7-10 minutes
Your outdoor water usage should be 80% less than in the summer season
How can I keep my landscape healthy this winter season?
Turf
Mow your lawn to 2-2.5 inches. Grass left too long over the winter can develop brown patches.
Aerate next time it is warm. Aerating your lawn will give it a chance to breathe before the grass goes completely dormant. This also provides relief of any compaction that has built up during the warmer months.
Rake or blow off the leaves that have fallen on your lawn. Leaves that are left on the lawn could become moldy, which invites disease.
Top dress with compost. Compost acts as a fertilizer, adds moisture retention capacity, and improves overall turf health.
Trees
Apply a thin layer of compost, about ½ inch, to provide nutrients.
Add mulch away from the trunk base, about 2 inches thick. Mulch helps maintain your ground at a constant temperature and helps retain moisture.
Water your trees thoroughly once a month, if needed, to support your plants' winter hardiness. Withholding water will not aid the plant in acclimating itself to winter.
How do I avoid irrigation and other plumbing system damage? To avoid costly repairs, we recommend that homeowners take the following steps:
Find the master shutoff valve. The master shutoff valve turns off the water to the entire house. If you have one, learn its location. This could be critical if a pipe should burst. Need an emergency turn-off? Call 842-WATR and select Option 1.
Insulate pipes and faucets in unheated areas. Wrap exposed water pipes in unheated areas (such as a garage, basement, crawl space, or space beneath your mobile home) with insulation or heat tape. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully.
Seal off access doors, air vents, and cracks. Winter winds whistling through overlooked openings can quickly freeze exposed water pipes. DO NOT plug air vents used by your furnace or water heater.
Author: Carlos A. Bustos, Water Conservation Program Manager with the Water Resources Division for the Water Authority. Have a question about the article? AskAnExpert@abcwua.org
We love our trees. Trees have a cooling effect in our yards by providing shade and they increase property value. When our trees do not “look good,” we try to help them, but when that one “magic” application does not solve the issue, we are often discouraged. A proper plant diagnosis will help your trees and save you time, money, and energy when dealing with the problem.
Damage to your tree can be caused by a living organism and/or environmental factors. Fungi, bacteria, viruses, nematodes, mites, insects, and animals fall under the living organism category and these tend to attack specific plants. Environmental factors that could affect trees include drought stress, salt injury, chemical injury, winter damage, improper planting, watering, and growing conditions, among others. Damage caused by living organisms can be similar to the damage caused by environmental factors. Here are a few tips to help you conclude what is causing damage to your tree:
First, identify the tree and how old it is. Knowing this will help you become familiar with the best growing conditions for that tree, and what kinds of insects and diseases are specific to it.
Inspect the tree – take a thorough look at the trunk, branches, and leaves. What abnormalities do you notice? Are the leaves discolored, bite marks, abnormal growth, unusual size, odd branches, or is the trunk oozing? What color is it? Does it smell? Do you notice any injuries or scars? Any holes? What size and shape?
Look at the environment where the tree is growing. How was the tree planted (burlap, chicken wire, planted too deep, girdling roots)? What kind of soil is it planted in (sandy, clay, poor drainage, compaction, etc.)? Is the tree near a foundation, driveway, traffic areas, wall structures, etc.? Any construction or change in the landscape around the tree area?
What watering conditions has the tree been subject to (water at the dripline, how much water, water throughout the year, etc.)? How is the water system checked? What is the soil coverage around the tree (rock, bare soil, lawn, organic mulch, etc.)? Any chemical application (herbicide, fertilizer, insecticide, etc.)?
Gather other information. Pictures help a lot to see how the issues have progressed. Collect any insect samples. Record when the symptoms started to appear.
All this information is crucial because symptoms caused by environmental factors can be like those caused by living organisms. In some cases, a lab analysis might be the best option to confirm or dismiss the presence of a pathogen and will help you develop a treatment plan.
Consider this common scenario: A 15-year-old tree grows next to a paved driveway and a wall, with gravel mulch around the base. Underneath the gravel is a plastic layer of weed fabric.
Shallow roots due to heat stress and limited watering. Photography Courtesy of James Vocasek c/o KRQE.com
The tree does not receive enough water for many years and gets no rainwater through the weed fabric. This tree is struggling to develop a good root structure and starts looking unhealthy. Eventually the tree gives up and a strong wind brings it down. In this case, chemical treatment will not improve the tree’s appearance because it is not addressing the true cause of the problem: watering improperly.
Diagnosing what is wrong with your tree will take time, but it is worth it. These local resources can help:
Author: Sara Moran, Extension Horticulture Agent, Bernalillo County, NMSU Cooperative Extension Service. Have a question about the article? AskAnExpert@abcwua.org
