One of the
great advantages of desert-adapted plants is the wealth of colorful flowers
they produce, a boon to gardeners and pollinators alike. Plants that bloom in
autumn offer pollen and nectar for insects and, if the seed heads are left to
ripen, a late season food source for birds.
After a long hot summer, some plants think the cool of fall means it’s spring again and burst into bloom with renewed vibrance. Salvia greggii is commonly called autumn sage because, even though it flowers brilliantly in spring and lightly all summer, fall brings on another strong show. Responding to the cooler, longer nights in autumn, Salvia’s late season color becomes even more intense. Autumn sage is a compact shrub that grows 2-feet tall and 3-feet wide, with small dark green leaves and spikes of flowers in red, rose pink, coral, purple or white. Hummingbirds and bees are frequent visitors. Autumn sage prefers well-drained soil and deep watering (24 to 30 inches) every week or two while blooming, monthly or less in winter.
Autumn sage, Salvia greggii
Many ornamental grasses are their showiest in autumn, too. There are several varieties of little bluestem Schizachryium scoparium with 12-inch wide clumps of narrow blue-green leaves and 24-inch tall slender stems bearing fuzzy seed heads. ‘Blaze’ little bluestem turns scarlet in fall and ‘The Blues’ turns a beautiful pink. Both keep their color into winter when they fade to a rich bronzy brown. The color is our reward for supplying the little extra water these grasses need.
Native grasses are also important larval food for butterflies and produce nutritious seeds for songbirds, bringing color on wings to the garden. Since the seed heads are a large part of the reason they are planted, ornamental grasses should be left uncut until early spring. Then, trim them a few inches from the ground so the new growth is not stymied by having to push through old stubble to reach sunlight.
Little bluestem Schizachryium scoparium
Perhaps the most spectacular late blooming perennial is the Maximilian sunflower Helianthus maximiliani. By early autumn, its flower stems are 5 to 7-feet tall. Established plants can spread 4 or more feet wide, shooting up dozens of flower stems. The top few feet of the stems are covered in 2-inch wide yellow sunflowers with yellow centers abuzz with bees. The show can last for several weeks in September or October, but after the flowers fade the plants become a bird buffet of seeds well into winter. Maximilian sunflowers grow best in soils that hold water well and produce the best show when watered to a depth of 2 feet weekly during the growing season, every two weeks in spring and fall and monthly or less in winter.
Maximilian sunflower, Helianthus maximiliani
Flowers aren’t the only source of fall color, either, but red leaves in fall are not the norm in New Mexico. Cottonwoods in the Bosque and aspens in the mountains are our autumn gold. Chinese pistache Pistacia chinensis has become one of the most dependable heat and drought tolerant shade trees and adds splashes of red fall foliage in the ABQ metro area. A great shade tree that is 20 to 30-feet tall at maturity with a canopy spread of 20-feet, Chinese pistache benefits from structural pruning while it is young to assure strong branching. Once well rooted, it should be watered at the edge of the branch canopy to a depth of 2 to 3 feet every few weeks during the growing season and monthly or less depending on winter moisture.
Chinese pistache, Pistacia chinensis
Author: Judith Phillips, owner of Design Oasis, landscape designer and garden writer with 30 years experience designing arid-adapted and native gardens in the high desert.
Grass lawns in the greater Albuquerque area require supplemental irrigation in order to survive our high desert climate. Most residential landscapes are watered by pop up spray heads with conventional nozzles, as pictured below.
Pop up spray head
But did you know that water waste from these conventional spray nozzles can be reduced by simply swapping the nozzle out for high efficiency rotary nozzles? And for just a few dollars per head. Rotary nozzles improve irrigation efficiency by delivering water more slowly. That prevents runoff by giving soil time to absorb the water and allows the water to reach the root zone of the plant. These nozzles also deliver water in a larger droplet size, making the spray less susceptible to being carried off by the wind. This is all accomplished via their distinctive multiple rotating streams of water, pictured below.
High efficiency rotary nozzle
505Outside visited local irrigation supply stores to find out their most
frequently asked questions about these nozzles.
Can I replace my existing spray nozzles with these high efficiency rotary nozzles?
Yes. In most cases it’s as simple as unscrewing the existing nozzle and
dropping in the rotary nozzle and filter basket. These are available at any
local irrigation supply store. If you bring in your existing spray head, the
staff can recommend the best solution for you. Water Authority has rebates
available for the purchase of rotary nozzles, too. Visit the link here.
Sounds too good to be true. Are there any negatives?
They tend to clog with the hard water typically found in Albuquerque.
Make sure the brand you select comes with an inline filter basket, so you can
easily flush out and unclog your spray head.
What else should I know about high efficiency rotary nozzles?
They require longer run times. This is where most homeowners get confused. Wouldn’t
a longer run time mean I’m using more water? The answer is no, because rotary
nozzles deliver water at a slower rate than typical spray nozzles. Therein lies
the efficiency: water saturates deep into the root zone rather than running off
and evaporating. This can also help reduce the frequency of runs, thereby
saving water.
They work best at 30-40 psi. If the pressure running through your irrigation
system is too high, the rotary nozzle will spin out of control and break. The
average pounds per inch (psi) in Albuquerque ranges between 40 and 70 psi, so
you may need a pressure regulator on your system to avoid damage. Check with
your local supplier to figure out if you need to regulate the pressure on your
system, and how.
They are adjustable. Most rotary nozzle brands provide matched precipitation rates across radius, arcs, and pattern types, making it easy to install a system with even distribution. Nozzles can be easily adjusted by tool or by hand while the heads are running, to avoid water waste through overspray.
Stop by your local irrigation supplier and learn all about these high efficiency rotary nozzles.
High efficiency rotary nozzle watering a 135 degree angle.
505Outside sat down with local landscape contractor Hunter Ten Broeck, owner of WaterWise Landscapes Incorporated, to chat about Water Harvesting in Albuquerque.
There are two categories of water harvesting techniques: passive water harvesting and active water harvesting. Passive water harvesting is the practice of slowing water down and encouraging it to soak into the ground. Water is collected from the source (roof, canale, downspout, or sloped earth) and directed to the landscape where the water can be immediately used by the plants. Active water harvesting uses rain barrels, cisterns, and other types of containers to store rainwater for later distribution. These typically hold as few as 200 gallons of water up to 10,000 gallons. A good calculation to remember is 1” of rain on a 1000 sq. ft. roof equals about 600 gallons of water.
Hunter
says the key to any type of water harvesting system, whether active or passive,
is to incorporate it into the landscape design. Thinking through how the rain
water will interact with your landscape and designing for that should be first
and foremost.
When asked what a homeowner could easily do to start water harvesting in their yard, Hunter recommended starting small and trying passive water harvesting. Passive systems can be as simple as a swale, a French drain (or rock burrito, as nicknamed by his staff), or more complicated systems that include building an underground soil sponge area. He says to start by finding the roof’s downspouts and canals, then provide a catch area underneath them. A catch area could be a concrete splash block or cobbles. Then direct that water away from the home via a cobble swale that runs into a planting area. This can be done easily by digging down a few inches and creating a slope away from the house into the planting area. Once the swale is dug, add cobble on top to stabilize the soil and prevent erosion.
Cobble swale located at downspout next to house.
To make Hunter’s “rock burrito” simply dig an 8” wide trench at least 12” deep and as long as necessary for the space. Slope the bottom of the trench toward the drainage area. Layer the trench with filter fabric followed by cobble or rocks. Roll the fabric over the rocks then backfill with soil. This will provide an underground collection area for water. Water will slowly soak into the ground providing moisture to adjacent planting areas.
"Rock Burrito" French drain under construction in an Albuquerque landscape.
For homeowners who are ready to tackle an active water harvesting system like a rain barrel or cistern, Hunter recommends adding a passive water harvesting system next to the active one for when the container overflows.
Passive water harvesting swale next to active water harvesting cistern.
Using every drop of water through water harvesting is an important feature Hunter incorporates into all his landscape designs.
Local Expert: Hunter Ten Broeck, Landscape Contractor and owner of WaterWise Landscapes Incorporated in Albuquerque, NM. Author: Jill Brown, ASLA Landscape Architect and owner of My Landscape Coach in Albuquerque, NM.
While it is fantastic living in the Southwest
where the sun shines over 310 days a year, sometimes landscapes and homeowners
alike crave shade. Large trees provide great shade but may take a long time to
grow. So to create fast shade for patios and windows, choose vines. Luckily
many vines grow well in Albuquerque, including evergreen vines, flowering
vines, fruiting vines and many more. Below are four favorites of 505Outside for
the Albuquerque area.
1. Wisteria, Wisteria sinensis: The pendulous lavender flowers of this vine are some of the first to bloom in the spring. Bright green leaves follow shortly thereafter, filling up the plant and creating lots of dappled shade below. Once the flowers fade, the leaves fill in to provide dense shade in the summer. Prepare for wisteria vines to get woody over time. Strategic training of the stems is also recommended. Wisteria grows well in sun, shade and part shade. Mature height and spread are 25’ to 30’ x 25’ to 40’.
Wisteria growing over a front door trellis.
2. Lady Banks Rose, Rosa banksiae: Rarely do you find a plant that is fast growing, evergreen and long-lived. Lady Banks Rose is all those things, and it produces a beautiful if brief show of flowers in spring. And it uses surprisingly little water. This plant grows large and, unlike most roses, blooms on old wood.
3. Trumpet Vine, Campsis radicans: Orange and yellow trumpet-like flowers grace this beautiful deciduous vine. Train it to grow onto a shade structure. It is a fast grower but you must provide a strong enough support and enough space for this vigorous rambler.
4. Grape vines, multiple varieties: New Mexico is one of the oldest grape growing regions in North America. For covering a trellis or arbor look for vigorous growers. Grape vines like to have moist feet during the first year of establishment. Grapes will grow wild and crazy if not trained and strategically pruned during the winter months. They also need constant redirecting, so tie the vines to the trellis with twine, checking on it every other week during the growing season. These are deciduous so be prepared for a sculptural woody vista throughout the winter months.
Grape vines growing next to an outdoor patio.
Try growing any of these vines on open lattice ramadas, arbors and pergolas. While wood is the most often used material for these structures because it is simple and easy to build, in the Albuquerque climate steel is an ideal choice. Steel structures are strong, long lasting and maintenance free. No matter what material you choose, creating living shade with vines can be rewarding.
Author: Jill Brown, ASLA Landscape Architect and owner of My Landscape Coach in Albuquerque, NM. Resources: Down to Earth, A Gardener's Guide to the Albuquerque Area by Albuquerque Area Extension Master Gardeners. Growing the Southwest Garden and New Mexico's Gardener's Guide by Judith Phillips.
Everything in nature is
connected. Fostering the connections keeps ecosystems and gardens vital. And weaving
pollinator essentials together into a beautiful garden is a fun process. Start
by thinking about where you will view the garden from as well as how you’ll
move through the space to view pollinator activity without disrupting your
winged guests. Organize the largest and thirstiest plants around rainwater
harvesting opportunities such as gutters or canales, and use pathways to divide
larger spaces into smaller planting areas like herb gardens, wildflower beds
and native shrub borders. Include the essentials of food, shelter and water in
your garden and your pollinators will thrive.
Among the insects and
birds that pollinate plants, bees are the primary work force. There are 1000+ kinds
of native bees in New Mexico, as well as honey bees that assist plants in
producing seeds. Butterflies and moths are less efficient pollinators than
bees, and many have key relationships with specific plants: Monarchs
butterflies with milkweeds and hawkmoths with evening primroses. Beetles, bats
and hummingbirds are also nectar drinkers and pollinators.
Plants expend energy to
produce showy flowers to attract pollinators. In exchange for distributing the
pollen needed to fertilize the flowers so the plants can reproduce, the
pollinator feeds on the energy-rich nectar. The shapes and colors of flowers
determine who will pollinate them. Butterflies can’t hover to feed, so they
need open-faced flowers with places to land, like daisies and roses.
Hummingbirds and hawkmoths are able to hover while they probe tubular flowers
for their nectar and pollen. Plants with inconspicuous flowers are often
wind-pollinated, like native grasses, but are still part of the pollinator
support system. Their leaves feed many larval stage insects.
If you are new to the
neighborhood, survey plants nearby for pollinator activity and plant some of
the busiest ones. If you already have plants in your garden that are abuzz with
pollinators, think about replacing any plants that are shirking their habitat
role with ones that are better hosts. Choose plants that are rich in nectar and
well-adapted and watch your garden become a surprise party buzzing with energy.
Food sources include flower nectar for sugar and essential amino
acids, pollen for protein, and leaves as larval food. Native grasses are
especially valuable as caterpillar food. Plan to include food sources
throughout the seasons that pollinators are active.
Shelter includes layers of canopy from taller
trees, mid-height shrubs and groundcovers (knee high and shorter). Leave some
dead snags as hummingbird roosts and for bee nesting. Leave leaf litter in some
places and keep some open soil in out of the way areas for ground nesting
insect habitat. Cluster plants in masses of varied heights and densities as cover.
Plans for bee hotels and ready-made bee and bat nesting boxes are easy to find and
build. Check nature center gift shops and online for ready-made nesting boxes.
A
small, trickling water feature as a
source of drinking and bathing water for insects and birds should have shallow
edges to avoid drowning bees. An extra drip emitter in fine stone mulch or bare
ground is a good water source for bees and puddling place for butterflies.
Eliminate
pesticides and herbicides. You don’t wan to attract pollinators just to poison
them! Your health will benefit, too.
The greater the variety of plants, the greater diversity of pollinators will visit. Plant for a seasonal progression of blooms. It takes at least 100 sq. ft. of the same flower to consistently attract pollinators (think a 5-foot-tall and wide fernbush or butterfly bush or a 10-foot x 10-foot wildflower or herb bed space). So if your neighbor has a swath of red valerian, plant a few but use more of your space for sunflowers, mistflower, yarrow, beebalm, salvias, penstemon, oregano, fennel, whorled butterfly weed or native buckwheats. Pollinators don’t recognize property lines so the more neighbors who garden for pollinators, the richer your neighborhood will become in pollinators. Avoid hybrid flowers, especially varieties with double flowers since those plants may produce little or no nectar or pollen.
Opuntia englemannii with bee. Photo by Judith Phillips
There are
public pollinator gardens in Albuquerque:
Rio Grande Botanic Gardens on Central Ave at New York NW
El Oso Grande Pollinator Habitat at the east end of El Oso Grande Park on Osuna Road @ Morris NE
Albuquerque Garden Clubs Garden Center in Los Altos Park on Lomas just west of Eubank
Author: Judith Phillips, owner of Design Oasis, landscape designer and garden writer with 30 years experience designing arid-adapted and native gardens in the high desert.
Testing the soil moisture with a long screwdriver.
Use a soil probe or a long screwdriver to test soil moisture. Push the screwdriver into the soil 24 hours 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.
