Baby, it’s cold outside. Or is it? How do you water during the cold and dry winter season?
The weather predictions are in, and we are headed into a very dry La Niña winter season. This means we need to water our plants this winter in order to keep them healthy. Due to our freezing temperatures we recommend turning off your irrigation system for the season and using your hose to water once a month during the middle of a warm winter day.
Watering Tips:
For cool season grass lawns, thoroughly water every other week.
For deciduous and evergreen trees, lilacs, photina’s, euonymous, rose of Sharon, spirea and forsynthia, water once a month to 24” deep.
Author: Richard Perce, Irrigation Efficiency Specialist with the Water Conservation Department for the Water Authority. Research: Farmers Almanac, Drought Watch New Mexico State. Have a question about the article? AskAnExpert@abcwua.org
What is a smart irrigation controller and why would you want one as a gift? The Water Authority’s irrigation efficiency specialist Richard Perce says, “While an irrigation controller is a must for your landscape, a smart controller adjusts your watering based on the local weather conditions. This saves you time and water!” Many smart controllers use WiFi and connect to the local weather station. They will not water on days when it’s too windy or it has already rained. Most will also determine what your landscape’s water needs are and create a schedule based on data added during setup and the information it receives from local weather stations. Many also connect to your smartphone or tablet so you have easy control over your system no matter where you are.
Below, Richard has listed some of his favorite controllers for this holiday season. Why not be practical this year for gift giving?
Features: 6 and 12 zone options, inexpensive, connects to local weather stations, easily controlled via your smartphone, can be mounted indoors or outdoors, works with all internet modems (2.4gh and 5gh), long-range Bluetooth radio, can adjust both at the controller and on your phone, easy to use, rebates available.
Features: 8 and 16 zones options, inexpensive, connects to local weather stations, easily controlled by a smartphone, works with all modems, easy to use, robust water schedules based on plant type, soil type, sun exposure, rebates available.
Rainbird ST8-2.0 WiFi Smart Irrigation Timers Features: 8 zones and more, connects to the local weather station, easily controlled at the box and by smartphone, works with all modems, robust watering schedules, fully customizable, rebates available.
Author: Richard Perce, Irrigation Efficiency Specialist with the Water Conservation Department for the Water Authority. Have a question about the article? AskAnExpert@abcwua.org
In 1988, the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority’s started a composting facility for biosolids produced. 505Outside recently visited the Soil Amendment Facility to check out the “Compost Del Rio Grande.”
Water Authority compost is unlike any other in town because it’s not just made with the typical green waste, manure, wood chip, and horse bedding. It also has one special ingredient: biosolids. Biosolids, also known as humanure, are organic matter recycled from sewage operations.
Compost del Rio Grande is responsible for reprocessing the biosolids that are a daily byproduct of the Southside Wastewater Reclamation Plant – about 360,000 pounds a day, or three truckloads three times a day are produced. While we were touring the facility, we got a chance to see three of these truckloads.
Biosolids are rich in organic matter, nitrogen, and trace minerals. The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) encourages safe biosolids re-use. Properly managed, composting qualifies as a Process to further reduce pathogens under US EPA regulations, meaning that composted biosolids may be used in the production of crops for human consumption.
The facility accepts green waste from the community. They also will soon begin receiving food scraps from Intel and horse manure and bedding from New Mexico Expo.
Certified biosolids compost of good quality is typically comprised of 25% animal stable bedding, 40% biosolids, 30% green waste (pulverized yard trimmings), and 5% wood chips. The facility can produce over 4,000 cubic yards of compost per month.
Compost del Rio Grande uses a recipe created specifically for the facility. The recipe consists not only of the materials that go into the product, but the process used to create the compost. This includes the temperature and length of time at which the materials cook and the number of times the compost is turned. After cooking for 8-10 weeks, the compost is ready.
The facility works closely with the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT). NMDOT uses large quantities of the Rio Grande Compost on highway reclamation projects around the state for erosion control, dust control, and vegetation growth.
Water Authority compost (“Compost Del Rio Grande”) is available to the general public for purchase. Click on the link for more information, or to find out how you can obtain compost for your outdoor projects. https://www.abcwua.org/customer-service-compost/
Author: Jill Brown, ASLA Landscape Architect and owner of My Landscape Coach in Interviewed: W. Shane Fitzgerald, SAF Superintendent, Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority.
During this time of year, plants store most of their nutrients in the roots and find shelter in the ground. Also, this is the time of year to winterize your irrigation system.
To avoid damage to your irrigation system we recommend setting it to the OFF position. Since it is important to make sure your landscape stays healthy in the winter during times of drought, find a warm day once a month and deeply water your plants if we don’t get snow or rain. After watering, set your system to the OFF position again, and to avoid costly repairs, we recommend that homeowners take the following steps after watering:
1. Disconnect the water supply to your irrigation system.
2. If you manually water using a hose or if the irrigation system is attached to an outdoor spigot, you should disconnect it and cover your hose bib using a faucet cover.
3. If you have a below-ground irrigation system, locate your shut-off valve (often hidden in a 3” PVC pipe; often with a white or yellow cap, as shown in the photo). Turn it to the right to shut it off. Be careful when turning so you do not break the valve.
4. Drain the water from all pipes, valves, and sprinkler heads. Learn more about protecting your irrigation system here see the article
How much should I water this winter season?
Water trees thoroughly once a month, to support your tree’s winter hardiness. Give individual trees 100-250 gallons.
Water turf only twice a month for about 5-7 minutes.
How can I keep my landscape healthy this winter season?
Mow your lawn to 2-2.5 inches. Grass left too tall over the winter can develop brown patches.
Aerating and dethatching your lawn will give it a chance to breathe before the grass goes completely dormant. This also provides relief from 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.
Apply a thin layer of compost. Compost acts as a fertilizer adds moisture retention capacity and improves overall turf health.
Add mulch but keep it away from the trunk base of your trees. Mulch helps maintain the ground at a constant temperature and helps retain moisture.
Author: Carlos Bustos, Water Conservation Manager, Water Resources Division Have a question about the article? AskAnExpert@abcwua.org
While a subsurface drip irrigation system can last from twelve to fifteen years, especially if it is maintained well, some of the system’s components may need to be replaced or repaired through the years.
A controller, for example, is subject to UV degradation if it is installed outside. Controllers need to be properly sealed and monitored for any inside moisture that can corrode the system's components. Older controllers (pre-2000) can be difficult to set and have limited choices for how to water, which can make watering inefficient when using these controllers. Since Water Sense Smart Technology controllers are more efficient, we recommend switching to this technology. We offer rebates to help you make that upgrade.
Drip irrigation tubing is also known to degrade when exposed to UV light. According to landscape professionals in the Albuquerque area, you can expect the tubing to last for about ten years if it is buried. If tubing is placed on the surface of the ground, it generally won’t last a decade due to several factors, including exposure to UV light and an increased risk of freezing and splitting.
Emitters have various lifespans. Button emitters tend to clog less but need replacement when that happens. Flag emitters clog more often from mineralization but can be flushed.
Another reason for emitter and drip line failure is damage from humans, dogs, rabbits, ground squirrels and pack rats.
Regular maintenance is the best way to increase the lifespan of an irrigation system. Click here for our free irrigation checklist to help keep your system in tip-top shape.
Author: Richard Perce, Irrigation Efficiency Specialist with the Water Conservation Department for the Water Authority. Research: USGA.org and Colorado Extension Service Have a question about the article?
Albuquerque ranks third, after New Orleans and Houston, among cities with tree loss. Our trees are dying because they aren’t being watered properly or at all. How should we water established and mature trees?
To address this problem a landscape architect and a professional landscaper put together a Tree Watering Irrigation Kit that allows you to water established trees more deeply and consistently.
It’s easy for homeowners to assemble a similar kit that attaches to a hose spigot using the parts below, from left to right.
Startwith a hose bib vacuum breaker, which prevents water from siphoning back into the potable water system. Next in line is a hose water timer that works like a kitchen timer, opening and closing a valve at a pre-set time. Instead of a hose water timer, consider using a WaterSense Smart Controller (a rebate is available for this controller). Attach a female-to-male hose swivel converter to the timer or controller. This converter allows you to pop on a pressure regulator that drops our city’s water pressure down to 30psi, which is the best pressure for a drip system. After the pressure regulator, attach an adapter that connects to the ½” inline dripline. The inline dripline comes with 1gph emitters that are spaced every twelve inches. This allows the water to drip consistently and efficiently directly into the ground, deeply soaking the roots of the tree.
Once you have your system installed, a good rule of thumb is to set up a 45-minute run time. To know how often to water, follow the Seasonal Watering Recommendations .
The end cap (pictured below) is installed at the end of the inline drip tubing. This can be opened to empty the line of water and prevent freezing.
