Trees are incredibly valuable and provide a wide array of
benefits, from increasing home values to improving mental health.
Unfortunately, Albuquerque has suffered large losses of trees in the past
decade. It’s more important now than ever to take care of your existing trees.
A common sight on spring evenings is seeing people with
their thumb on the hose, spraying the trunk of a tree. While it’s great to see
people caring for their trees, there is a better way to water them.
Trees have several different types of roots that serve different functions. Fine hair feeder roots are responsible for taking up water. Because these feeder roots are generally located near the tree’s canopy edge, this is where you want to apply water: a little inside and a little outside of the canopy edge.
TREE WATERING TIPS:
1. Hand watering
Turn your hose to a low flow or fast drip, so the water soaks into the soil before running off (try a hose end shut off valve). Set a timer and move the hose to different locations every 20 minutes starting 5 feet from the trunk to just outside the canopy edge. Small to medium trees will require watering at between 12 and 20 locations. Larger trees may need to be watered in sections over a few days.
2. Drip irrigation on desert friendly xeriscape
Growing healthy trees in a desert friendly xeriscape is possible using drip irrigation such as flag emitters. As trees grow, they require more resources in the form of soil rooting space and water. That means that as trees become established, drip irrigation emitters need to be shifted away from the original rootball (at the time of planting) out to the edge of the tree’s canopy. Additionally, the number and size (volume) of emitters needs to be increased as the tree grows. Most people don’t make these adjustments. Consider these strategies instead:
Plant an understory of groundcovers or flowering perennials within and beyond the tree’s canopy. The emitters used to water the groundcover plants will, in turn, water the tree. As the tree becomes larger it may eventually shade out the groundcovers, but the emitters should be kept in place to continue watering the tree.
Consider supplemental watering by hand in dry areas of your yard that are not covered by the drip irrigation system.
A similar strategy is to use professional landscape drip line (often referred to as netafim) in a grid or spirals in and outside of the tree’s canopy. This irrigation material requires less frequent maintenance and can be installed under mulch. As the tree matures, the drip line can be expanded and shifted to support the increasing needs of the tree. Understory plantings can also be used with this type of irrigation material.
3. Using sprinkler irrigation to water trees in a grass lawn
Most lawns in our area require nearly 40 inches of yearly irrigation to look good. So, it makes sense to plant a tree in the lawn to take advantage of all that water. Most of the large, beneficial trees in our city parks are grown like this. However, some species (like cottonwoods) respond to the shallow and frequent lawn irrigation by making shallow roots that protrude above the surface. These surface roots create tripping hazards. Damage to the tree can result from lawn mowers, too. Shallow roots also make the tree more susceptible to drought stress. Encourage tree roots to go deeper by occasionally (one-two times per month) running the lawn sprinklers for three or more cycles for a longer period. This will help to get water down deep, where it will remain in the soil longer and encourage roots to move deeper. Occasional deep watering in lawns also has the added benefit of flushing out salts accumulated from hard water and fertilizer.
Example of exposed surface roots. Author: Amos Arber, ASLA, ISA Xeriscape Incentive Inspector with the Water Resources Division for the Water Authority. Have a question about the article AskAnExpert@abcwua.org
Do you want to walk barefoot across cool, soft grass? Especially on those hot summer days? We’d love for you to do that! We also want you to take care of your lawn in a healthy way that saves the most water.
One might assume that proper lawn care begins in the spring
but creating that beautiful lawn can start at any time. Sometimes it’s even better
to start in the fall. Either way, you need to begin with good soil, full of
organic material that will both provide nutrition and help hold in that
moisture. But if you don’t already have that, how do you get it?
First, dethatch your lawnonce a year. Most lawns need this done when the layer of thatch reaches roughly ½” thick. Cool season grasses, such as bluegrass, need to be dethatched in the fall, whereas warm season grasses, such as Bermudagrass, need to be dethatched in the spring.
Aeratingis the second step needed to keep your lawn as healthy and water efficient as possible. If you have an older lawn, or have highly compacted soil, you should aerate twice a year -- once in the spring and again in the fall. If you are aerating, or hiring someone else to do it, run the irrigation first and flag all your spray heads or rotors. This prevents inadvertently creating the need for sprinkler repairs! Aerate the whole lawn one direction and then again perpendicular to the first pass.
Also, regularly sharpen the blades on your mower and set it up as a mulching mower. Your mowing height should be as high as possible to help maintain a healthy lawn and conserve water.
Watering correctly is most important, so maintain your irrigation system year-round, and follow the Water by the Seasons watering recommendations. Check all the filters on each of your spray heads or rotors, then run your system to ensure that all of your spray nozzles or rotors are aligned and aren’t clogged. Repair or replace anything that isn’t working properly. Also check the base of each spray head to make sure you don’t have a leak at the base. The ground will probably be soft and squishy if there is one. To improve efficiency of your system, choose high efficiency sprinkler nozzles (rebates of $2 are available).
One last thing. Kick those shoes off and go enjoy that lawn!
Author: Richard Perce, Irrigation Efficiency Specialist with the Water Resources Division for the Water Authority. Have a question about the article AskAnExpert@abcwua.org
A lot of things have changed since last spring, but at least one thing is the same: April 1 is still the date on which time-of-day watering rules go into effect for Water Authority customers in Albuquerque and Bernalillo County. That means sprinkler and spray irrigation is not allowed between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. from now until Oct. 31 in order to minimize losses to wind and evaporation.
Using spray irrigation during the hottest, windiest part of
the day is not efficient. Instead, water in the early morning or in the evening
when it’s cooler. Another good way to avoid water waste is by troubleshooting
your irrigation system on a regular basis to identify leaks and make sure water
is directed properly to the plants. Follow these tips for a desert friendly
yard:
For turf, follow the Water by the Numbers program and adjust your watering schedule as the season changes: Two days per week in April and May, three days per week in the summer, and ramp down again in the fall.
Irrigate only when your plants need it, and water them deeply rather than too frequently. Use a long screwdriver or soil probe to check soil moisture.
Add compost to your soil to increase moisture retention and boost soil fertility.
Mulch around plants to help retain moisture and reduce weeds.
Grow strong and healthy trees by watering infrequently, to a depth of at least 24,” in a wide area around the tree’s canopy. Many of our trees only need deep watering 1 -2 times per month (depending on the species and conditions).
Shredded woodchip mulch helps soil hold moisture and insulates plant roots on a frosty November morning. Photo credit M. Thompson.
One of the most frequent questions we get at NMSU Extension is, “Should I add fertilizer or amendments to the soil when planting?” The short answer is no. And the long-term answer is an even stronger no.
Soil amendments are materials that are
worked into the soil with the intention of improving soil physical qualities. But
it’s just not that simple. As City of Las Cruces Community Forester Jimmy
Zabriskie said when I asked if he ever recommends using soil amendments when
planting a tree, “Save your money for mulch.” Organic
mulch is
material that sits on top of the soil, providing an insulation layer that helps
control soil temperature, retain moisture, and suppress weeds.
When planting ornamental plants, the
recommended species are the ones with roots that are well adapted to our native
soils. They’re more likely to live long, sustainable lives in our native soils
without amendments. The bottom line: Always put the same soil you dug up right
back into the hole with the new plant, and top dress with a thick layer of
mulch.
Frosty cottonwood leaves add a nice layer on top of several inches of shredded woodchip mulch. Photo credit M. Thompson
As for fertilizers, slow and steady wins this race. As Albuquerque City Forester Joran Viers said recently at a tree planting demo put on by Tree New Mexico and The Nature Conservancy, it helps to think of our trees (and other plants) as marathoners, not sprinters. When fertilizer is applied to trees, they can grow too fast for their own good and are more likely to develop structural problems and other issues. Fertilizers are not recommended at the time of planting perennial plants, either, because we want the plant’s energy to go into root establishment at a healthy rate to support the aboveground growth. The growth hormones necessary for healthy root development are found in the root tips and are made by the plant itself, so adding root stimulator to living roots is not necessary or even helpful. (Side note: Rooting hormone is potentially useful when you’re trying to get roots to grow quickly from cuttings where the roots have been removed completely.) So hold off on fertilizing for at least a few years while your plants are setting down roots.
Research on all sorts of landscape plants has shown that by adding amendments (like organic matter or perlite) to your soil backfill, the initial, short-term results are good. But the interface between the amended soil and the native soil is bad news. Water doesn’t move well across the interface, and neither do roots. With time, the roots may be inclined to stay in the original planting hole and spiral around, so you end up with essentially a potted tree or plant with reduced growth rate, constant water and nutrient stress (because lateral roots never fully developed), heightened vulnerability to pests and diseases, and even an increased falling hazard (think root ball in socket).
Author: Marisa Thompson, PhD, is the Extension Horticulture Specialist for New Mexico State University and is based at the Agricultural Science Center at Los Lunas. For more gardening information, including decades of archived Southwest Yard & Garden weekly columns, visit the NMSU Extension Horticulture page (https://desertblooms.nmsu.edu/), , follow us on social media (@NMDesertBlooms), or contact your County Cooperative Extension office (https://aces.nmsu.edu/county).
Having a healthy and functional (and desert friendly) landscape is about making smart horticultural and irrigation decisions. Burqueños know that water conservation is a way of life -- and an important responsibility in this beautiful high-desert region. By working together, we can continue to ensure a reliable water supply and keep Albuquerque landscapes colorful and beautiful.
Watering your yard efficiently is one of the
best and easiest ways to conserve water. More importantly, proper watering will
keep your plants healthy throughout the year. The trick is to give your plants
enough water – but not too much.. Fortunately, improvements in irrigation
system technology are making it easier to do just that – and the Water Authority is
rolling out new rebates in April to help you add the latest in irrigation tech:
WaterSense Smart Irrigation Controllers
WaterSense-labeled controllers allow watering schedules to better match plants' water needs.
A WaterSense labeled controller can automatically or
manually reduce watering times or the number of days when the system operates.
That means less water is delivered to the plants during cooler months or when
it has rained recently. As outdoor temperatures increase or rainfall decreases,
WaterSense labeled controllers increase irrigation systems’ watering run times
or schedule to compensate. Some of these controllers are equipped with smartphone
friendly irrigation technology that allows the user to set watering times
remotely. Replacing a standard irrigation timer with a WaterSense labeled
irrigation controller can save up to 30% in outdoor watering. Customers can choose from a list of pre-qualified
controllers.
Smart Water Application Technology Irrigation Flow Sensors
Irrigation flow sensors measure the speed
at which water travels through an irrigation system and sends that information
to the Smart Irrigation Controller. This helps detect issues and conserves
water. For example, if water is flowing at an unusually high rate (because of a
line break or broken sprinkler), a flow sensor works with the controller to
take corrective action. Such action could include stopping the water flow or
sending alert messages to your device. Additionally, some flow sensors can
quantify how much water is used in a landscape, making it easier to stick to a
landscape water budget.
Smart Water Application Technology Pressure Regulators
Pressure regulation devices
increase the efficiency and performance of your sprinkler and drip system by
reducing the water pressure to a set, optimal rate. This is important to
improve water distribution uniformity and avoid underwatering or overwatering.
The three most common pressure regulating devices are pressure reducing valves,
flow control valves and pressure sustaining valves.
These devices provide pressure regulation at each individual spray head. The sprinkler body is the exterior shell that connects to the irrigation system piping and houses the spray nozzle that applies water on the landscape. WaterSense labeled spray sprinkler bodies with internal pressure regulation can reduce water waste by providing a consistent flow at the sprinkler nozzle. When the sprinkler body maintains pressure near its optimal operating pressure, the connected nozzle is better able to generate the right amount of water spray and coverage for more uniform distribution of water across the landscape. Customers can choose from a list of pre-qualified spray sprinkler bodies.
We scoured the internet, met
with local experts, and pulled together a great educational resource list for you.
When you’re ready to dig into all there is to know about landscaping in New
Mexico, these resources are ready for you.
Agaves, Yuccas and Related Plants. Mary Irish, Portland
Oregon: Timber Press, 2000.
A Field Guide to the Plants and Animals of the
Middle Rio Grande Bosque. Jean-Luc Cartron, David Lightfoot, Jane
Mygatt, Sandra Brantley and Timothy Lowrey, Albuquerque, New Mexico: University
of New Mexico Press, 2008.
Landscaping with Native Plants of the
Southwest. George
Oxford Miller, Minneapolis, MN: Voyageur Press, 2007
Native Plants for High-Elevation Western
Gardens. Janice
Busco and Nancy R. Morin, Golden, Colorado: Fulcrum Publishing, 2003.
Natural by Design. Judith Phillips, Santa
Fe, NM: Museum of New Mexico Press, 1995.
