Knowing Your Watering Depth is Key to Growing Healthy Plants
The most important part of watering is figuring out how deep you need to water your plants. Once you figure that out, you can easily follow our chart that tells you how often to water. Here are six s imple steps to figuring out your watering depth: Step…
Pro tips for designing your spray system
Since the Albuquerque area receives about 9” of rain on average per year and grass lawns can use up to 50” of water per year, the proper design of an irrigation system for a grass lawn is of utmost importance when it comes to water efficiency. Irrigation efficiency…
Climate Ready Landscapes!
We are living in a time when our climate is going through rapid changes. Winter days have gotten warmer, and very cold nights are decreasing in number. The decrease in snowpack and early snowmelt that volatilizes before it soaks into the soil are creating drier…
How to convert your existing spray irrigation system to drip!
Typical Spray Irrigation system One of the biggest obstacles holding homeowners back from removing their high-water turfgrass and installing xeriscape is believing that setting up the irrigation system is difficult. Luckily, it is not as hard as you may think. If you…
Watering in winter
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…
The water conservation gift that keeps on giving
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…
Compost del Rio Grande
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…
Types of Mulches
Mulch is any material laid on the surface of the soil to improve growing conditions. Mulch insulates plant roots from both heat and cold, reducing moisture loss from the soil by evaporation, feeding beneficial soil microorganisms that enhance plant growth, and…
The Life Expectancy of an Irrigation System
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…
How to make a Tree Watering System for your established and mature trees
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…