Choosing an Irrigation Timer

There are about as many irrigation timers as there are different types of toothpastes. So how do you know which one is right for you? Many brands have good features and each one will have features that the others do not have. For us, Hunter produces the best timers that are reliable, have features that help conserve water, and are easy to use.

 Indoor/Outdoor?

There are only two differences between an indoor and an outdoor timer for Hunter timers. The first is outdoor timers have a locking door. This helps protect the faceplate from the elements as well as keep unwanted adjustments of your timer. The second is outdoor timers are intended to be hotwired directly to a power source and have an internal transformer. If you want an outdoor locking door but still want to use an outlet, you can buy a pigtail power cord such as one for a garbage disposal. The cord can be wired into the timer and then plugged in just as you would any other device. When ordering, the i indicates indoor.

Basic Features

All Hunter timers will have the same basic control functions and settings. This means, programming the time, run times, station start times, and day frequency are very similar in set up. As you go up in size, more features are added and will be discussed below. Each timer has at least three different programs, with four start times per program. The number of stations depends on the model of timer you select. Non-watering days are also an option. In our area, Mondays are a no-water day and this can be programmed into any of the timers.

 Small Residential Homes

 If you have a small yard that has just a few valves (stations), consider the X-Core series. It is a small timer that comes in set station amounts of 2, 4, 6, and 8. The X-Core is compatible with the Roam remote and the Solar-Sync ET system. The only drawback to this timer is if you run a program on the interval setting, such as every third day watering, you don’t know which day it is going to water because there is no countdown on the display indicating which day it is.
 

Small to Medium Homes/ Small Commercial

The Pro-C is our favorite timer. A larger display and a few more features than the X-Core. The Pro-C is available in a fixed station amount or modular, capable of expanding up to 15 stations. We prefer the modular because you have the flexibility of expanding your timer, should your landscape ever grow as well. The base system is four stations and each expansion module is three stations. The timer does show an interval countdown in the day frequency option, unlike the X-Core. There is also a manual system check that checks the wiring between each valve and will show a fault if a problem exists. The Pro-C is compatible with the Roam remote and the Solar Sync ET system.

Large Residential or Commercial             

                                                     

The I-Core is a large timer capable of running up to 42 stations and is packed with features. Four programs allow for specific programming, depending on needs. Water budgeting is programmable in multiple settings as well. Each month can be programmed to run a certain percent of the current run time to help compensate for seasonal variances, or you can allow the Solar Sync to automatically adjust the timer on a daily basis, based on site needs.

Flow sensors are also compatible with the I-Core. Flow sensors are programmed to learn how much water runs through a certain valve and should that amount be exceeded, an alarm will occur indicating a break on the line.   

No Power or Control Wire, No Problem!

The Only Pruners We Use

The one tool that every employee of Green Lizard is required to have every day is a set of pruners. We use them constantly for on and off label tasks and the only brand we use is the Felco 2.

Conventional use is of course for pruning perennials, shrubs, and tree branches. The grip is solid and the action is smooth. Deadheading perennials is a snap and removing suckers, watersprouts, and errant branches from trees is an easy task. Beyond the normal use of the pruners for pruning is what makes a Felco the best. We use them for: cutting drip tube, both ¾” poly line and ¼” spaghetti, occasionally smaller PVC if in a bind, extracting broken nipples from sprinkler heads, and of course, starting the peel of an orange!

The Felco 2 can be put through the ringer and still come out on top because all parts are replaceable, including the blade. Disassembling, cleaning, and sharpening the pruners usually takes about 10 minutes. When sharpening the blade, use either a fine file or grinding wheel and sharpen toward the blade at a 30 degree angle on the front and a five degree angle on the back. We use a dry film lubricant such as a spray graphite to keep the pruners lubricated. Because you will be working in a dirty environment, it is bet to avoid oily lubricants that can attract dirt and dust, making the pruners stick quickly.

Pick up a pair for yourself and make your gardening more enjoyable!

 

Dog-Friendly Landscaping

Having a dog is a wonderful experience.  Having a gorgeous landscape is a wonderful experience.  Sometimes the two collide and the wonderful experience is gone and you are left wondering what just happened.  With a little bit of planning on your new yard or a few modifications to your existing one, you can sit in the back yard happily enjoying it with your dog.

Lawn Areas:

Dogs love to have an area to run and play in and the lawn is a great location.  One problem is the burn areas from dog urine.  Thee urine contains high concentrations of urea (a form of nitrogen) and is basically an over application of fertilizer.  We have two preferred methods of dealing with this issue.  The first is talking your dog for more walks.  They will pee more outside of the yard as well as burn off some excess energy, helping keep them from finding things to dig up in the yard. 

 

The second method is to overseed your lawn with clover.  Some people view this as a weed but when your entire lawn is a blend of grass and clover, it can be quite beautiful.  Clover is nitrogen fixing which means you need to fertilize less often.  The big bonus of clover is that it is resistant to urine.  Even if the grass dies, you will still have clover in the burn patch to stay green until the grass regrows.

If you have burn spots in your lawn, Revie makes a spot-treatment that will neutralize the urine and help flush the excess urea (a form of nitrogen) from the area, helping to minimize the burn area.

The best grass type for dogs is a bluegrass because it self-repairs and can tolerate heavy foot/paw traffic.  Our favorite is the ‘Emerald Blue’ from Dayton Valley Turf.

Edging:

If you install edging around your lawn or planter areas use a plastic or concrete edging.  Metal edging is sharp!  If you or your dog fall on the edging while playing, it is likely you will end up with stitches later.  Curbit Concrete (775) 291-6325 installs concrete curbing in several different styles including an even flat surface which doesn’t have much of a lip to catch you on.

Fertilizing:

Dogs run around in bare feet all day and then come inside and clean their paws with their tongues.  Anything we apply to the yard will likely be absorbed by our pets.  Our favorite fertilizer to use is Dr. Earth.  It is organic based and also contains beneficial bacteria and fungi for the soil.  Another benefit is you only need to apply it every three months compared to chemical fertilizers six-week applications.  Dr. Earth is available here.

                                                             

Pesticides:

If you need to apply any pesticide, do so with caution.  Remember that our furry friends put their noses and pawn on everything.  If you apply a broad-leaf herbicide to the lawn, only use a spot treatment application instead of covering the entire lawn. There is no need to cover 100% of the lawn if only 5% has dandelions.  It is unlikely you will need to spray for insects or other maladies of the yard.  In the past six years, we have sprayed zero yards.  If you do, apply at a time when you can keep the pets out for extended periods of time. 

 

Drip Tube:

We have a conspiracy theory that all drip tube is secretly made with bacon flavoring!  The best method we have found to keep drip tubing safe is to bury it about four inches and use drip tube stables every 12-18” to help hold it in place.  Stapling it less than that will likely allow it to rise to the surface and instantly become a chew toy.

Play Areas:

Dogs love to dig and run.  Giving them an area for both will make you both happy.  One of the best substrates for this is decomposed granite (DG).  DG is easy to dig in and is big enough to fall off by the time they come back inside.  The deeper you install it, the more fun they will have.  You can take the soil from excavating the play area and use it to build a mound elsewhere in the yard.

Water Features:

Dogs love to play in the water and a water feature can help bring the enjoyment of the river to your back yard.  Ponds need to run 24 hours a day to maintain water biology but provide a swimming area.  Pondless water features provide a stream to play in but can be shut off.  There is no need to maintain water biology and they can be shut off for extended periods of time. 

Plants:

Dogs can tell when you have purchased an expensive plant you really like.  I remember looking out our kitchen window one afternoon to see two of our dogs charging around the yard with freshly planted Red-Twig Dogwoods in their mouths.  The best advice for a dog-friendly landscape is to avoid dangerous plants and purchase tough plants.

Dangerous plants include cactus such as Prickly Pear and Cholla.  Any plants with pointed leaves such as Yuccas are much more likely to poke an eye. 

Toxic plants can also be a major hazard.  The following is an incomplete list: Morning Glory, Tomato – green parts, Nandina, Hydrangea, Daffodils, and Rhododendron.  Foxglove (Digitalis) is extremely toxic and can be fatal in small amounts.  One tree to stay away from is the Golden Chain.  The numerous seed pods are toxic.

Rough and tumble shrubs are much more likely to survive and also perform well.  Some of our favorites are listed below for our USDA zone 5 and Sunset 2a-2b.  Most of these will grow outside of this climate but be sure to check with your local nursery first.

Grow-Low Sumac.  3’ high and up to 6’ wide.  Glossy green leaves.  No flowers.  Amazing fall color every year.  Bitter stems keep most anything from bothering them.  The fibrous root system helps hold slopes as well. 

    

Dark Knight Caryopteris.  3’ high and wide.  Blue flowers cover the shrub starting in summer and bloom for a very long time.

Viburnum.  There are many varieties to choose from and heights range from 1’ to 12’.  Most flower in the spring, have summer fruit and have fall color.

Walker’s Low Catmint.  2’ high up to 3’ wide.  The toughest perennial we have ever used.  Catmint starts blooming in the spring and usually doesn’t stop until fall.

Ornamental grasses.  Countless varieties to choose from.  The best feature of a grass is that if your dog destroys the top, it will grow back good as new in the spring.

We do provide a consultation service if you would like further help with designing a yard you and your fur children will love.  Call or email if you have any further questions!  775-883-2028  Info@gllxc.com           

Animal resistant plants? Yes. Animal proof? Never!

Landscaping in open environments or areas where rabbits, deer, and other wildlife have access to your plants can pose challenges.  You enjoy seeing their fuzzy little faces, but do not enjoy the fact that they just ate $500 in shrubs and perennials.  Some plant material just seems to beg to be eaten by animals, while others typically are the last thing on the list to be eaten.
 
We usually install landscapes in areas where wildlife is present and have to select our plant material wisely.  Planting a nice juicy bouquet of Petunias in the yard will make the rabbits happy, but leave the client and ourselves feeling very dissatisfied.  

We have been fine tuning our list of the different types of plants that in most cases, will survive the great outdoors.  Sometimes, the wildlife is hungry it does not matter what the tag on the plant says, they will eat it.  

One of our favorite plants to use is Gro-Low Sumac (Rhus aromatica 'Gro-Low).  It is fast growing, tolerant of severe soil and climate conditions and reliably produces excellent fall color.  The Gro-Lo Sumac also has a pungent sap with a very bitter taste, helping to protect the plant from browsing.  This winter (2011-2012) had very mild temperatures and minimal precipitation.  Possibly because of these factors, the rabbits were more active in the winter time.  Although the rabbits did not eat the shrub to the ground, they did chew the cambium off of the stems possibly causing long-term damage to the shrub.  
  
Try the following types of plants in your landscape.  They are known in the Carson Valley to resist being eaten by critters.  The first name is the botanical name and the second is the common name.

SHRUBS:
Caryopteris clandonensis 'Dark Knight'  - Dark Knight Caryopteris
Rhus  -  Most Sumac varieties.  The only exception would be the Autumn Amber variety
Yucca  -  All varieties of Yucca
Fallugia paradoxa -  Apache Plume

PERENNIALS:
Salvia pachyphylla -  Mojave Sage
Santolina chamaecyparissus  - Lavender Cotton
Sedum 'Autumn Joy'  -  Autumn Joy Sedum 
Penstemon - Most varieties
Achillea - Variety depends on region.  We have had success with yellow Yarrow is some parts of town and white or red Yarrow in other areas.

Grasses:
Most grasses with the following exceptions: 
Helictotrichon sempervirens - Blue Oat Grass
Hamelin - All varities


Annuals are a very risky type of plant to try.  Go for some basic Marigolds.  For an exotic and large annual, try the Castor plant.  Use caution and keep it away from children as all parts are toxic.

This is not a complete list, but should help as a great starting guide.  By using plant material that is more suited to your region of wildlife, you will have a happier garden and outlook toward the naturally occurring critters.  Using browse-resistant plant also means that you will spend less time spraying animal repellants and pruning damaged plants.

If you have any favorites that are not listed here, please let us know.


 

Trees and Lawn do not Mix

Have you ever seen a grassy area under the dense canopy of a forest?  How about trees growing in an open meadow?  Trees and grassy areas do not mix together in nature, yet we always try to incorporate them in the landscape. 

            Grass is a rapid growing, shallow-rooted, aggressive plant.  Grasses thrive in full sun with moist soil.  When grasses don’t receive enough sunlight they grow sparsely, allowing room for weeds to grow.  If grass doesn’t receive enough water, it will be stunted and not grow as vigorously as possible, allowing for weed growth. 

            Trees grow in open areas where rain comes in phases.  The soil dries out keeping smaller, less drought tolerant plants from competing for moisture. 

            Tree roots grow in the top three feet of soil, with the absorption roots living in the top 12 inches of soil.  The absorption roots are responsible for the majority of nutrient and water uptake.  Grass roots grow in the top six inches of soil and can reach depths up to 18 inches.  Grass roots absorb water and nutrients quicker than tree roots because of their large number and being closer to the soil surface. 

            To have trees grow well in lawn environments, certain considerations need to be met.  The further away the grass is from the tree, the happier the tree will be.  By installing a tree ring, a divider from the tree and the lawn, you can help the tree in multiple ways.  First, the tree roots will not be competing with the grass for water uptake.  Secondly, the tree will not be subjected to injury from lawn mowers and string trimmers.  The third benefit of a tree ring is that maintenance costs are lower because you do not need to edge around the trees and mow so close. 

            Broad-leaf herbicides are used in lawns to kill clover and dandelions.  The negative aspect of this is that trees are also broad-leaf plants.  Only spot treatment should be used in lawns with trees to apply the herbicide versus a broad coverage type application. 

            Lawns are irrigated by overhead sprinklers and typically receive about one inch of water per week.  That is a satisfactory amount of water for grass, but does not meet the needs of a tree.  One inch of water does not move that deep into the soil.  To help satisfy a trees water requirement, you can turn a garden hose on a low flow at the base of the tree and let the hose run for a couple of hours to help water the tree roots deep in the soil.

            While trees and grass do not mix in nature, by following these guidelines your trees and your lawn will co-exist much better.     

Much about Mulch

The forest floor is covered in a rich dark mass of decomposing organic matter.  The litter layer of the forest floor is composed of leaves, branches, animal droppings, and earthworm castings.  This layer of mulch helps forests become the healthy ecosystems that they are.  One of the best ways to bring the magic of the forest to your garden is by applying mulch.

Mulch is any type of organic matter that can be used in the garden.  Mulch has many benefits for your soil, plants and water bill. 

Mulch comes in many different types.  Shredded redwood and cedar bark are the most common types available.  Recycled and shredded rubber has become popular over the past few years despite it smelling like tires and offers no organic matter for the soil.  A local source of mulch can come from a local arborist.  The arborist can grind all of the branches that have been pruned from your trees into wood chips.  Our favorite mulch to use is Fertile Mulch from Full Circle Compost.  Fertile Mulch is the wood chip material screened out of their compost products leaving the chips covered in the compost in the process.

Mulch can help condition you soil and improve its qualities.  As the mulch decomposes, it adds organic matter to the soil.  Organic matter in the soil will improve moisture and nutrient retention.  Mulch helps retain moisture by shading and insulating the soil.  Soil compaction can also be avoided by placing the mulch over the soil and distributing the weight of foot traffic over a larger area.  Compacted soil inhibits root growth and water holding capacity.

When you apply mulch to your planters, spread it between one and four inches.  Less than one inch and you do not gain much water retention ability and above four inches the gas exchange between the soil and the air is disrupted.  The mulch should also be kept from the trunks of trees and the crowns of your shrubs by approximately four inches.

Your plants will love the mulch and you will love the soft natural look it provides.   

Your Yard Smells Wonderful

Our landscapes can entice us from anywhere.  From a longing to be outside while looking out the kitchen window to not wanting to go back inside while puttering in the garden, we will always be drawn.  The garden can invigorate our senses, and certain plants can really get our noses going. 

Fragrant plants can come in all sizes and easily fit into your yard.  Below is a list of some of our favorites that we use in the landscape.

1) Agastache rupestris (Hyssop):  This plant is one of the staples of our landscapes.  It is a short (18” high and wide) perennial that blooms in the summer.  The leaves are small and very fragrant.  The scent is similar to licorice and mint.  Depending on the variety, the plant will start blooming in early summer and can keep blooming until the first frost.  Hummingbirds will be drawn in and come to the plants on a daily basis.

2) Lavendula (Lavender, multiple varieties):  Lavender is a reliable perennial that can grow in height from 12 inches up to three feet.  Purple blooms rise up from the grey leaves in early summer.  Lavender plants produce a great fragrance that smells exactly like lavender.  Lavender does best in fast draining soil and should not be mulched in the winter time to allow the roots to dry out.

3) Viburnum (Viburnum, multiple varieties):  Viburnums’ are a variety of shrubs that are much underused.  The size range of viburnums is generally from six feet high and wide up to 15 feet.  Most viburnums produce highly fragrant, white flowers in the spring.  The Korean Spice Viburnum can be smelled from up to 30 feet away in full bloom.  After flowering, bright red fruit appear in the summer, followed by reliable fall color.

4) Philadelphus lewisii (Native Mock Orange):  Native to western states and discovered by Meriwether Lewis, this drought tolerant shrub produces white, vanilla-citrus scented flowers.  Different cultivars and hybrids are available and come in dwarf (four feet) to large (12 feet). 

5) Hamamelis x intermedia (Witch Hazel):  Witch hazel is a winter blooming shrub.  During the late winter months, the witch hazel produces very unusual looking, and highly fragrant flower.  Plant these where they can be seen and smelled.  The witch hazel can grow to be 12 feet high and wide, so give them enough room. 

There are many more fragrant plants to choose from, and make sure that when you see them, take the time to stop and smell them.  It might just make your day.      

The High Cost of Lawn

Landscapes can come in all shapes, sizes, and colors to fit your style.  Some prefer a wide open meadow style, while others prefer a view reminiscent of the desert in which we live.  And still others prefer to have a yard full of grass.  They offer opinions that it is low maintenance, they do not have to worry about picking up leaves in the fall, or that they like to hear the sound of the sprinklers.  While lawns do have a practical use in some yards, if the only time you walk on it is to mow it, you do not need it.

Nevada is a very dry state with limited amounts of water, yet lawns dominate most front yards.  For an experiment in water usage, I have compared two yards.  Each yard measures 12 feet by 24 feet.  Yard A is Kentucky Bluegrass irrigated by Rain Bird pop-up sprinklers with a high efficiency.  Yard B is 32, five gallon shrubs irrigated by Rain Bird drip-irrigation.  I chose 32 shrubs because most shrubs will grow to about three feet wide.  Each shrub will cover nine square feet, and nine times 32 is 288 square feet, the same as the lawn.  For the sake of argument, I have made each yard irrigate for 8 months of the year and the irrigation timer is never adjusted on either yard. 

The Bluegrass yard is irrigated for 52 minutes per week to achieve 1.5” of water.  After 32 weeks of irrigation, the lawn has used 8,640 gallons of water.

The yard with the 32 shrubs is irrigated every fourth day and the valve runs for one hour each time.  After 32 weeks of irrigation, the 32 shrubs used 4,300 gallons of water.  The yard with the 32 shrubs used less than half as much as the yard with the lawn. 

According to city-data.com there are approximately 20,000 houses in Carson City.  If half of these homes removed 288 square feet of lawn, we would save over 43 million gallons of water every year.  Please email me, if you would like to see the math.

In order for a lawn to remain healthy it needs to be watered regularly, mowed often (when I had a lawn, I needed to mow it every other day because it grew so fast) and fertilized.  If these needs are not met, the lawn will be more prone to disease, insects and have brown spots.  Most all yards without lawn can be maintained by pruning and fertilizing only four times per year.

Engines like those found on lawn mowers and string trimmers contribute about 5% of the nations’ total pollution.  The healthier a lawn is, the more mowing it will need (remember my lawn from earlier?).  This means that the healthier a lawn is the more effort we have to expend and more pollution we have to expel.  The yard with the 32 shrubs can probably get away with being pruned by hand about once a year if it was designed and pruned properly.

Now you know how easy, affordable, and environmentally friendly a landscape without lawn can be.  I recommend renting that sod cutter today or calling us to help!              

How to Build a Raised Planter Bed for Vegetables

The satisfaction of growing your own vegetables is hard to beat.  The only way to make it more satisfying is to build a raised planter that allows you to garden at waist level.  You do not have to bend over to enjoy the fruits of your labor anymore.  As well as benefitting you, the plants will thrive in the fresh, loose soil which is full of nutrients.  Let's get started.

First, you will need to select a sunny location for the planter to be located.  Vegetables prefer at least six hours of sunlight.  It is also nice to have the vegetable planter located near the kitchen so you can easily bring the veggies in to cook.  

Next you will need the materials.  In our example, the planter will be 10 feet long, four feet wide, and three feet high.  We are using 12 inch wide boards for easy stacking. 

For this planter, you will need (6) 2" x 12" x 10' boards, (6) 2" x 12" x 4' boards, and (6) 4" x 4" x 42" posts.

Assemble the beds on a hard, even surface.  Use at least two screws on each side where joining boards together.  Make sure the shorter beams are on the inside of the longer beams on each set of planters.  This will keep the dimensions the same, keeping each level of the planter square.

Build as many planters as you need to attain the height you are looking for.  Move them into the location you have selected for your planter and stack the frames.  The area should be level.  If you are going to irrigate the planter with drip irrigation, run the tubing under the bottom of the box now. 

Next, You will need to secure the boxes with the 4" x 4" posts.  One post will go in each corner and one halfway down each side for planters longer than 10 feet.  Each post should be at least six inches taller than the height of the bed and be buried into the native soil the extra six inches.  Attach at least one screw on each 12" board where it is contacting the 4" x 4" post.  For this planter, we used six screws in each corner post and three screws per side.   

Now the hard part.  Filling the planter with soil will be the most labor intensive part of the project.  This planter will use four and a half yards of soil.  If you have strong friends, you can load wheelbarrows and dump the entire wheelbarrow in, as shown in the picture below, or you can shovel the soil in. 

To determine how much soil you will need, use this formula and measure in feet: Length x width x height divided by 27.  Our planter is 10 feet x 4 feet x 3 feet = 120 cubic feet.  There are 27 cubic feet in 1 cubic yard.  127 divided by 27 = 4.7 or about 4.5 cubic yards.

After you have recovered from moving the soil in, it is time to irrigate the planter bed.  We use Netafim brand irrigation for all of our plants and planters.  It has an in-line emitter built in every 12 inches.  We lay the tubing out in a grid pattern helping to make sure that the entire surface area is irrigated.  When using the Netafim, make your runs no longer than 20 feet.  If they are longer than that you will lose pressure in the tubing and water flow will drop considerably.  Use drip tubing staples or landscape fabric pins to help hold down the Netafim.  



Now that the irrigation is in, it is time to add the plants.  Place each plant under one of the emitters.  Add approximately two to three inches of mulch.  The mulch will help keep the soil cool and retain moisture. 

                                      

This planter is just starting with a few cold season crops such as broccoli, rhubarb, and lettuce.

Finally, watch the garden grow and enjoy the fruits of your labor. 

    

IMPEDE THE WEEDS

Weeds are a problem for everyone who has a maintained yard.  Countless hours can be spent every week going out and pulling or spraying weeds in your planter beds.  Pulling weeds leaves you with a sore back for days to come, and spraying can be messy and potentially harmful to other plants if you are not careful.  Thankfully, there is an alternative.  Pre-emergent herbicides can help alleviate the majority of your weed problems throughout the year.

            How is a pre-emergent herbicide different than a normal herbicide?  Most post-emergent herbicides such as Round-Up™ kill a plant by absorbing the herbicide through the leaves and working systemically.  A pre-emergent herbicide kills the seedlings before they have a chance to establish.  Typical pre-emergent herbicides form a vapor-barrier in the top inch of soil.  This vapor-barrier is the key to control.  As new seedlings begin to germinate, their first little roots begin to reach out into the soil, and upon reaching the vapor barrier, are killed, preventing establishment.   

Pre-emergent herbicides are available in several different chemical and organic based varieties.  The organic-based pre-emergent is Corn Gluten.  We have tried using corn gluten in the past with very limited results, and only recommend its use if you wish to go 100% organic.

Green Lizard Landscape strives to promote earth-friendly practices with organic-based fertilizing, low-water use and low impact landscaping.  That being said, we recommend using chemical pre-emergent herbicides.  The chemical Dichlobenil (the brand name is Casoron, but sold under different names as well) is what we apply to the properties we provide a maintenance service for.  Dichlobenil is highly effective at preventing weeds for many months and can be used in planters that have been established for a year or more.  Dichlobenil can not be used in lawn areas, as it will kill the grass.  Caution should also be used in areas with bulbs. 

Always read the label and follow the manufacturers’ instructions and make sure you have on proper safety gear such as goggles and gloves.

Please contact us if you have any questions regarding the use of pre-emergent herbicides or any other landscape questions. 
                  

WINTER WATERING MAKES YOUR LANDSCAPE A WINNER

Supplemental irrigation for plant material during a dry winter in the Great Basin desert of Northern Nevada is often neglected, and is an important factor influencing plant health.  Northern Nevada winters are unpredictable with temperatures ranging between 60 degree days and sub-zero nights.  Northern Nevada receives the majority of it’s average annual precipitation of only 7.0 inches in the winter, but sometimes there are many weeks between measureable precipitation.   Landscape plants can suffer from drought in the winter even though the plants are mostly dormant. 

             During the growing season it is obvious landscape plants need irrigation to survive; because without irrigation, plants quickly show signs of drought stress.  During the winter months, plants are dormant and show no visible signs of activity, but they are very much alive.  Wintertime moisture keeps plant roots hydrated, prevents the soil from shrinking and cracking causing root damage, and helps prepare them for springtime’s return to the growing season.  All evergreens, especially broad-leaf evergreens such as Rhododendrons continue to transpire moisture through the leaves.  If the moisture level drops in the roots, the leaves can dehydrate and fall off.  Drought damage to a coniferous evergreen is insidious because it can take months to show.

            In the winter, prevent plant dehydration during periods of drought by pressurizing your irrigation system on a warm sunny day and run through all the valves.  Remember to water lawn areas as well.  After watering, shut-down and drain your irrigation system to prevent freeze damage.  If you do not want to turn on your sprinklers, you can always hook up the hose and water by hand.  A good rule of thumb is to water shrubs for five seconds, and 20 seconds to a minute for trees.   This will take care of the water needs of the plant material for an interim winter watering session.

            When periods of four to six weeks go by without sufficient moisture, we recommend watering your yard.  If the top one to two inches of soils is dry, it is a good time to water.  Do not worry about watering if there is still snow on the ground.  It is acting as an insulator and moisture blanket and there is no need to water.