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IRRIGATION - John Seaver

Verbina and marigolds work in a hot and dry situation.

Good plumbing does not equal good irrigation.

Use different circuits for each planting zone and for each plant's needs. Consider the planting time needs and the mature needs. Soil compaction increases irrigation problems. Water enough when first installed, and don't water too much after the plants are mature. Less frequent waterings and more water per watering episode. Roots are shallow!!! (Almost all of them in xeric plantings.) Loosen and lighten the soil. Roots regrow in rainy periods and die back with drought. It is a natural and dynamic system.

Low water use is more or less on a monthly watering schedule and Medium water use is more or less on an every two week schedule. There is no set formula for this, you must experiment.

Trees - the root plate is 1 to 2 feet thick and 2 to 5 times the diameter of the tree canopy. One is obliged to use many emitters, soaker hoses, or flood irrigation (which the lecturer likes the most). Loosten the soil.

For low water use plants, after two years don't apply any irrigation water to very xeric trees, or very much. If too much growth occurres every year, decrease the watering amount.

Agave and rosemary will need some water in a drought. One should use desert perennials. Use 2 to 4 emitters for moderate or high water use plants (not merely 1)! The moisture profile (shape of the wet soil) in sand is long and skinny like the shape of a carrot; in clay is like the shape of a watermel on.

Pay attention to: slope, soil type, speed of water emission, wind in your irrigation regimen. Use Permiculture ideas. Trees and vegies need regular deep watering.

Xeric trees will have less growth, but will survive with more water, fewer times - about every two weeks?!? (No formulas, experiment.) More leaves mean higher water use (transpiration).

To control weeds, and conserve water, mulch 6-8 inches deep with wood chips (not bark chips - if you can). Use this even with bindweed after removing the tops and as much root as you can. When it comes up in a couple of years use the bind weed mite to control it.

With clay soil, drought tolerant plants will not often survive. They will commonly drown, so use higher water use plants - or set up raised beds.

Use soaker hoses for trees - there is some web info available - do a search for lists. Water well - wait two days - dig to see water depth. Without compaction water 1 1/2 to 2 feet deep. You can gauge how long to water (on clay soil use split watering - 2 to 10 minutes of time for however many times it takes to get the water down to depth (even 30 seconds of time if the clay is impervious enough). Water for an hour of irrigation time and see how deep it goes (clay may need this much - not sand). If the water is 1 foot deep in an hour, 2 hours will make it 2 feet deep. Use deep watering from the surface for trees, not the water wands that put the water in the deep subsurface.

Caliche defines a non rooting zone. If a layer of caliche is within 3 foot of the surface use plants that can use that depth of soil. Otherwise punch through, remove it, or build soil over it (raised beds!?!).

Controlling goat heads: Don't add to the seed bank (don't let them go to seed). Use Corn Gluten meal which inhibits them then changes to a nitrogen fertilizer (can be obtained from Greenhouse and Garden Supply). This should be used before the catalpa trees flower. Drag the area with a carpet and throw it away, pull the plants out by the taproot and cultivate it out, out compete it with plants, mulch well, use a shop vac to suck up the seeds, burn the seeds. The answer is to use all of the above methods!

To protect the topsoil: mulch, grow stuff, organic mulch - especially wood chips or chopped green trees (due to green matter which contains more nitrogen), alfalfa hay for vegetable gardens. Use a soaker hose, put it on the soil and put the mulch over the soaker hose to conserve the water better.

When asked about mulch from Louisiana because of the Formosan Termite he replied that there is small risk of getting the termites because of agricultural restrictions on shipments containing pests, and that the large chain stores will probably be very wary of obtaining any mulch with the pest contained in the mulch due to liability and decreased sales if any is discovered in their product.

When asked about using wood chipped from trees with pine or twig beetle kill his reply was that after the tree is dead, and / or chipped the beetles leave.

From county (Bernalillo) waste disposal systems one can get pinon mulch, use it in the root zones of pines. It is a low cost or give away item.

With xeric plants - water a large area of ground around the plant to allow the roots to spread, but allow it to dry between waterings. If your plants wilt and the soil is wet at depth, cut back on watering to approximately every two weeks - experiment.

See the website: abq.mastergardeners.org

 
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ORNAMENTAL GRASSES - Dan Goodspeed/Dennis Swartzell

Landscape considerations with ornamental grasses: color, movement (with wind), some soft texture, others stiff and wiry, elegant.
Types: running and clumping.
Uses: mats, ornament, erosion control, lawns.

Ornamentals are mostly warm season clumping (winter dormant) grasses.

Little Bluestem: clumping, 2-3 ft. tall, 1-2 ft. wide, hardy to 30 deg. F., flowering July to September, red in the fall.

Purple Three Awn: SHARP STICKY SEED points - sticks to cloths, 2ft by 2ft, hardy to -10 deg. F.

Side Oats Gramma: NOT THAT PALATABLE: 1 by 2 ft, hardy to -30 deg. F.

Blue Gramma: xeric lawn, 2 ft. high, meadow grass, hardy to -30 deg. F.

Big Galleta: 3ft by 4ft, shrub like, erosion control, sonoran and mohave desert native, hardy to 10 deg. F.

Gulf Muhly, (Muhlenbergia capellaris): DOES NOT RESEED, MOIST PLACES, hardy to 0 deg. F., red in fall to purple, 2-3 feet, more cool season, full sun, OLLA POTS?

Muhlenbergia emersleyi: fall flower, lt. pink, long bloom season, loose spike, native to Arizona and Texas, partial shade, hardy to -10 deg. F., 3ft by 3 ft.

Lindheimers muhly: 5ft by 5ft., loose and long feathery frond, hardy to -10.

Deer Grass (M. Rigens): SHADE TOLERANT, a soft yucca like plant, 5 ft high by 4.5 ft. wide, seed head like a narrow cat tail, hardy to -10 deg. F.

Purple Muhley (M. Rigidee): 2ft by 2ft., hardy to -10 deg. F., rosey purple, use as transition between formal and naturalized part of landscape.

Mexican hair grass / Mexican feather grass: SHARP STICKY AWNS, fast grower, SEEDS READILY, hardy to -10, 2ft by 2ft.

Blue Switch Grass: 5ft by 5 ft, hardy to -30 deg. F.

Alkali Sacatone: clumpy, 3ft by 4ft, hardy to -20.

Giant Sacatone: 4ft by 5ft, hardy to -30.

 
GRASS LIKE PLANTS

They do not need to be cut back, they are woody lilies.

Dasilirion (green desert spoon): toothed margin (saw tooth) - barrier plant, 5ft. by 5ft., stiff - toothed, tough, tollerant to -20.

Dasylirion wheeleri (grey or blue desert spoon): same as other one, but tolerant to only 0 deg. F.

Bear grass (Nolina microcarpae): 5X7Ft., curly tip, hardy to -10 deg.,

Blue Nolina (N. nelsoni): upright, 10 - 12 Ft., grows with a trunk - hardy to 0 deg. F.

Sacashuista: 5X3 Ft., to -20.

 
MAINTENANCE OF GRASSES

Winter--
Winter dormant
Cut it late in the season
With dead center - divide the clump
Burn grass after cut, to rejuvenate
Fertilize 3 times a year, if need more growth, with high nitrogen fertilizer
Good with: rock gardens, and under trees for refuge of small animals.

 
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TURF GRASSES (low maintenance and low water use) - Andy Mumma

There are four New Mexico Grass Zones.

Fescue and Perennial Rye Turf Grasses:
Perennial Rye: fair
Tall Fescue: excellent
Sheep and Hard Fescue: excellent but clumpy
Fine Fescue: mixed.

Mowing height:
Buffalo grass = 3" mowing height.
Redtop = 3 1/2" mowing height.
Wheat Grass = 2 1/4" mowing height.

Red Fescue - controls weeds well
Sheep fescue - 4mm. per day with water.
Alkali Grass - 5mm. per day with water.

Fine Fescue: in the North West, low fertility, not drought tolerant, shade, winter hardy, Summer dormant, intolerant of close mowing.

Sheep Fescue: Looks like red bunch grass, tolerant of shade and drought, fine bladed grass, summer dormant.

Velvet Bent Grass: Low maintainence, wet - sandy soil.

Idaho Bent: tolerant of shady places, wet or dry, clumpy.

Fescue - good recovery.
Perennial Rye - good also and quicker.
Buffalo Grass: green, no traffic, does better if you burn it off instead of mowing, drought resistant.
Crested Hair Grass: shade - wet or dry, short lived, winter hardy.
Tufted Hair Grass: alkaline, salty, cold winters, high elevations, mow to 2".
Canada Blue Grass: dry, unirrigated, infertile soil, cold soil; needs a minimum of 15 inches of water. (Blue Grass needs 38" to survive and 48" to look good.)
Alkali Grass: salty soil, drought, cold winters, salt water irrigation.
Crested Dogtail: (this is a rye grass) - for wet or droughty soils.
Tall Fescue.
Blue Gramma - Buffalo mix!!!: drought tolerant, doesn't like to be mowed frequently (only once a year).
Seashore Paspallum: Salty soil, salt water irrigation.

Excellent, low maintenance when mowed: hard fescue, tall fescue, crested hair grass 3 - 6".
Fair: Hard top, Sheep fescue.

DROUGHT TOLERANT:
Blue Gramma, Wheat Grass, Buffalo Grass, Tall Fescue, Sheep Fescue.

HIGH pH TOLERANT (highly basic):
Redtop, Alkali Grass, Tall Fescue, Seashore Paspallum.

High Salt Tolerant (grey water):
Tufted Hair Grass, Alkali Grass, Seashore Paspallum, Alkali Sacaton.

Blends and mixtures may suit the situation better, blend and mesh the qualities of the grasses used.


CONVERSION TO XERIC GRASSES FROM HIGH WATER USE LAWNS:

To Kill Grasses:
MECHANICAL: shovel, tiller, front end loader.
CHEMICAL: Roundup (not with bermuda), With bermuda - use 3% roundup for 3 months, regularly. It will be translocated to the roots without killing the tops, one application will not sufficiently damage the root!
ORGANIC: Use suffocation - sod upside down, newspaper, cardboard, carpet, etc.. Clean off or rototil in, or take to Soil Solutions in the South Valley in Albuquerque.

Blue grass: turn off water and let dry, aerate, then hydro-seal over top, leave it in place, create berms, put it in a trench or holes, use it for starting other plants.

ALTERNATIVE TO GRASSES:
Saponaria, Buffalo Juniper (creeping), Thyme (Mother of), Sedum, Wiltonia, Wooly Thyme.

Rye with Buffalo Grass.

BIND WEED:
3% roundup in fall only! when the plant is translocating carbohydrates to the roots - and / or - Bindweed Gaul Mite. (both together work the best). Mow the bindweed and leave the mulch if it is infested with the mites. The mowing will serve to further weaken the roots and the mites will be forced to move closer to the roots to get something to eat - which is good for your effort at eradicating the bindweed. The mites will work well some years, and not so well some years, ditto on some yards and not others so well, but the mite will hang out and reinfest the property, or give mowings of infested bind weed to someone with a real problem with the plant and when yours goes away and comes back, get some clippings from the friend who may have some when yours comes back. It doesn't eradicate, but assists in control.

 
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XERIC PLANTS - Judeth Phillips
(I apologize, spelling of some plants is in question - she turned off all the lights during her talk so I had to take notes in the dark. Did the best I could under the circumstances and corrected as many as I could.)

 
TREES---

Common or Western Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis): a lot of shade for little water input, 30 to 40 feet tall when established.

Chinese Pistache (Pistachia chinensis): looks nice young, space like ash, with red fall color and orange to deep scarlet, choose in fall so you can see the color, 25 - 30 ft. tall, red spring flowers.

Emory Oak (Quercus emoryii), and Escarpment Live Oak (Q. fusiformis): evergreen, good bird trees.

Golden Rain Tree (Koelreuteria paniculata): flowers in winter.

Oklahoma Redbud (Cercis reniformis): low water use, more heat tolerant, smaller is more drought tollerant, 8-10 ft. high, 8 or 9Ft. wide.

 
SPRING COLOR:

Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis): most xeric, especially after 2 years, will survive with rainfall only (with normal rainfall), Hummingbirds love it, to 20 or 30 feet, birds love it, gives filtered light.

 
VINES---

Vines are about shade or color.

Lady Banks Rose (Rosa banksias leutea or albia): is most xeric rose. It flowers on the old wood, fast growing, flowers wonderfully.

Wisteria (W. sinensis): when established, is deep rooted; uses less water when established, water and fertilize in the winter.

Silverlace Vine (Fallopia aubertii): most xeric vine, fragrance like lilac, butterflies, draws pest insects, but also draws birds and beneficials. Every 5 or 6 years cut it all down and it will regenerate in 1 year due to the large root system.

 
LARGE SHRUBS FOR SCREENING:

Curlyleaf Mountain Mahogany (Cercocarpus ledifolius): large shrub for screen, evergreen accent, can be pruned like a small specimen tree.

Arizona Rosewood (Vauquelinia californica): 10 - 15 Ft. tall, more heat loving than Mountain Mahogany, water deeply once a month.

Cliffrose (Purshia syn. Cowania mexicana): 8 - 16 ft. tall, as wide as tall, plant 7 ft apart for screening, many fragrant yellow flowers, shade tolerant, blooms again in the fall, fragrant cut flowers.

'Hilspire' Juniper (Juniperus virginiana 'Hillspire'): more upright.

Native (Giant) Four O'Clock (Mirabillus multiflora): is a wonderful ground cover, huge root system so is hard to move, 3 to 6 ft. wide, water every 6 months with a slow, deep soaking. Much valued by hawk moths, but larva is the tomato horn worm.

 
SHRUBS FOR COLOR IN XERIC GARDENS---

Winter Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum): ground cover, trellis, or shrub, late flowering.

Apache Plume (Fallugia paradoxa): a native rose, feathery plumes, prune as a shrub rose. At 5 to 7 years old cut out 1 or 2 older branches (stems) to the ground to renew the plant.

Desert Globe Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua 'Louis Hamilton').

Fernbush (Chamaebatieria millefolium): soft leaves, red bronze leaves, seed heads are a rust color.

Dwarf Butterflybush (Buddleia davidii nanhoensis): better in xeric gardens, does not appreciate much nourishment.

Purple Rock Rose (Cistus X purpurea): red spots around center of flowers, nice scent for 3 weeks in late spring, 4X4 Ft.

Littleleaf Sumac (Rhus microphylla): one of the most xeric, clusters of orange fruits, 6-7ft. high, 9 ft. wide.

Trumpet vine (Campsis radicans): attracts hummingbirds.

Mexican Blue Sage (Salvia chamaedryoides): size like lavender, 18 In. high with spikes of cobalt blue color.

 
WILDFLOWERS FOR XERIC GARDENS---

Bush Penstemon -or- Sand Penstemon (Penstemon ambiguus): a sub shrub, survives being covered with sand, 30 year life span, 2' by 2', lean soil - no organic amendments!!! Dead head - remove the seed pods lengthens the life span, or let it self sow and take out the old plants.

Other Penstemons: Desert P. (P. pseudospectablis); Coral P. (P. superbus); Palmer P. (P. palmeri); Rocky Mountain P. (P. strictus); Scarlet Bugler (P. barbatus); Yellow Pineleaf P. (P. pinifolius 'Mersea Yellow').

Giant Four O'Clock (Mirabilis multiflora).

Chocolate Flower (Berlandiera lyrata): 8" - 12" by 2' - 3'.

Desert Mule's Ears (Wythea scabra): a native sunflower, 2-3" diam. flowers smell like vanilla, 18" tall, 3' wide.

Lily - Manfreda aka Texas Tuberose (Manfreda maculosa): Foliage like celosia, 30" high, flowers open white then turn pink and wine-purple.

Purple Prairie clover (Dalea purpurea): a mexican hat, combine in wild flower prarie, will compete with the grasses well, self seeder.

Coneflower or Mexican Hat (Ratibida columnifera).

Desert Zinnia (Zinnia grandiflora): is the most xeric, good color when has 6" of rain, water for more bloom - irrigate, harvest, or rainfall. 8" tall, root spreads and fills in large areas, blooms June to frost when encouraged.

Flattop Buckwheat (Erigonium corymbosum): nectar source for butterfly and beneficials, flowers summer to fall, flowers red to wine-burgundy.

Hopleys' Ornamental Oregano (Origanum laevigatum cultivar): Purple flowered shrub, grows into a ball, self sows, 1' high, 2' wide, butterfly nectar source.

Winecups (Callirhoe involucrata): mix with grass, in flagstones, and in driveways, large root, withstands drought, good with buffalo grass.

 
GRASSES FOR XERIC GARDENS---

Giant Sacaton (Sporobolus wrightii): plant in flood planes, robust, 3'-6' tall, in flood planes it is a volunteer.

Buffalograss (Buchloe dictyloides).

'The Blues' Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium): reds glisten in the fall, rust and blue colors available.

New Mexico is grasslands. Grasses self sow readily.

Sand Lovegrass (Eragrostis tricodes): wavy fountain in the sun.

Deergrass (Muhlenbergia rigens): is a muhley, 3' by 4', slender blade.

USE LESS WATER AND HAVE A GREAT TIME GARDENING!

 
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CREATING A WILDLIFE FREINDLY YARD - Penny Genter

TREES TO ATTRACT BIRDS:

Evergreens
Trees With Persistent Fruit:
Crab apple
Washington Hawthorn
Cottoneaster (unsheared)
Holly - dioecious - plant 2 or 3 trees
Nandina or Heavenly Bamboo - older varieties have more berries
Juniper - dioecious - plant 2 or 3 trees to insure berries
Arborvitae - evergreen screen
Pyracantha.

Hummingbirds - red tubular flowers:
Penstamine - esp. pine leaf P.
Autumn or Cherry Sage
Trumpet vine
Zoshneria - hummingbird trumpet.
Angistash - hummingbird mints.

Xeric:
Hespers or Red Yucca
Ocotillo - needs hot situation with rock mulch and walls and etc.
Honeysuckle

Butterflies: need nectar plants, they like reds, yellows, oranges, pinks, purples.
marigolds, zinnias, butterfly bush or Buglia (Budlia), lavender, blue mist spirea, verbina (perennials like homestead purple).

Bees: and other pollinators -
Lavender
Purple flowering Russian Sage
Blue Mist Spirea
Rosemary
Yarrow - attracts beneficials

General Guidelines-
Decrease use of buggy plants
plant beneficial attractants
plant bird attractants
decrease pesticide use
supply water feature(s)

Rudbecia (blanket flowers)
Sunflowers
Maximilian Sunflower - 6' tall perennial
Penstamine
Rocky Mountain Penstamine (purple)
Lambs Ears
Sedum
Chamisa (4 wing rabbit bush)

National Wildlife Habitat Registration
http://www.nwf.org

Autobon New Mexico - lists by state
http://www.nmautoban.org