Drip Irrigation-the pros and cons(mostly pros)

Drip irrigation systems are a great way to water your plants efficiently. Drip systems can be set up in a variety of ways, from a dedicated zone(s) on a larger system(which usually includes lawn sprinklers), to a single zone run from a hose bib. Drip systems can be set up to water individual plants by using drip emitters or bubblers placed near the base of plants or by a system using soaker-type hoses or special tubing with built in emitters that is designed to supply water to a specific area containing many plants. By keeping track of the number of emitters, their flow rate, and run times, it is possible to come up with a highly accurate measurement of how much water you are using. For example, a system(or zone) with twenty 1 GPH(gallon per hour) emitters and fifty 1/2 GPH emitters running twice a week for an hour each time would be using 90 gallons of water per week. You could water a LOT of plants with those 70 emitters and 90 gallons! Now compare that to a typical sprinkler zone with 4 or 5 heads--they can blow through that 90 gallons in 10 to 15 minutes. In a typical residential yard, a substantial portion of that water is usually wasted, either through evaporation, overspraying that ends up running down streets, or runoff from slopes that can't absorb water quickly. It is amazing(and disturbing)how much water is still being wasted on lawns.

This is why drip irrigation is such a valuable water conservation tool. By delivering water directly to the root zones of plants, drip irrigation systems are highly efficient with minimal water waste. Of course in most instances this assumes that some sort of mulch is being used.

Another benefit of an automatic(on a timer) drip system is that it supplies plants with consistent water. Newly planted plants will establish much quicker and be healthier than plants that have to endure wet-dry cycles of inconsistent watering. Even low water xeriscape plants need regular watering during their establishment phase.

So what are some of the drawbacks of drip irrigation? From my experience, there are definitely a few, the main one being that plants and planting beds can receive uneven amounts of water, so you may end up with some dry spots in your garden, especially in hot and dry places(like here in Colorado!). For this reason I usually advise my clients to supplement drip irrigated areas with occasional hose soakings especially during the summer months. Not only will this help out dry areas but it will also promote root growth in new plantings by drawing the roots out away from the root ball of the plant.

Maintenance of drip systems is also a possible drawback in that most people don't keep up with it. Since these systems are mostly hidden there is a natural inclination to assume everything is working fine. Many drip zones have been installed on new homes and the homeowners were never instructed how to take care of the system, they have no idea where the lines run, or even how to do basic maintenance. Emitters can get plugged or break, leaks can develop, so if you want an efficient drip system, regular maintenance is essential!

Still, don't let these minor drawbacks prevent you from using drip in your landscape. As water becomes more scarce and expensive, I have no doubt that drip irrigation will continue to play a larger role in residential landscapes in the west. If you would like more information on a drip system or need help with maintenance feel free to give me a call.

Tough Spring for Ornamental Grasses

One consequence of our mainly cool spring is that a lot of plants seem to be a few weeks behind schedule in their growth. To me this seems most noticeable with ornamental grasses. This can be frustrating to a lot of gardeners who cut their grasses back in the spring and expect them to then start growing aggressively. A lot of the grasses I am seeing are showing anemic growth of their new blades this spring. This would include most of the Miscanthus, Pampas, little bluestem, and Pennisetum varieties. Switch grass also tends to be a late bloomer, so this year it is especially slow.
A couple of exceptions would be the Blue Avena and Feather Reed grasses, which don't seem to be too affected by the chilly weather. These are good grasses to consider if you're the impatient type.

                                                         Grow baby grow!




One thing to speed up the growth process on your ornamental grasses is to give them some fertilizer, as they will appreciate a good shot of nitrogen. Be careful not to overdo it however. Also, if they are a few years old, you can look at physically removing any dead shoots from the center of the plant. This will give new growth a little more room and also provide a stimulus to the the plant. The last option is to do nothing and as soon as we get some consistently warm weather they will eventually catch up.

Decks versus Patios

In the quest for comfortable and practical outdoor entertaining and living spaces, many homeowners consider having either a deck or patio built. Each has its own pros and cons but for most situations one may be decidedly a better choice. As a landscape construction type, my bias is usually in favor of patios as I have found them in general to cost less and require less maintenance.

In a situation where the terrain is fairly level and the access from the home may only require a step or two down, a patio is almost always the better choice. Even if there is a slight slope a retaining wall is often used in conjunction with the patio. The general limit for a residential retaining wall is 4’ in height(including the part of the wall that is below the ground). Now, not everyone may want a 4’ high wall in their yard that could be a falling hazard for small children or guests etc. In this case, a deck with railings would make more sense. But not always, as it is possible to install railings or use plantings to keep people away from the edges of a retaining wall.

What seems to be more common are decks that have been built where a patio would have been a better choice. I have seen many decks that are basically built right on the ground or very close to it. Many of these also have railings that restrict access to the surrounding yard. Maintenance under these types of decks is often a problem. The space is usually too small for a person to keep the area cleaned out but a great place for spiders, rabbits, snakes, and other assorted critters to take up residence. We all love our urban wildlife, but living under our decks may be a little too close to home! Avoid this situation by building a patio instead!

There are other factors to consider as well---costs, maintenance, and environmental issues. Most brick paver patios can be built for a price in the $12-18 per square foot range. Brick pavers for the most part are maintenance free. As long as the base for the patio is properly installed and compacted(and this is something never to skimp on) the life span for a patio can be expected to be 20-25 years or more. Most wood decks need to be stained every few years, and you may not always know where the wood came from or if it was responsibly harvested. Materials like Trex are
better but that of course drives the price up. So while decks can be attractive, well built, and long lasting, make sure you don’t rule out a patio unless there is no question that a deck would be better.

Winter watering in the big chill of 2010....

Someone recently asked me if she should be watering her trees, shrubs, and other plants this winter. Normally the answer would be yes, but this winter is different. This has been one of the more consistently cold winters in recent memory, and the ground has been frozen solid for at least 2 and maybe close to 3 months now. Usually in my own yard in February, I can find a few spots of unfrozen ground, mostly sun drenched areas  with some southern exposure. But again, this year is different--everything seems to be frozen solid. Watering frozen ground will not benefit your plants since the water will just run off. It could even do damage by pooling up around the base of the plant and then freezing which could cause damage to the crown of the plant.

If you recall however, we had a very wet snowstorm back in late October which melted quickly and provided our plants with a good shot of late fall water. Within a few weeks the weather turned cold and it has stayed mostly cold since. So the moisture levels in the ground have been adequate plus we've had enough snow
to keep things from drying out. One positive thing I've noticed about this winter has been the general lack of wind.  It's been cold here along the front range but
not terribly windy like it is in most years.

Until we get several consecutive days and nights above freezing the situation will not change. At the rate things are going we could have frozen ground until late March or early April. I don't know about you, but I'm ready for spring. So hang in
there and it will get here eventually!

Still learning how this works.....

Thanks for visiting my blog. As I just started this very recently I am still having some
issues with arranging pictures and text etc(it's never as easy as they explain it to
be!) but I will get everything looking good soon. Please check back from time to time
and hopefully this will become a good source for you for Colorado-related landscaping and horticulture. Thanks.

Winter Interest in the Garden. Does yours have it?

Let's face it, when it's been 2 or 3 months since the first freeze and all your perennials and grasses are brown, shriveled up, and damaged by snow(or worse yet you don't have any!), it's easy to just ignore your gardens and wait it out until warmer weather arrives. Although many winter gardens may appear to be dormant and uninteresting, it needn't be this way. With a little research and planning, you can find plants that will spruce up your gardens in the winter. It's been a nippy winter here along the front range, but hey, we're lucky 'cause we get lots of sunny days to get out and enjoy the outdoors.

Today was one of those days, so I took some time to see what was still looking good in my yard after weeks of sub-freezing temps. Here are a few of the things I found that you might want to consider for your own gardens:\ 
Giant Sacaton Grass(Sporobolus Wrightii)-at left
This southwestern native and Plant Select winner tends to hold up well throughout the winter. I especially like the wispy flowerheads and how they catch the low-lying sun. This specimen is not mature yet, so in subsequent years it will have an even fuller look.

Pineleaf Penstemon(below right) A smaller perennial  true to its namesake
which contains pine-like foliage that stays a bright green through the
winter(this plant can be deadheaded to keep it looking good. This is the yellow(mersea) variety. The standard red and orange varieties turn a deep red-green in the winter. Be sure to mass plant this little gem. It will flower
the first year.

 

Grey Santolina(aka Lavender Cotton)-above has year round grey fragrant foliage with yellow button flowers in the summer. But I like this plant exclusively for the foliage. It looks best when it is cut back to the ground

each spring to keep it compact andthe

dead flower heads are removed in

late summer.

 
Sulpher flower or buckwheat(Eriogonum
Umbellatum) to left is a plant with fleshy foliage that turns a beautful deep red in the winter. 




In future posts we'll explore some additional plants that will make your winter garden a more exciting place.

Dead of winter--good time to get bloggin'.....

Greetings and welcome to my blog. Just about everyone nowadays says that having a blog is pretty much of an essential thing, so this is where I'll jump into the fray . My wish is that this will be an educational resource and place for interested parties to learn a little more about landscaping and
horticultural topics and inspire you to experience the horticultural delights that are available here
along the Colorado front range. Get connected to nature, it's good for you!