Xtremehorticulture

Xtremehorticulture of the Desert

Planting Desert Spoon During the Heat

Leave a Comment / five gallon, heat, time of day /

Q. I purchased six each, 5-gallon sized desert spoons but I haven’t planted them since it’s been so hot. Should I plant them in the early morning when it’s about 90 degrees F? I have watered them three times a week. This desert spoon is in a container. The container is too small and it may not have enough soil or amended soil in it. Also it may need to be watered more often. Two headed desert spoon. The central growing point (bud) probably died and the plant suckered. A. It’s not the best time of year to plant them but yes, if you are going to plant them, plant them at a time during the day when it’s cooler and plant in wet soil. I think the major problem is the sunlight and not temperature. Never plant in a dry hole. In other words, make sure the hole has been filled with water the day before, or at least the soil is wet when it’s planted. If you elect to plant during the heat, plant as quickly as possible so the roots don’t dry out. Planting in a dry hole during the heat of the day is a common mistake made by contractors. The hole dug for this container was a bit larger than needed but you get the idea. University of Arizona recommends a planting hole three times wider than the container. So in your case three times the width of a 5 gallon container. How deep its dug is only important when the soil does not drain well. A hole filled with water should drain overnight.             The hole for planting should be dug three times the diameter of a 5-gallon container, even if it’s a “xeric” or desert plant. It’s not important to dig the hole deep unless it’s necessary. Every time you water, the water should wet all the roots to a depth of 12 to 18 inches. Root depth of plants is directly related to their height. Refer to https://wateruseitwisely.com/saving-water-outdoors/plant-watering-guide/

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Planting During our Desert Heat

2 Comments / desert, heat, leaf scorch, planting /

Leaf scorch can be a reminder that the plant might be in a hot location, soil not amended properly or it was not surrounded by wood chips when it should be.  Avoid planting anything during our desert heat. All planting should stop if it’s windy or temperatures are above 100°F. Sometimes you must plant but think about other times. They will be better and you will have more success. Planting during cooler weather is better for the plant. Planting during cooler weather and you will have more success. If you must plant during the heat: Plant in areas of the landscape appropriate for the plants. Some plants tolerate desert heat better than others. No plants like heat. They prefer growing at temperatures they like (45F to 85F depending on the plant). Dig planting holes and amend the soil a day ahead. Fill the planting hole with water when you’re finished. Plant only during early morning hours. Avoid planting on windy days. Check your phone weather app. Have water ready and available. Would you like some coffee you like some coffee no? Always plant in a “wet hole”, never a “dry hole”. Plant as soon as you get home. Never wait for tomorrow. Keep plants roots wet. Feeder roots in without moisture die within 15 seconds. How many roots die determines the degree of “transplant shock”. Transplant shock isn’t “normal”.

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Pine Tree Recovery from the Heat

Leave a Comment / drought, heat, irrigation of trees and shrubs, pine, Super Thrive, vitamins, watering /

Q. I have fifteen-year-old, 20 to 30 foot pines on a half-acre. They suffered during the heat this past summer. After your advice, I am doubling the amount of water and hosing off the needles once a week. How long is the recovery time using vitamins?    Too much water? Probably not. But they don’t need it as often as a lawn does. When you look at the amount of water that pine trees need, the total amount of water is not far from what an efficient lawn would need. The difference is in frequency of application. Trees, this includes pine trees, should be watered much less often than a shallow rooted lawn. A. I am not a big fan of applying vitamins like Super Thrive. Some people swear by them, It can be cheap insurance though if you’re not sure. Your call on that one. Who can argue with success? The research doesn’t support it but the use of products like these (and other “me too” products) are not supported by research. However, some landscape professionals and homeowners disagree. In the long run, it’s cheap insurance to use it.             Washing the needles of pines is not necessary. It is true of Italian cypress because they tend to get spider mites. Pines do not.             They might need more water than 15 gallons. Play that by ear by watching the new growth next spring and early summer. You should get at least 12 inches of new growth every year and not experience severe needle drop during the hot months. Those are indicators the tree is not getting enough water. When you see this in a pine tree growing in the desert, it usually means a lack of water. The amount of water pine trees need is grossly underestimated by most homeowners and landscape professionals. They need a lot of water all at once but they don’t need it that often.             Once you find the right amount of water (minutes and gallons), keep it consistent through the year. The amount of water they are given should not change much throughout the year. It’s like filling a gas tank. Instead, change how often they receive the water. Summer months water more often. Winter months, water less often. One of the best ways to irrigate large trees is to “basin irrigate”. This is a modification of an irrigation technique called “flooding”. Rather than drip irrigation, a landscape bubbler (not a drip bubbler) is used to fill a flat basin. The basin around the tree, doughnut if you will or moat, must be flat! This basin is increased in size every few years to accommodate a larger tree. The bubbler emits water at one or 2 gallons per minute. The basin is full in 10 to 15 minutes.             As plants get bigger, they require more applied water, not watering more often. Watering frequently with small amounts of water produces shallow roots and trees that blow over in strong winds.             You should see an improvement in the first half of next year. Nothing this year.

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Bring Back Queen Palm from the Dead

Leave a Comment / cold, heat, iron, irrigation, queen palm, summer dieback, yellow /

Q. During the excessive hot spell in July our irrigation failed while we were out of town. As a result, one of our queen palms lost all its branches. In spite of subsequent life support, it does not appear to be coming back. Is that too much to hope for? Is there anything we can do to help it recover or should we just mourn its passing? Queen palms dead during first winter planted (1989/90) at local casino. Admittedly temperatures hit a 50 year low. A. Queen palms can handle heat but they struggle with extreme cold (25F) and hot, dry winds. In short, among the approximately ten palms we can grow here, they are not among the “chosen ones”. However, if these plants are water stressed or planted under poor soil conditions then they will not tolerate heat very well either.  Queen palm fronds from central bud yellowing during new growth             The only places here where I have seen decent, older queen palms has been in areas protected from wind, the soil prepared adequately with amendments and the use of organic surface mulches.  Queen palm with yellowing foliage after planting in rock mulch. Probably iron chlorosis and poor soil enrichment at planting.             Once they are stressed and water is withheld, they will suffer greatly. They need adequate soil preparation at the time of planting, good drainage, protection from winds and low temperatures, an annual fertilization program and organic surface mulches.

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Loquat Turning Brown in Rock Mulch

1 Comment / covering wood mulch with rock mulch, desert landscape, heat, loquat leaf scorch /

Andy’s loquat Q. I planted a five gallon loquat in my front yard three months ago in April .  It seemed to be taking just fine at first.   A few weeks ago I noticed that the older leaves were beginning to turn brown and  the newer leaves seem to be shriveling up.  When I purchased it I was told it was OK to plant in full sun.     During this heat I drip water it every two days.  I estimate it receives about six gallons per watering.   I check the soil regularly to make sure the soil is not drying out.  Any thoughts. Attached are some photographs.  -Andy Closeup of Andy’s loquat A. Andy, As you found out Loquat will not like it in rock mulch in full sun. It will do all right in full sun in a mixed planting with lots of other greenery around but it will actually do better in a more protected location. If you can put it in an area with protection from late afternoon sun and surround by other plants it will perform better. Loquat does tend to get borers easily if heat stressed.

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Using Ficus as a Hedge/Screen Around a Pool in Phoenix

Leave a Comment / cold damage, definition horticulture desert, ficus nitida, freeze damage, heat, pool screen, privacy, screening /

You scared me for a minute. I’m in Las Vegas so when I saw your Ficus mentioned I was concerned. I am less concerned with it in the Phoenix area but the pool area puts it in a different twist and you still have to worry about freezing damage.             But I am going to copy this to my good friend Terry Mikel who was your Extension Specialist in Maricopa County with the main office in Phoenix. He is better at answering this one and I will post his answer. He is in retirement but I am SURE he will come out of hiding on this one! Q. I live in Glendale Arizona. I have a 45ft section of 6 foot brick wall that I would like to plant Ficus nitida along. There is a 4 foot width between the wall and a plaster underground swimming pool. No problem watering the hedge?  But will this plant seek the pool water and cause a problem. I am not worried about frost. I want a 10 foot hedge when done. A. Your thoughts about having a hedge sound good.  Ficus microcarpa sub species/or cultivar ‘Nitida’ can fit the situation; its clean (no real messes). evergreen and makes a dense wall of foliage.             I have to use the term ‘can’ with a couple caveats.  1. This plant can grow to a very large size.  Frosts every few years help keep them in check.  And pruning can, to a certain degree keep them in check.  But, frosts and pruning will be a continuous battle against their genetics: it wants to be a 60′ tall and 80′ wide tree. 2. This species of Ficus will after time develop huge surface roots that will lift, push or barge anything in their path.  It’s their genetics and watering will have little, if any affect so the wall to the one side and any pool decking on the other side will be vulnerable to the large lifting roots.             Your one concern about them ‘seeking’ water is a commonly misunderstood trait of any plant. . . Plants do not search out water, period.  Plants send out roots randomly in all directions and roots that run into a water source will proliferate.             Pool sides, if sound will be the same a rock in nature, the roots will try to grow up, under, or around any solid object.             If, and this is a big if there is the slightest oozing leak from the pool’s wall  and a root meanders there then it will grow and proliferate in response.  That’s where the issue of roots and pools becomes a problem.             Personally, the Ficus is overused and most people who grow them quickly tire of all the problems with them.  If anyone who knew much about them would warn folks against using them except for large evergreen tree.             Your setting is a little bit of a challenge. You might think about something much less vigorous with fewer potential problems and some have blooms (a potential ‘mess’ issue). Look at: citrus, Hop Seed Bush (Dodonea), Xylosma (both common and botanical name), Arizona Rosewood (or any in that genus of Vauquelinia), one of the many different blooming colors of Arizona Yellow Bells (Tecoma and various species and varieties), Petite Oleanders have been used in that setting for generations.             Every person’s ‘likes’ and ‘dislikes’ vary. Check with your water department and pick up some of the nice booklets about planning and plants for the landscape. These were produced by the Arizona Municipal Water Users’ Association, more lovingly called AMWUA to be distributed in the different communities.             Another resource might be going to the Mountain States Wholesale Nursery (MSWN.com) site for a truly complete list of plants that are well adapted in the lower Sonoran desert. They also produce some for the higher deserts but their main goal is for lower deserts. . Respectfully, Terry H. Mikel

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