Q. After 6 years of trying to have a beautiful lawn in
Las Vegas, I finally give up. The water company has offered me $3/foot to
convert to water smart landscaping. What should I do? Do I add more rocks and
plants? Artificial turf? What trees should I use, if any?
Las Vegas, I finally give up. The water company has offered me $3/foot to
convert to water smart landscaping. What should I do? Do I add more rocks and
plants? Artificial turf? What trees should I use, if any?
A. If you do nothing else after removing the lawn, plant
some trees or large shrubs that shade to the West and South exterior walls and
windows of your home. This will help reduce air conditioning costs during the
summer. These plants should be deciduous, in other words drop their leaves for
the winter.
Shade South and West Walls
Select trees
that grow to about the same height as your home. Avoid trees that grow huge.
They use more water and don’t really provide any extra savings in air-conditioning
costs. A two-story house can handle bigger trees so in your case these should be deciduous trees so they drop their leaves in the winter and allows sunlight to warm the house. I will get back to you with some recommendations on some plants.
that grow to about the same height as your home. Avoid trees that grow huge.
They use more water and don’t really provide any extra savings in air-conditioning
costs. A two-story house can handle bigger trees so in your case these should be deciduous trees so they drop their leaves in the winter and allows sunlight to warm the house. I will get back to you with some recommendations on some plants.
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| Sometimes just a vine on a trellis is enough to shade a wall or entrance from the hot sun. |
Choose Desert Trees
I would steer you towards trees that are adapted to desert environments, in other words, “desert trees”.Regardless
of the trees you select, plant them a distance from your home no closer than
half of their mature height. Plant them no closer together than this either. Dig
the holes for the trees at least 3 times the width of their container and no
deeper. Smaller trees establish more quickly and grow more rapidly in the
beginning than larger trees. Irrigate
the soil around plant roots no closer than 3 foot away from the foundation of
the home.
of the trees you select, plant them a distance from your home no closer than
half of their mature height. Plant them no closer together than this either. Dig
the holes for the trees at least 3 times the width of their container and no
deeper. Smaller trees establish more quickly and grow more rapidly in the
beginning than larger trees. Irrigate
the soil around plant roots no closer than 3 foot away from the foundation of
the home.
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| Many desert trees have excellent form and good looks like this Mesquite in this desert landscape. |
Fake Grass Has Pluses and Minuses
Personally,
I don’t care for artificial grass unless it’s used for a specific purpose other
than just covering the ground. It gets terribly hot during the summer if it’s
in the sun and requires upkeep. If you go in that direction, start asking some
questions because it is not maintenance-free. I wouldn’t use artificial turf
unless you have a reason to put it in. Aesthetics, or just looking at it, is
not a good reason to install it. It’s in the sunlight it gets exceedingly hot
during the months of about April through September. It starts cooling down
sometime in mid-to-late October for the fall months. If the air temperature is
about 105° F, and the sun is shining directly on it, the surface temperature of
your artificial grass will be about 165° F. I know because I’ve measured it.
I don’t care for artificial grass unless it’s used for a specific purpose other
than just covering the ground. It gets terribly hot during the summer if it’s
in the sun and requires upkeep. If you go in that direction, start asking some
questions because it is not maintenance-free. I wouldn’t use artificial turf
unless you have a reason to put it in. Aesthetics, or just looking at it, is
not a good reason to install it. It’s in the sunlight it gets exceedingly hot
during the months of about April through September. It starts cooling down
sometime in mid-to-late October for the fall months. If the air temperature is
about 105° F, and the sun is shining directly on it, the surface temperature of
your artificial grass will be about 165° F. I know because I’ve measured it.
 |
| Some artificial lawns look very realistic but they will be also more expensive. |
Suggestions
Start appreciating open spaces. That’s what concerns
water deserts is open areas. Don’t fill the entire landscape area with plants.
Learn to appreciate what is called “negative space”.
Shade the walls and windows of your home on the south and
west sides. With a two-story home this requires trees 25 to 40 feet tall.
west sides. With a two-story home this requires trees 25 to 40 feet tall.
Don’t plant anything closer to the house than 3 feet from
it. Apply the irrigation on the side of the plants away from the house or any
cement surface such as patios, driveways, sidewalks, etc.
it. Apply the irrigation on the side of the plants away from the house or any
cement surface such as patios, driveways, sidewalks, etc.
Think of your landscape plants in multiple layers; the
tall ones, the medium-sized once, small ones and groundcovers and vines.
tall ones, the medium-sized once, small ones and groundcovers and vines.
Odd numbers of plants are usually more appealing to the
eye than even numbers up to about 7 plants. Above that number, the eye doesn’t
seem to notice the difference.
eye than even numbers up to about 7 plants. Above that number, the eye doesn’t
seem to notice the difference.
Repeat plants through your landscape to provide
some continuity and rhythm. There is no need for every plant to be different
from each other. Repetition or repeating plants is a good thing and landscape
design.
165 degree temps in the summer with artificial turf is shocking.
No wonder kids are getting burned playing soccer after 10 am in the summer on artificial turf. And no one talks about the upkeep on artificial grass.
Roses themselves require aggressive pruning but otherwise are fairly undemanding. The blooms are a delight, and many new cultivars of landscape roses are extremely hardy, disease resistant, and beautiful. Landscaping Georgetown TX
Yes they are, even in the desert. In the Mojave desert make sure the soil is amended with compost and covered with woodchips about 3 to 4 inches deep. Healthy plants can tolerate higher temperatures.