We had a 2014 gardening thread and another planting trees thread. Figured it would be better just to have a general thread to share knowledge about all things yards.
I've learned stuff about growing things here in the desert from people all around the country. Post pictures and share your knowledge! [Reply]
Originally Posted by lewdog:
Irrigation systems are run by control boxes somewhere on the outside of the house, usually in the front yard. Mine is on the right side of my house near the garage. It's a control box that can look like anything but is probably rainbird. Just an example below.
I've found my system control box!
Hunter, set to water for 35 mins/day. Going to download the app to run it.
Best I've been able to identify thus far is:
3 queen palms
2 Mediterranean fan palms
1 pineapple palm
1 navel orange tree
1 mini orange tree
2 agaves
1 blue hibiscus
Handful of hopseeds
Couple I've yet to identify
My understanding is that queen palms aren't native to AZ and are susceptible to disease/mites and don't really do well here. Seems like an odd choice by the previous owner. I haven't seen any others around me in the neighborhood.
I'm definitely lacking in color and would like to add some cactus as well. [Reply]
Originally Posted by KCUnited:
I've found my system control box!
Hunter, set to water for 35 mins/day. Going to download the app to run it.
Best I've been able to identify thus far is:
3 queen palms
2 Mediterranean fan palms
1 pineapple palm
1 navel orange tree
1 mini orange tree
2 agaves
1 blue hibiscus
Handful of hopseeds
Couple I've yet to identify
My understanding is that queen palms aren't native to AZ and are susceptible to disease/mites and don't really do well here. Seems like an odd choice by the previous owner. I haven't seen any others around me in the neighborhood.
I'm definitely lacking in color and would like to add some cactus as well.
Correct on the Queen Palms but many have them, especially people with pools. I love the look but they are expensive and can die suddenly. Tons in my neighborhood but the brutal heat last summer took out many. They need to be fertilized quite a bit and most people do not provide them enough water in the summer. They need a lot of water to flush the salts here.
Color can be easily had by red Hibiscus and they are pretty forgiving. Pinks are harder to maintain and yellow just isn't worth it for the yard. They have prettier foliage than blue hibiscus too but I'm impressed you have a blue. Not many have them here but they are pretty forgiving too.
Desert yellow bells or orange jubilee are super easy and bloom in the heat. Don't put them by the pool though as they can be messy. Mine are on the opposite side of the yard from the pool.
Not sure how you'd get color from cactus unless you're looking at sticks of fire (succulent) or a purple prickly pear which is really awesome looking?
At some point when you're more able, you'll still need to see how much water is being put to the plants depending on the dripper amount. Under 105 I water every other day for about 30 minutes but many of my plants are getting more water to them than most, as I ran my own line and put bubblers on the drip lines so I can control the volume of water whenever I want. Most yards are set to 1-2 GPH on little drippers and SO MANY plants do poorly on these when people run them for 15-30 minutes a day. The water doesn't penetrate deep enough and the plants roots cook in the summer. Not important for cactus though and actually most all cactus doesn't need to be watered at all, especially agave except for maybe once a month from May-July if we don't get rain. If we get rain, don't water agave for an entire month! [Reply]
Originally Posted by lewdog:
Correct on the Queen Palms but many have them, especially people with pools. I love the look but they are expensive and can die suddenly. Tons in my neighborhood but the brutal heat last summer took out many. They need to be fertilized quite a bit and most people do not provide them enough water in the summer. They need a lot of water to flush the salts here.
Color can be easily had by red Hibiscus and they are pretty forgiving. Pinks are harder to maintain and yellow just isn't worth it for the yard. They have prettier foliage than blue hibiscus too but I'm impressed you have a blue. Not many have them here but they are pretty forgiving too.
Desert yellow bells or orange jubilee are super easy and bloom in the heat. Don't put them by the pool though as they can be messy. Mine are on the opposite side of the yard from the pool.
Not sure how you'd get color from cactus unless you're looking at sticks of fire (succulent) or a purple prickly pear which is really awesome looking?
At some point when you're more able, you'll still need to see how much water is being put to the plants depending on the dripper amount. Under 105 I water every other day for about 30 minutes but many of my plants are getting more water to them than most, as I ran my own line and put bubblers on the drip lines so I can control the volume of water whenever I want. Most yards are set to 1-2 GPH on little drippers and SO MANY plants do poorly on these when people run them for 15-30 minutes a day. The water doesn't penetrate deep enough and the plants roots cook in the summer. Not important for cactus though and actually most all cactus doesn't need to be watered at all, especially agave except for maybe once a month from May-July if we don't get rain. If we get rain, don't water agave for an entire month!
Good info, thx.
I'm thinking color in addition to cactus. Just feels weird not having any cactus. I'll probably wind up doing potted plants for color. I don't have a ton of earth space but a large patio and everything seems strategically landscaped from whenever the pool was installed.
I'm definitely going to dig into the water system more. It seems highly automated but I'd like to learn enough to have more control over the what and why instead of just letting it run as the previous own has it set up. [Reply]
I'm thinking color in addition to cactus. Just feels weird not having any cactus. I'll probably wind up doing potted plants for color. I don't have a ton of earth space but a large patio and everything seems strategically landscaped from whenever the pool was installed.
I'm definitely going to dig into the water system more. It seems highly automated but I'd like to learn enough to have more control over the what and why instead of just letting it run as the previous own has it set up.
And not saying you have to redo the sprinklers. Just saying if you know they put out 1-2 GPH, then you may just run your system 60-90 minutes every other day to provide a good volume of water.
Originally Posted by lewdog:
Correct on the Queen Palms but many have them, especially people with pools. I love the look but they are expensive and can die suddenly. Tons in my neighborhood but the brutal heat last summer took out many. They need to be fertilized quite a bit and most people do not provide them enough water in the summer. They need a lot of water to flush the salts here.
Color can be easily had by red Hibiscus and they are pretty forgiving. Pinks are harder to maintain and yellow just isn't worth it for the yard. They have prettier foliage than blue hibiscus too but I'm impressed you have a blue. Not many have them here but they are pretty forgiving too.
Desert yellow bells or orange jubilee are super easy and bloom in the heat. Don't put them by the pool though as they can be messy. Mine are on the opposite side of the yard from the pool.
Not sure how you'd get color from cactus unless you're looking at sticks of fire (succulent) or a purple prickly pear which is really awesome looking?
At some point when you're more able, you'll still need to see how much water is being put to the plants depending on the dripper amount. Under 105 I water every other day for about 30 minutes but many of my plants are getting more water to them than most, as I ran my own line and put bubblers on the drip lines so I can control the volume of water whenever I want. Most yards are set to 1-2 GPH on little drippers and SO MANY plants do poorly on these when people run them for 15-30 minutes a day. The water doesn't penetrate deep enough and the plants roots cook in the summer. Not important for cactus though and actually most all cactus doesn't need to be watered at all, especially agave except for maybe once a month from May-July if we don't get rain. If we get rain, don't water agave for an entire month!
Looks like I have a red hibiscus, just down from the blue. Didn't pick up on the similarity of the flowers til now.
Did you put in a rifle port on the side of the bad neighbor?
Not yet, but we can step on the roof from our bedroom. So who knows.
They really did a fantastic job. Over the summer, I will paint the screen trim and seal everything up. Then make lattice doors and cover up some of the open space below the deck. Decided to put my riding lawn mower under there for the summer so I do not have to pull a car out to get the mower out of the garage. I did chain it up.
We have easier access to the fire pit also, so that is good.
Anyone ever have their yard trenched? I want to bury the downspout water from two spouts and then do a popup at the edge of the property. (by the shed) that way less water on the ground and I can use the pit more. [Reply]
