Volume 1, Issue 1  

Reducing Winter Plant Losses

Based on my experience and conversations with experts from various local city water conservation departments, I offer the following:

How do I protect plants from our desert cold? We water the roots and not the plants.
We set our controller for deep watering so that the roots grow deep into the ground. We alternate watering the soil around the roots with no-watering, which creates an artificial drought for the plant. When there is no water at the roots they dig deeper to find water. The deeper the roots, the farther away they are from the surface. This earth covering acts as an insulating barrier between the cold air and the roots below. Also, I add a 2" thick blanket of wood chip mulch to protect the roots. APS and SRP supply the chips free of charge.

If our native plants or adapted plants should suffer from the cold, we cut them back and this will help them survive and begin growth in the Spring. Deep watering and wise pruning reduces winter plant losses.

What are the effects of enclosed spaces such as sunny, walled courtyards on plants?
Walls that enclose areas radiate heat into the air space. Convection currents are extablished as well. This combination of radiation from walls and warm air currents reduces cold spell stress.

Green Landscaping Newsletter

March 7, 2008

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Myth. Plant low-water use plants to reduce water use.

Truth. Correct watering (frequency and duration) combined with low water-use plants reduces water use.

And finally, deep root growth helps prevent trees from capsizing on windy days. To avoid large, top-heavy tree canopies and limited root growth, water deeply for roots to go deep and wide. This enables trees to stand firm against our fierce moonsoon winds. The roots themselves do not take up nutrients. It's the filia at the end of the roots that absorb water and nutrients. That's why emitters are spread out as the tree roots spread out.

Pruning Plants

What happens to plants when they are pruned into stressful lollypops, soda can and gumball shapes?
This pruning method stresses and limits the plant's ability to flower. They also become woody. Plant leaves collect the sun's energy to make its own food. When the necessary quantity of leaves are cut off, the plant goes into an accelerated leaf production schedule. Continuing pruning the plant into stress-inducing shapes eventually signals the plant to stop leaf-food production and it dies.