okay you can laugh,just not AT me .
WHAT is Exriscaping ??
Laugh...then reply ??
NOWeedSZ
STUPID QUESTION ... Don't laugh okay ?
Lee
Oct 03, 2001
....but one can also xeroscape even in cooler, damper areas like the UK too.
My understanding of xeriscape landscaping is to use plants native to your area or a very similar area so that no "extra" watering is required. I stretch the concept a bit in my xeriscape in that I water significantly less than those with lawns in my area but I do water once a week during the summer. So technically my garden is "low water" LOL.
Chris
Thanks Sis , You said exactly what I would have said.
Desertgarden, Welcome. The U.S. and Canada are experiencing drought in areas that had not seen these conditions before. So Xeriscaping techniques are a good tool for even some farmers to learn.I am in the Mojave Desert , Near Palm Springs, but not that hot. I am in a little cap on the San Bernardino Mountains,3500 foot elevation. So I see snow in Dec. and 110 temps in July/August. I try to find seeds from all over the world. South Africa is a simular climate at 8b, I see you have 8a. You could grow much of what I have here . Some Mediterranean Plants do well here. I have some from Brazil as well. I am always looking for trades of natives to our Southwest U.S. Texas,Nevada,Arizona,New Mexico, Utah. There are even deserts, in Oregon and Washington State. I have "ZONEs" My Oasis Zone, Mid Water Zones, and Xeriscape Zone. I also use grey water from my washing machine. (no bleach!!)What area of the country are you from Chris?
CoCo
Oct 05, 2001
A very good catalog,free of charge, is High Country Gardens.
They have all kinds of plants and bulbs for the Western Gardens. Their phone num. is 1-800-925-9387. Web site:
www.highcountrygardens.com . They have a wonderful picture of the plant to go with each description. This is the #1 catalog that I recommend to any one who is into Xeriscaping.
Thankyou everyone !!
I THINK I understand ... I am in a an area that see "extremes" not only dry,also wet !!
Springs can be VERY high in rainfall.Summers HOT , DRY , and Humid.I have to plant according to SESONAL conditions in ADDITION to Zones and soil conditions.
This WOULD be XERISCAPING .. Right ?
NOWeedSZ
I know what you mean,it's tricky living here,weather varies so much' Many of us are taking the approach of"saving water". Plus if you go away for a long time the plants will survive'
Some nurseries are experimenting by varying the water amounts and studying the results,using natives for the local areas. However, these tests are still restrictive as the homeowners' Living conditions vary so greatly' Soil,terrain,water tables,weather,structures,pests/diseases all play into the total picture of xeriscaping'
Zones are basicly a generality and CANNOT GUARANTEE that a plant will survive,native or otherwise'
NoWeedSZ: I'm on the Ks.prairie,deal with heavy spring rains but the past 3 yrs.getting less now. Have kept records for over 20 here' However,like you mentioned we also have the heat/humidity,winds etc.to deal with' I've been creating micro climates and experiment' I'm working on a woodland area(shade) and it goes into another that is xeriscaped. It's quite a contrast but is working very well'
Yes Lee,I agree.I am also growing tropicals and they seem to be adapting to the hot winds'I have barriers for deflection. I also mulch and have a drip system.
In my research,I have found that all xeriscaping is for the reduction of water usage' Hope this helps. Sis'
I think this is just what this "new to Arizona" girl needs to learn about! The Az. Cactus Research told us to never water cactus...that nature would take care of it...except in extreme low moonsoon seasons. I am in a valley that is about 4,000 Ft, with mountains around us at 7,400 ft. three miles from the San Pedro River. It seems that these horrible grasshoppers love any plants other than native ones (especially my Flowering Almond bush I brought from Virginia!). Now, where can I find the information on soil preparation, and grasshopper control. Thanks Jo
When we get rain in the desert it can become a flash flood! Typically Desert Plants like DEEP infrequent water. Xeriscaping, breaks conventional gardening rules. I do not water my Xeric stuff unless, it is starting to look shriveled. Cactus can dry up, and my Agave seems to shrivel too. If you overwater cactus it will crack open. You would REALLY have to water it alot. But I would say if you are not getting any rain and dont expect it anytime soon (Roadrunner you will get a feel for the rainy times of the year in your area.) I would give your Xeric plants Like cactus and Agave a nice watering every 2-3 months. We seem to get rain in cycles. There was a period here where we hadnt had more than a tiny sprinkle for 2 years!! I remember preschool children, who had never seen rain, and when it did, they were amazed! That is when I realized , how long it had been scince we had rain!If you have clay roadrunner, this is the ideal combonation: 1/3 clay, 1/3 compost, 1/3 rough sand.
I have heard of people adding sand to clay soil and say it turns to cement. If you try to add compost and no more than 1/3 of ROUGH sand it shouldnt. If you added some real fine sand to clay and didnt measure it out right and didnt add compost it WOULD turn to cement. Know what I mean?!
I have Rough Sand for soil here. So I add clay and compost.
We have alkaline soil, most deserts do. But I have learned no decomposing matter in the soil, ( the abscense of it) makes the soil alkaline.
The compost should amend the problem, BUT I have learned,
Not to try to grow acid loving plants such as Gardenias,
Azaleas, some pines. Also alot of these plants are Tropical, they like humid and moderate temps , those 3 requirements are not condusive to the desert climates.
Scince the desert soil needs to be ammended , you need to buy compost EVERY year and apply to all trees, shrubs and flowers , veggies, etc.... except for plants like cactus and Agave. They like drainage, and do NOT like any nitrogen. Alot of desert plants like trace minerals, to bloom. NOT nitrogen.
The nutrients leach into the unammended areas around your trees, and need to be replaced each year, that is why I say keep applying compost each year to all your plants. Active decomposing matter in your soil keeps it biologically active, and fights against deseases and nemotodes(a soil born micro organism) .
Here I see homeowners plant some nice pine trees, with sometimes no more than just the soil that came in the pot it was planted in. The tree will grow if watered, eventually I see the trees die, with in 10 years. Why? because they have used all nutrients in the soil and are now are vunerable to desease and insect infestation. Pines here get a lot of this. Its sad to see. Pines even sold at your local nursery that are deemed acceptable to grow in the desert, need nutrition. Trees like Mesquite, Palo Verde etc.... can be neglected a bit more.
If you can not buy a truck load of compost , I have gone and bought each year 20 bags of composted cow manure, much cheaper by half, here 70 cents a bag . I open the bags and let them sit for 2 weeks, now, they wont burn anything. And it has seemed to work just as well. 10 bags is only 7 dollars! VERY cheap insurance! And your plants will show you how grateful they are. I will post more info on soil , later.
2nd most important information to any one new here to Xeriscaping, MULCH!
MULCH MULCH!!!!!!!!!!!
2 inches. I used what ever I can get my hands on.
leaves, cuttings, ( I cut everything into little peices) Just make sure there is no mildew on your cuttings.
Heavy bark is less likely to blow away.
It keeps the temps more even. Cooler in summer, Warmer in winter. It keeps the water from evaporating out the top of the dirt.
3rd, Indians in desert gardening , did another rule breaking practice. Raised Beds are a NO NO , in the desert.
If your soil is well drained, Dig IN a large basin, lower than the rest of the soil, and make a high burm around it.
Now you have a mini microclimate area and the mulch will be less likely to blow away. When it rains the water will definitely be caught into the basin .
If you have heavy clay soil, this may not be an option.
Soil ammendment makes all the difference.
Road runner look around here on Xeriscaping, check how we have planted trees to the West, or Northwest , for a windbreak, wind also dries out plants. Windbreaks create microclimates. meaning the area is less hostile, more mild, less windy and hot, therefore you can have more success with your plants.
Man! I didnt mean to write a novel! Hope I have helped!
Michele it was a good book! Lots of useful information there. Thanks.
Michele, I failed to thank you for all the good instructions. I have printed them out and they will be an immense help to me in the future! We seems to have 3 types of soil...all on the same 4 acres! Clay, Sand, and something I can't spell...kalichie(?)...looks and acts like cement! It makes a nice road when it covers enough area. Thanks again! Jo
P.S. Did you check out the "water Pic Hole digger I put in "Handyman"? It sure has saved us a lot of back-breaking digging!
Here is the link for High Country Gardens. They have some great ideas and also explain the whole xeriscaping to you. (send for the free catalog too)
Don't feel bad I had no idea what it was either until Dave made the forum!
http://www.highcountrygardens.com/index.html
sue
Hey Sue...that is really a neat site. I've bookmarked it and will use it I'm sure. (why aren't you out hunting us up a nice "crow"? LOL) Jo
Calleche, it an indian name. Another great site
http://www.desert-tropicals.com
Sorry about the long post! Sheesh!
This is a neat thread! Very informative. Alas, I was looking for the grasshopper control someone requested info on!
These black and yellow guys here grab my pants leg when I go out and I may have to revert to the ol shotgun??
Locals say find em and stomp! Is there any action short of individual assasination?
Thanks Bob
Bob...hello again...I posted to you on your "tree" post...and as you can see on this thread...I am new to AZ...having lived in Homosassa for years. But I'm learning a lot about this soil here.
As to grasshoppers....boy! I'll trade you grasshoppers anytime...ours are big enough to saddle here. Makes those in Florida look like minitures!
There was a post about some kind of prepared soil that you could buy that would deter bugs and insects...if my old memory would just let me remember the name of it! I wonder if "search" would bring anything up on here? Anyhow...keep stompin'...Jo
Thank you Jo. Yes I remember your post. I copy everything .
Oh my, bigger than here?? I will check search! I have some other sites to look at also. Nurseryman in town said I should have got them when they were young, before they took steroids and started working out! Do you have grasshoppers or locust? How about planting some oleander and they might get confused and eat them? They would probably grow bigger?!
Do you have mosquitos there?
Thanks for the post and happy gardening!
Bob
Bob, yes, they really are Locust! But when we moved here we had never seen such monsters. My husband was the gardener and he died Dec. 21st...so I am now pressed into service! With the great help, and gifts of plants and seeds, from these good people on DG I am now "Germinating" seeds. Everyone here is so helpful. We have lots of Oleander here, and imagine my shock when I discover this huge tree I was sitting under at the VA Hospital in Tucson turned out to be a BOTTLE BRUSH! I didn't even know it until it bloomed. I must get me one of them, as we left two nice ones in Homosassa. We did bring some small China Berry Trees with us (which AZ frowns on!), and they are very special to me. Roses do much better here than they did in Florida too. Beautiful roses!
Email me sometime! Jo
Sorry about your loss Jo. I agree the folks here are super and what great help and support! Am asking so many questions starting to feel guilty. I checked search but there was nothing there that made any sense. Several products that my nurseryman frowned upon.
Could import a bunch of snakes?? Train the cat to fetch grasshoppers?
Off to the store in town! Take care! Bob
Import snakes, Bob? Why I saw more snakes in Florida than I have seen here!! And got stung by a scorpion there on my own porch...new seen one in my house here. Jo
Hahahaha! Scorpions in the woodpile! Check your desert there. I have a scorpion encased in plastic 4 inches long from the Arizona desert! Yes there are snakes. Cat seems to run them off! Water moccasins by the swamp and they can stay there. Killed an 8 ft timber rattler in the pine hammock to the west of the house. need to place some of my bird feeders in the infested area? If that is my biggest thing in this gardening venture I will be lucky!
Later Bob
What? No 'Gators? Which side of Rt 19 do you live on... Do you watchie the Weeki-Wachee Mermaids? Jo
Well obviously there are gators! Especially in my freezer! Soft shell turtles! Grouper and trout from the Gulf! Lobster from the Keys!
Used to believe in mermaids till my daughter went to work there years ago! I realized then it was an untruth! Hahaha!
I am on the east side of 19 a ways above weeki wachee. actually just south of chiefland in the boonies. People understand Spring Hill, Chiefland brings up question marks and more explanations!
Bob, are there two Chiefland's? The one I know is north of Cedar Keys...and don't say GROUPER!! Lordy, I love that fish!! When I went back to spend the month of February in Homosassa and Ozello, we ate out a lot...Grouper, shrimp, grouper, oyster, and more grouper!! I do miss seafood out here. Lot's of the young girls started their working life as a Weeki-wachee Mermaid....so you muct have a beautiful daughter that swims well. Jo
Where is the Ocean Front Property there?? Song says they are selling it! hahaha!
I am south of Cedar Key. North of Yankeetown East of 19 towards Marta?? Which does not say much! I shop in Ocala! Mail address in Spring Hill where my son stays at my other home. He married w/2. Daughter married w/1 1/2.
HAH! You're not at Spring Hill at all! Anyhow, wwe have a gal on DG that lives at Newberry...very close to you. Name is Arelene...if I remember correctly. But Sami, in Hosmosassa would love to meet you I'll bet! Jo
Who are Arlene and Sami?? I choose to use that address and it is my home. I am remote enough for my satisfaction. My other home where my son is, has grown up to a point where it was unbearable. New Parkway is less than a mile to the east and the noise of vehicles and traffic made it unlivable. Son works in NPR so it if fine for him.
Back to grasshoppers, I will start beating them tomorrow! Later Bob
Bob, both are members of DG...Sami and I have been good friends for 24 years...when we both lived in Va. Beach. Arelene lives in Newberry...I have emailed with her but never met her. Yes...the new parkway is nice for traveling...but would be noisy to live near. Jo
Well somehow I managed to completely miss the rest of this thread. Some excellent info desert gardening Michelle thanks very much.
I'm Lancaster CA. We rarely get snow more than once every 5 years or so. Summers heat up to between 110 and 118 at the highest (so far).
My garden is clay and as you said, alkaline. I've been able to grow anything I want, (in one area or another) except understory type herbs. That's my experiment for this year. A controlled environment on the patio to try some new things.
Chris
As time passes, my microclimate is really filling in.
The thornless Chelean Mesquite has a nice light filtered shade. I have in the bed below it. A circle of Iris, Lambs Ears, Johnny Jump ups, Purple allysum, Creeping Rosemary. And right towards the center Mexican Primrose,( pretty pink)
You can add clay to the pots to keep them from drying out so fast. We had 109 today! It usually doesnt get that hot until July/August. We get snow any year the moisture allows in Dec,Jan , sometimes Feb. One thing about that clay soil, it has a lot of trace minerals.
That sounds really beautiful. I bet it was fun to plan.
Michele, it's nice to see you back.
Thanks Mary :) Good to see you too :)
Hello all. I appreciate all of your fine posts - there is so very much for me to learn. Roadrunner, are you trying to remember diatomaceous earth? I have used it to deter insects, although not specifically grasshoppers. Now I am wondering if I don't have grasshoppers because I use diatomacious.