Many times the use of desert landscape is done to make the need for watering a non-issue. They are very good at storing water. Many desert plants store water inside themselves, like cacti, for instance. While desert plants are drought tolerant by their very nature they still need some water just to thrive in our climate.
Watering is sometimes a challenge for plant owners, especially for those who live in the desert where plants have extreme water needs. Watering questions are typical of the many inquiries we receive each year in talking with commercial property owners. In the interest of both conserving water and maintaining healthy and beautiful landscapes, let's look at this sometimes-mystery called irrigation.
It might be helpful to start by discussing how plants process water and how this process protects plants from the sun's intense heat. When temperatures are high and humidity is low, the transpiration rate for plants is high. Transpiration rate describes how fast water vapor is lost to the atmosphere through evaporation, primarily from a plant's leaves. This water loss occurs during photosynthesis when openings called stomata on leaf surfaces open and close for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. When the stomata are open, water vapor escapes. This evaporation has a cooling effect on leaves and is a critical part of a tree's protection from the sun's heat and light.
Our challenge is to provide water in quantities sufficient to allow plants to "breathe," that is, to release water vapor in amounts needed to keep plant surfaces constantly within a temperature range cool enough not to suffer true dehydration.
But it's not only a function of providing adequate water. Desert-adapted plants have special features to help them handle the heat. They sometimes have thick plant surfaces or reduced surface areas or other adaptive qualities. Plants without these features have a hard time in the summer heat. Some non-desert adapted plants have large leaf surfaces that transpire at such high rates that they lose water faster than it can be replenished. In spite of having enough water in the soil, they can suffer from sunscald.
The owners of these non-drought-tolerant species have a difficult task keeping them alive, let alone green. Survival is not only a matter of having adequate water. It's also about a plant's genetic functional ability to handle our hot environment. And that is sometimes beyond our control or even an irrigation controller.
More importantly you can let Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance do all the work for you and take the burden off your shoulders all together. Give us a call at 623-848-8277 and let’s talk about it.
Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net
While living in the southwestern desert climate offers a wider variety of plant choices than many areas, those faced with the job of landscaping near a swimming pool still have the basic commercial property considerations pool managers in any region must confront.
Before sending workers on an impulsive trip to a nursery or home center for whatever strikes their fancy, have them do some research.
If they choose fruit or flower-bearing trees and shrubs they may be beauties, but they will make a big mess when their leaves, needles, fruits, flowers, nuts or catkins fall in and around your pool or spa areas. Fruit and flowers trees, shrubs and bushes can lead to a lot of extra work for your pool cleaner.
Desert plants, cacti and beautiful roses bushes have needles and thorns, as do colorful bougainvillea, barberry, pyracantha and luscious blackberry bushes. Can you imagine a resident, their child or a visitor accidentally falling into a rose bush or type of cacti?
Over the years, trees and plants with invasive roots can damage the pool’s structure, its surrounding area, and its plumbing system. This list includes ficus, elm and oak trees.
While the whole bee / hummingbird / ecosystem thing can be an amazing when it is happening in the garden and common area, you don’t want any pollinators mistaking your pool guests for an enticing honeysuckle or bottlebrush. Other bee-lovin' plants include Wisteria, Sweet Clovers, Delphinium, Larkspur, Queen Anne's Lace, Cosmos and many Salvias. Keep these far away from your pools or hot-tube/spa areas.
Nearby nurseries or botanical gardens usually feature plants that are indigenous to your area or will adapt well to our climate. You may be tempted by the idyllic images and order an exotic banana tree off some website, but you might be wasting your dollars if it’s not suitable for your neck of the woods. If in doubt, consult regional charts or your local nursery.
Low-maintenance plants mean less work for your staff. The landscaping near your pool should enhance its surroundings and often sets a mood, like an island or oasis. You don’t want to be spending the bulk of your maintenance budget trimming and fertilizing the poolscaping, especially if it’s hard to access. Keep it simple. With the right plant selections, you can relax when thinking about the swimming pools and enjoy the scenery.
At Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance we have an even better idea, let us to the work and stressing about your commercial landscape needs.
It doesn’t matter to us whether you want lush lawns, desert landscaping or some type of landscaping in between, we can help. To find out how give us a call at 623-848-8277.
Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net
