Suzanne Lasky
12429 N 58th St, Scottsdale, AZ 85254
I came back out today and set both controllers for your new hopseed hedge and the desert ironwood. Here's exactly what they're set to, when to change them, and what to look for over the next couple of months.
Back Yard: Hopseed Hedge
Blue Irritrol controller
This is the controller that runs the hopseed along the back wall. Right now it's set to 35 minutes, three times a week. Over the next few months we'll step it down as the roots grow out and the weather cools. Keep the run time at 35 minutes the whole way through. The only thing that changes is how many days a week it runs.
35 minutes each time. Leave it exactly where I set it for the next two weeks while the roots settle in.
35 minutes each time. Pick two days spread apart, like Monday and Thursday.
35 minutes. That should be enough for the rest of the winter.
The pots, the fruit trees, and the citrus can stay right where they are. You don't need to adjust those.
Front Yard: Desert Ironwood
Green Orbit controller
This is the controller for the front yard, where the ironwood is. It's set to 60 minutes, twice a week, and you can leave it there through the winter.
60 minutes each time. No changes needed.
If we have a really wet winter with a lot of rain, you can cut it back to once a week. A single storm isn't enough to change it.
The longer run time is what gets water down deep for the tree. That's what we want: a deep soak a couple times a week, not a little bit every day.
Water Deep
How far down it should soakEvery watering should soak all the way down past the root ball. Here's how deep that is for what we planted:
The water should reach a foot and a half to two feet down after each run.
Trees need water deeper, two to three feet down, so the roots grow down instead of staying near the surface.
How to check: a few hours after the system runs, push a long screwdriver or a piece of rebar into the soil next to a plant. It should slide in easily to those depths. If it stops short, the water isn't getting deep enough. Text me and we'll adjust.
What to Look For Right Now
The next 8 weeksThe most important thing over the first couple of months is that the root ball never dries out. New plants pull water from the original nursery soil until their roots grow out into the ground around them, and that root ball dries out faster than the soil around it.
Good signs
- New, fresh green growth at the tips
- Leaves holding their color and staying firm through the afternoon
- Soil a couple inches down is slightly moist, not soggy, a day after watering
Check the water if you see
- Wilting or drooping that hasn't bounced back by the next morning
- Crispy, brown leaf edges or leaves dropping (usually too dry)
- Yellowing leaves with soggy soil that stays wet for days (usually too much)
- An emitter that's clogged, popped off, or spraying
A little leaf drop or some yellow leaves in the first few weeks is normal transplant stress. If anything looks off, take a photo and send it to me.
- Don't skip a scheduled watering because it rained. Our rain rarely soaks in deep enough to count.
- Keep the mulch pulled back a few inches from the base of each plant and a foot back from the ironwood trunk.
When It Heats Up
Spring and summerThe winter schedule above won't be enough once it gets hot. When nights start staying above about 65 degrees, usually around April, we'll bump the days back up for summer. Reach out to me in the Garden Nerd Club when it starts warming up and I'll walk you through the summer schedule.
Questions?
As a Garden Nerd client, you have direct access to me in the Garden Nerd Club. Post a photo or ask anything there. You can also text us anytime.
Text us