VOL. 9, NO. 1 The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension JANUARY 1998

HidCochise County Master Gardener

The Universitv of Arizona and U.S. Department of Agriculture cooDeratina.

Plant Basics:

Bare-roots

This month marks the arrival

of bare-root plants. Many plantsare available to include ^it andshade trees, roses, grapes, andcane fitiits.

Why buy bare-root? One reason is that it is cost effective.

Savings can be up to 70% buying bare-root over containerplants. Another is the ease ofplanting. The hole can be backfilled with soil that is dug outand the roots will grow in onesoil structure instead of container soil that is light and airyunlike the native soil the rootswill eventually encounter whichare usually tight and clayey.Water penetration will be moreuniform watering one soil structure than two or more compositions.

When buying bare-root thenursery will have the plants"heeled" in some type of loose,moist material such as sand or

sawdust. Check the roots, they

should be fresh and plump.Have the roots bagged orwrappedfor the trip home.

If you are not going to plantfor at least three days, plantsshould be placed in moistsand/sawdust. If planting withinthree days it is a good idea tosoak the roots in water (you canadd a root stimulator to the water) before planting. A bucket,garbage can, or a bathtub willwork.

Dig the hole large aK>ugh toaccommodate the roots. Trimany broken roots and place theplant into the hole ensuringthatif it is a grafted plant, the graftbud sits above the soil level.Backfill with soil, make a ridgeof soil around the hole to form awatering basin,and t^ply water.

Some literature says toprune/thin the tree branchesbackby one-third to compensatefor the root mass being small,smne instmct not to prune/thinat all. I have dcme both and seenno difference. After the first watering, check the soil every fewdays with a soil probe and water

when the top three inches aredry.

Bare-root plants are dormantand do not require lots of wateras this could promote the rootsto rot. Pick up the watermgwhen the weather becomes warm

and the plants start to leaf out.And be patient-some bare-rootplants are slow to leaf out. Thewait will be worth it-Enjoy!

Chert MeltonMaster Gardener/StaffWriter

The Fifth Atmual

High Desert Gar-denitig & Land-sc^ingConference, February 12-14,1998, registrationform is included

in this newsletter.

Don't forget-register rightaway!

^*1

TfiE Vll^TLIAL GaEDCNEE-

How Much Water is Enough?

Although watering outside plantsis probably not high on your priority list at this time of theyear—especially after our recentprecipitation—I want to return toour discussion of plants and waterthis month. Specifically, I wouldlike to discuss how to know when

you have applied enough water toyour plants.

As I discussed in earlier articles,water is stored in the spaces between soil particles. As water fellson the soil and soaks in, it progressively fills the spaces between theparticles. Gravity pulls some of thewater deeper into the soil but someis so tightly held by the soil particles that it does not move down

ward. When gravity has removedall the water it can, the soil is saidto be at field c^>acity. Plants canpull more water out ofthe soil thangravity but some still remains attached to the soil particles after theplants have taken what they can.When plants have removed all thewater they can, the soil is said to beat the wilt point. The water contentof the soil between field edacityand the wilt point is called available water.

The amount of available water

depends on the type of soil. Sandparticles in sandy soils do not holdon to water molecules very tightly.This allows more water to bedrained away by gravity leavingless available water for plants.Conversely, clay particles hold water molecules more tightly thansand particles, but some moleculesare held so tightly that plants cannot r^ove them. This means that

although there is more total waterin clayey soils at field c^>acity.

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there is less available water forplants. Loamy soils, have the bestwater prq)erties. They can hold alot of water against the pull ofgravity, but the water is not held sotightly that plants cannot remove it.

Available water can leave thesoil in two ways. It can be evaporated directly from the soil surfece,or it can be taken up by plants andmoved to the leaves where it istranspired and evaporated to keepthe plant cool. The combination ofevaporation and transpiration fromthe leaves is calledevapotranspira-tion. After the available water is

removed fi-om the soil, plantsbeginto wilt. At first, the wilting is only^parent during the hottest part ofthe day but plants recover overnight. As the soil moisture leveldrops, plants stay permanentlywilted andwill ultimately di& if notgiven additional water.

The frequency with which youmust water is determined by thetype of soil you have, the amountof precipitation that has feUen, thetemperature, the relative humidity,the wind, and the number of plantsyou have. One way you can tellwhoi it is time to water is to watchyoiu* plants. When they b^in toshow signs of wilting, it is evidentthat they are losing water throughevapotranspiration fester than theycan take it up firom the soil. Another way is to use a soil probe.

A soil probe is simply a metalrod you can push into the ground.A screwdriver will do in a pinch,but something longer is needed tocheck soil moisture at greaterdepths-24 to 30 inches is a goodlength. To check soil moisture conditions, you push (or attranpt to

push) the probe into the ground tothe root depth of your plants. If itpushes in easily, ^re is probablyenough moisture in the soil foryour plants. If it is difficult or impossible to push into the ground,it's time to water. After watering,you can use the soil probe to checkwhether the moisture has reachedroot depths.

To find out more about wateringyour plants try this Web site:http://www.zianet.com/lascrucesbulle^archive/03.13.97.water.htm.

Gary A. Gruenhagen,Master Gardenergruenha@sinosa.com

Cuttings'N'

Clippings

♦ The Cochise County MasterGardeners Association has madewater probes available for sale.Please call the (Operative Extension office (458-8278, Ext. 141 inSierra Vista) for information.

♦ You could save up to 27% morewater by takmg showers instead ofbaths (if the shower discharge isless than three gallons per minutethe duration is less than eight minutes). Try this experiment-plugthebathtub drain while taking ashower and when you are finishedconq)are the water level to the water you use for a bath. Make ahabit ofusing less water.

♦ The itext Cochise County Master Gardeners Association monthlymeeting will be held January 7,1998 at 5:00 pm. Please call theCooperative Extension office or458-0272 for the location.

Fun Facts to^ Know and Tell!

> On average, trees with a sur-&ce mulch (3.5 inches deep) had53% greater increase in trunk areathan did those trees without a sur-&ce mulch.

>- Organic amendments in thebackfill do not improve and mayreduce shoot and root growth. Ashallow, wide hole with unamendedbackfill and a sur&ce mulch is an

acceptable, ifnot superior, plantingstandard for trees and shrubs.

>• Root growth is often limited asmuch by ftie lack of oxygen as thelack of water. In compacted urbansoils oxygen deprivation is a serious limitation.

Source: Barba, J., E. Davidson,and J. Tipton, Effects of PlantingPractices on Tree Performance,Turfgrass and Ornamental Research Summary, The Universityof Arizona College of Agriculture,1997.

> About using oleander andeucalyptus in the compost pile:"There was no apparent phytotoxideffect ofeither eucalyptusor oleander compost. These results suggestthat v^tever phytotoxic compounds that may be present inoicalyptus or oleander were destroyed by composting...based onthe results of these tests, yardwaste compost derived frtxn eucalyptus or oleander should be a suitable component of containermedium."

Source: E. Davidson and J. Tip-t<Mi, Evaluation of Arizona YardWaste Compost as a ContainerGrowing Medium, Turfgrass andOrnamental Research Summary,The University of Arizona CollieofAgriculture, 1997.

A Book Review

The Book ofOutdoor Gardening,by the e^tors ofSmith and

Hawk»i

This is a verygood basicgardening book. It has ^cellent, thoughoccasionally abbreviated, treatmenton many subjects. The section onindividual plant species is generouswith clear color pictures of each.The most outstandingfeature ofthebook is the high quality of theillustrations. They are well drawnand very detailed so that the lack ofphotographs in many sections ishardly noticeable. The drawingsare plentiful and provide the perspective to understand the morecomplex processes and the subtleties ofthe subjects at hand.

Treatment of soil, nutrition, andbasic botany are excellent. There isa good section on integrated pestmanagemoit. (These first sectionsare so good, and the copyright dateis late enough, that I suspect thesections were taken from the Arizona Master (jardener's Manual.)

The treatment of plant propagation is one of the best and most

understandable 1 have seen. The illustrations on layering and cuttingsare quite good. In this section, andthroughout the book, there arespecies specific tables to help thegardener-such as which species arebest propagated ftirough soft woodcutting, wdiich by hardwood cuttings, vdiich by air layering, andvdiichby simple layering.

There is a wonderful ch^ter onsimple, yet necessary, tools for different gar(teiing tasks, with tips onquality, methods of manu&cturing,and maintenance. How many ofyou know the difference between awarren hoe and a stalham hoe?Not only does this section divulgethis and more, it reads beautifully,with insight into the use and function ofeach ofthe tools described.

My sense of the book it ftiat it ispomeated with tips on living inharmony with your garden. One ofmy ftivoritecharts in the section onweeding is called "If You CantBeat 'em. Eat 'em." It lists about adozen c<»nmon weeds and wdiich of

their parts are edible. The table onmulches names a number of common agricultural and home gardenby-products which may be used asmulchand gives a good descriptionof advantages and disadvantages ofeach.

There is a good garden care cal-emiar in the section on winterizingyour garden. Tables on when toprune what plants, and how, arevery easy to understand. The sections on pruning, (fead heading,pinching, snipping, and disbuddingprovide insist into simple yet subtle aspects that can help the gardener develop the art of theirgarden, as well as the science.

The only down-side to the bookis that is it does not ccmcoitrate on

low-wat^ use speciesi .Ahhou^many of the species mentimied arenative, they are not necessarily native to the arid Southwest. If I had

found this book two years ago,there would be at least five fewer

gardening books on my shelf, andthese pages would be very tatteredby now.

Gretchen KentMG Trainee

Newsletter Staff:

Carolyn GruenhagoiCheri Melton

VirginiaWestphal

Robert E. Call,Extension Agent, Horticulture

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Arizonans have long known thatwater is our most precious naturalresource. Area residents presentlyenjoy a reliable, relatively inexpensive supply of high quality water.However, water use has begun toexceed water recharge in some areas of the county, generating contra about depleting waterresources. To ensure adequate water supplies for the future, all of usneed to be more water wise.

Cado Daily, Water ConservationEducator with the Water Wise program shares with us one of thequestions she has received from alocal caller. Residents are encouraged to call Cado at The Universityof Arizona Cooperative ExtensionOffice (458-8278, Ext. 141) foradvice on water conservation andlandscape design. Free on-site consultations are available.

Question: I've heard that with alow-flow shower head I can save40 gallcms of water if say, I take a10 minute shower. How do I knowif I have a low-flow shower head?

Answer: If you own a newerhome(buih after 1990) and no one hastinkered with the plumbing, thenyou'll have a low-flow shower headas well as low-flow sink ftuicetsand toflets (1.6 gal/flush). Olderhcanes may have the 7 GPM (gallons per minute) shower heads. Ifyou have a low flow shower head,you may also see 2.5 GPM writtenon it. If aU of this feils to tell youyrnir GPM, thai do a simple testwith a bucka. Turn on yourshower full force and put thebucket under it (make sure to catchall the spray!) for 15 seconds.Measure the amount ofwater in the

• bucket and multiply that amnnnt by4. That will tell you your GPM, orif y<Mi can't hold the bucket up for

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15 secoids, you have the "NiagaraFalls" type showa head! All theshowCT heads, sink &ucets, andtoilets now sold confonn to the National Standard of 2.5 GPM forshowers, foucets, and 1.6 GP flushfor toilets. If you have a "NiagaraFalls" type shower head, go findyourself another kind and chooseany type (massage, dial-a-spray,etc.) that tickles your foncy!Tip: Sane shower heads include(or you can easily screw on) a"shut-off" valve. With a flick of afinger you can temporarily shut offthe watCT flow while sowing up,and then flick it back to full flowwith the temperature staying thesamel Stores also carry a "shut-ofF' valve for sinks-great for teethbrushing, shaving, washingvegetables...

Sevaity-five percent of your in-home water use occurs in the bathroom. The following practices cansave you up to 20,000 gallons peryear:

y Check your toila for leaks (putfood coloring inthetank)J Place a plastic bottle(s) in yourtoila tank or install a low-flowtoila

*/ Take shorter, 5-minute showersy Install a low-flow shower hf^<tor a plastic insert flow restrictory Don't la the water run unnecessarily while brushing your teeth,washing your hands, shaving orsoapingup in the shower.

The Water Wise program isprovided courtesy of die CochiseCounty, City of Sierra Vista, Arizona WaterCompany, BellaVistaWater Conpany, Pueblo Del SolWater Company and SulphurSprings Valley Electric Cooperative in coijunction with The University of Arizoia CoqierativeExtension.

What is a MasterGardener?

An individual wlio complaes theMaster Gardener Course, specializing in gardening in the high desert,and the volunteer requirements,qualifies to become a Master Gardener. The Master Gardener Program promotes food produaion,landscaping with native plants andenvironmental stewardship.

Masta Gardoiers help the Cooperative Extension in fulfilling theeducation outreach mission by staff"-ing plant question phone lines, giving talks to local groups,introducing children to gardening,presenting information and gardenand trade shows, organizing educational programs and conferences,writing articles for the newsletter.

Being a Master Gardener volunteer is fun, informative, interesting,and rewarding. For more information call the Cooperative Extensionoffice in Sierra Vista or Willcox. Anew class will be conducted in thespring of1998.

The Agent'sObservations

Now that the holidaysare over what should I

do to keep my poinsettiablooming and growingthroughoutthe year?

Poinsettia {Euphorbia' A pulcherrima) is a tropi-

. 'cal plant that originatedin Mexico. Members of

the Euphorbia fiunily producewhite latex sap vdientissue is damaged. Light requirements arebright but not direct sunlight. Dimlight or darkness will shorten theplant's life. These plants should bewatered when the soil surfece feelsdry to the touch. If a poinsettia isallowed to wilt its life span will beshortened. Watering should insurethat the entire root ball is moistened. Poinsettias should not be allowed to sit in water because theirroots are very prone to root rots.Ideal temperature should never exceed 72®F during the day or 65°Fat night. Plants do well in highhumidity environments. Lowhumidity

and temperatures over 75°F aredetrimental to the plants. Bewareof placing plants near heat vents,cm top of televisions, or in areasthat are drafty or have sudden

changes from hot to cold. Ccmcen-trations of 1/8 to 1/4 of recommended strength houseplantfertilizer qjplied at each wateringwill "spoon-feed" the plant andhelp maintain a healthy plant during the holidays. During the wintermonths with less sunlight andcooler indoor temperatures plantgrowth will be slowed, thereforethe amount of fertilizer should bedecreased as well.

After the colorful leaf bracts (wethink of them as flowers) fall, placethe plant in a cool roan and let thesoil stay nearly dry until spring.Repot the plant in new soil a^ cutback the stems to six inches above

the pot rim. Then move to a sunnylocation, water well, and watch fornew growth. Increase fertilizerconcentration to 1/4 or 1/2strengthand apply at each watering. Pinching back terminal growth encourages branching and more blooms.Poinsettias are short-day plants;meaning that flowering is inducedas day lengths shorten. To insurereturn holiday bloons keep in absolute darkness from sundown tosunup for 10 weeks beginning inOctober. If this is too much work,the old plant can be discarded anda new one purchased for the nextholiday season.

Rob Call

Extension Agent,, Horticulture

1997 Phone

Book Recycling

Ariztma's phone book recyclingprogram began in December andwill run until mid-January 1998.Recycling containers are located inSierraVista at City Hall, Safeway,SHARC, SSVEC, and Wal-Martand on Ft. Huachuca at the Com

missary and PX.Remember the program ends

January 16, so please participate.For information call the Department of Public Works at 458-3315

in Sierra Vista or the Departmentof PublicWorks in your city for information about the phone bookre-cying program.

ARIZONA STATE SYMBOLS

Bird: cactus wren

Tree: palo verdeFlower: sa^uaro cactus blossomGemstone: Turc^uoiseNeckwear: Bola tie

Fossil: petrified wood

Mammal: ringtailReptile: AZ ridge-noeeal rattleenakeFish: Apache troutAmphibian: AZ treefrogState songs: "Arizona MarchSong" and "Arizona"

in SndieranM ofCooperative Extension work, acte ofMay 8and June 30,1914, in cooperation with the United States Depaitment ofAgriculture, James AChristenson,re^, Coqt^ive Extensioiu CoUege cfA^cuhure, The Univmity ofArizona and Arizona Counties cooperating. The Univefsity ofArizona College ofAmcuhure is an

^quAi oppoftunity duploycr suthonzcd toprovide mearoh, educatKMial mfonnatKMi aiKl otfaor s^vices only toindivichiBls and tfiat timcticm wfthfflit regard tosex,race, reli^on, color, natiooal origin, age, Vietnam &a Vetmui^s status, ordisability.The information givw herein is supplied with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no rodorsement by Coqierative Extension is in^lied.Any |»x)ducts, services, orc^ipnizations that are mentioned, shown, or indirectly implied in this publication do not imply aidoisement by the Univeisity ofArizona.

Paee 5

COOPERATIVE EXTENSIONU.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

TUCSON, ARIZONA 85721

OFFICIAL BUSINESS

PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE $300

Pyracantha(aka Tirethorn")

Pyracantha coccinea

Call it a plant for all seasons,call it a landscaper's dream, call itwhat you may, the hardy pyracantha has many outstandingqualities.

Identified as a vigorous evergreen shrub, this versatile plantcan be used as a hedge, ascreen/barrier plant, a groundcover, or espaliers on walls andfoices. It's estimated that it cangrow from 6 to 20 feet in heightand can spread approximately 10feet.

Its dark green, glossy foliage isusually easily maintained (except

for perhaps severe winters). During spring and early summer, itsbranches cluster with lacy-white,sweet-smelling flowers, much tothe delight of bees. Fall and winter seasons see this plant in a profusion of red, red-orange, ororangeberries which birds readilydevour (although some firethomspecies may have fhiit with lessbird appeal). Birds utilize pyracantha as a habitat and also are

attracted to its dense branches for

year-around cover and protecticHi.Very drou^t resistant,

pyracantha prefers dry soil andfull sun, but will tolerate partialshade. This plant can be pruned atalmost any time of the year. Several varieties are available.

Drawbacks? A few. R^larpnining is needed to keep

BULK RATEPOSTAGE & FEES PAH)

USDA

PERMIT No. G268

pyracantha under control. Thename "firethom" says much.Wear gloves when handling orpruning this plant; the thorns areshaip. There is a thomless variety available. Pyracantha is susceptible to fireblight, root rot, andscab.

When landscaping, noto not touse this plant in a very small ordensely planted area (or next topublic walkways), as pyracanthaneeds SPACE in order to displayits handsome and spectacular self.

Poisonous? No. A jelly tastingnuich like apple jelly can be madefrom pyracantha berries-the recipe is available from the Coc^ra-tive Extension Offices.

Peggy DierkingMaster Gardener