[Arid_gardener] Irrigation
Kelly Conroy
kconroy at indigopartners.net
Tue May 30 11:35:47 MST 2006
I'm not sure if you guys can help me. I have a home in Chandler that was built around 1960. I have sprinkler irrigation which barely ever works. I just noticed that the person about 8 houses down has a flood irrigation system. Isn't a flood irrigation navigated and installed by the city? I'm just curious if anyone knows if a person can install their own flood irrigation system or if it would, in fact, have to have been provided by Chandler? I'd prefer the once a week flood irrigation. Is it unusual for one house on a block to have this? Is it possible that the whole neighborhood, at one point, had flood irrigation and, if so, wouldn't it seem possible that there is a hook up for such a system from years gone by? (I, personally, have never seen one in my year, but maybe it's buried?
What city department would I ask about this? City of Chandler Water?
-----Original Message-----
From: arid_gardener-request at CALS.arizona.edu [mailto:arid_gardener-request at CALS.arizona.edu]
Sent: Friday, May 26, 2006 12:00 PM
To: arid_gardener at CALS.arizona.edu
Subject: Arid_gardener Digest, Vol 28, Issue 29
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Today's Topics:
1. Re: Question from Home-Hort WWW page (Dick Gross)
2. Suzanne - tomatoes with brown spots (Genie)
3. Question from Home-Hort WWW page (mccormack at asu.edu)
4. Re: Why are my Palo Brea Trees suddenly dryingup/dieing?
(Olin Miller)
5. Re: Do Flowers of Texas Ebony and Mastic Trees/Shrubs Atract
Bees? (Olin Miller)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Thu, 25 May 2006 09:12:45 -0700
From: "Dick Gross" <rkgross3 at cox.net>
Subject: Re: [Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page
To: <suzannedouglass at trappings-az.com>, <arid_gardener at Ag.arizona.edu>
Message-ID: <003201c68016$10afa460$9b30e644 at your55e5f9e3d2>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Suzanne, see this web site for an explanation of the phemonon far better than I could script it. http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-28-d.html
This is a common phenomen evidenced by the following; type Blossom-end Rot in any search engine and get over 30,000 responses. A fruit with it is lost but the portion not affected is edible if the spot sliced off. There are, however, steps that will fairly effectively prevent the problem in later set. If you see the Rot developing on a green tomato, pick it immediately and let it ripen on a window sill to see if the spot increases in size off the vine. I don't think it will but tell me if I am wrong. If you are picky about eating only vine-ripened---well?
Dick Gross, Master Gardener Volunteer
U OF A MCCE
Bcc: VOSG Members ____________________________________________________________________________________________
----- Original Message -----
From: <suzannedouglass at trappings-az.com>
To: <arid_gardener at Ag.arizona.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2006 9:32 PM
Subject: [Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page
> Suzanne Douglass
> 85256
> suzannedouglass at trappings-az.com
>
> Why do my tomatoes have a large brown spot on the bottom of the fruit?
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Arid_gardener mailing list
> Arid_gardener at CALS.arizona.edu
> http://CALS.arizona.edu/mailman2/listinfo/arid_gardener
>
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Message: 2
Date: Thu, 25 May 2006 12:53:51 -0700
From: "Genie" <geniem at qwest.net>
Subject: [Arid_gardener] Suzanne - tomatoes with brown spots
To: suzannedouglass at trappings-az.com, "Arid Gardener"
<arid_gardener at CALS.arizona.edu>
Message-ID: <44760B4F.4080306 at qwest.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Hi Suzanne,
This is called "blossom end rot".
1) If you are growing them in Arizona soil... then it is likely due to
over watering.
2) If you are growing them in quality potting soil, then it may be due
to a calcium deficiency --
crush up some Rolaids, Tums, or anything else you have in the cupboard
that contains calcium.
Gently rough up the soil 3" to 4" from the plant's base, then scatter
the calcium "dust". Many folks
like to save their egg shells... and toss the crushed up little guys
into the tomato patch!
PLEASE NOTE: If you are growing Roma's (or some other paste tomato)
blossom end rot
is much more common.
Good Luck, Kiddo! Genie
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Message: 3
Date: Thu, 25 May 2006 20:44:08 -0700 (MST)
From: mccormack at asu.edu
Subject: [Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page
To: <arid_gardener at Ag.arizona.edu>
Message-ID: <200605260344.k4Q3i8XO017412 at Ag.arizona.edu>
Justine Doorn-McCormack
85282
mccormack at asu.edu
Hi all, and thanks for this wonderful service. I've found your answers very useful before.
My question is about graywater. I've read quite a lot about all this, and know Arizona's requirements for graywater systems. I want to set up a graywater system for the garden of our house, which we bought 2 years ago. However, neither of us is particularly "handy" in doing this sort of thing. Doing it ourselves is not an option. Indeed, legally, a plumber must do the retrofitting of the pipes, I believe. Anyway, we're having a landscape architect do a plan for our yard so we can have everything coordinated and planned, then do it bit by bit as we can afford it. I talked to him about setting up a graywater system, and he knew about them, but obviously had not been actively involved in planning anything like that. I couldn't believe that graywater systems in residential properties were that scarce. I looked up on the internet and can't find anyone advertising locally that they do this sort of thing. I'm not sure where to turn next. Any suggestions? I imagine you can'! t endorse certain companies, which I understand. I know Tucson has more people doing this sort of thing than here. I saw the watercasa.org website.
Also, I'm not looking for an expensive system, just a simple, practical one without pumps and large tanks, one in which the day's graywater is saved and then used within 24 hours, and if not used, then dispensed out the normal routes. Thanks for any advice you can give.
Justine
------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Thu, 25 May 2006 22:29:34 -0700
From: "Olin Miller" <derGartenArzt at worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Re: [Arid_gardener] Why are my Palo Brea Trees suddenly
dryingup/dieing?
To: <brian.stockdell at psware.com>, <arid_gardener at cals.arizona.edu>
Message-ID: <000e01c68085$69eeef30$e368480c at olin>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=original
After 7 years, the roots of your tree "a few feet from the lawn" will extend 1-3 feet beyond the edge of the tree's canopy and tree well into the lawn area thus receiving the same amount of water as the lawn - not good.
>From "AZ1048 Care of Desert Adapted Plants " at
http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/water/az1048.pdf
"How To Irrigate
Light, frequent irrigations create shallow, weak root systems. Deep, less frequent irrigations encourage deep strong root systems that can tolerate longer periods of drought. Mature root systems are typically 1½ -4 times wider than the plant canopy. Rooting depths vary depending on plant type. Always irrigate the entire depth and width of the plant root zone regardless of the time of year. Irrigation frequency is dependent on how quickly the soil dries out. Soil texture and plant rooting depth will determine the length of irrigation time; water will move down quickly in sandy soils and slowly in clay soils. Use a soil probe, a long screwdriver, or a piece of rebar to determine how deeply and widely the water has moved. When dry soil is reached the device should stop. To prevent runoff don't apply water faster than the soil can absorb it. Use drip irrigation, a soaker hose, or a slowly dripping garden hose to reduce the flow."
The publication also has a diagram showing the recommended emitter placement.
The chart "Landscape Watering Guidelines" at
http://www.cityofmesa.org/utilities/conservation/landscape__watering.asp
summarizes the recommended watering schedules and amounts for various landscape plants. Use the schedule for Desert Adapted Trees.
Olin Miller
Master Gardener Volunteer, Maricopa County AZ
"The opinions or statements expressed herein are my own and should not be taken as a position, opinion, or endorsement of the Maricopa Master Gardener Association or of the University of Arizona."
======================================================
---- Original Message ----- From: "Brian Stockdell" <brian.stockdell at psware.com>
Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2006 10:00 AM
> REQUEST ASSISTANCE with specific plant problems.
> Detailed information:
>
> ~ Palo Brea Trees that are about 7 years old.
> ~ Description of the problem: One tree showed signs of stress a few of
> months ago along with brown "ulcerations" that I have seen on many of
> these trees around town, but was flowering and putting out leaves.
> This week,
> virtually overnight it and two other Palo Brea trees the same age had
> the
> flowers and leaves dry up on many to most of the branches. The one
> that
> was showing stress previously has a large portion of its branches
> drying up.
> ~ Location of the plant: These trees have full sun and are planted in
> arid
> landscape a few feet from a lawn.
> ~ How often you water the plant: This trees and surrounding plants
> are
> watered via the original drip system for 30 to 45 minutes every 3 to 7
> days
> depending on the season. Two of the trees were deep soaked a couple
> of
> times in the last month because of the one tree showing some stress.
> ~ Other plants in the vicinity affected: NONE. Other plant types
> under and
> nearby the trees are not effected. A 4th Palo Brea tree on the other
> side
> of the driveway looks good.
> ~ Other things that might be affecting the plant : A landscape company
> has
> recently fertilized the lawn and sprayed for weeds. They have done
> this
> periodically for years.
> ~ What do you think the problem might be and why: Normally, I think
> that
> they are not getting enough water, but established trees like these
> don't
> need much water. In fact, from what I have gathered about this tree,
> heavy
> watering might actually be the wrong thing to do.
------------------------------
Message: 5
Date: Thu, 25 May 2006 22:29:43 -0700
From: "Olin Miller" <derGartenArzt at worldnet.att.net>
Subject: [Arid_gardener] Re: Do Flowers of Texas Ebony and Mastic
Trees/Shrubs Atract Bees?
To: <arid_gardener at Ag.arizona.edu>, <ttadams at cox.net>
Message-ID: <000f01c68085$6a87d3d0$e368480c at olin>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="Windows-1252";
reply-type=original
----- Original Messages ----- From: <ttadams at cox.net>
Sent: Tuesday, May 16, 2006 10:01 AM
> Do the inconspicuous flowers of the Piscacia Lentiscus attract bees?
> Do the flowers produced by the Pithecellobium Flexicaule attract bees?
============================================
In the book, "The Forgotten Pollinators", by Dr. Gary Paul Nabham and Steve Buchmann, they estimate there are 1,500 species of bees in the Sonoran Desert region surrounding Tucson (Ref . para. 5, "A Menagerie of Pollinators"). Some are social, others solitary. Most are so small (.06 inches is smallest) that you will never see them. Mastic and Texas Ebony are both are dioecious and require a second tree for pollination. The pollinators are probably bees but may not necessarily be the European or Africanized honey bee.although I have seen honey bees on Texas Ebony.
Olin Miller
Master Gardener Volunteer, Maricopa County AZ
------------------------------
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