Creating a windbreak with trees

Author: Mary LeBus; Published: Apr 18, 2011; Category: New Mexico Plants and Trees; Tags: New Mexico Landscaping, Windbreak; No Comments

Evergreen windbreak

I live in Rio Rancho just east of large areas of new construction (i.e. bulldozed bare dirt). When the wind blows, as it has been doing with a vengeance recently, the sky is filled with fine blowsand. The wind is damaging enough; who wants the added injury of sand dumped all over everything?

Last week I gained almost two inches of the stuff in my newly planted vegetable garden. Needless to say it didn’t help the spinach sprouts! Eventually, the new subdivisions will be covered with the preferred urban coverings of paving, sod lawn, or gravel, but it will take a good long time especially as growth to the west looks like it will continue ad infinitum.

While we can’t stop the wind or blowing dust we can manipulate our environment to modify the effects. It pays to observe what the wind does and how windbreaks are most effective so that you can create a microclimate that the wind doesn’t affect as badly. The farmlands are a good example of conservation belts where tree rows were planted to conserve soils and crops.

Evergreens are the most effective at absorbing wind energy so that it doesn’t slam into your more sensitive plants and furnishings. It is best to plant them closely enough together to “capture” the aerial onslaught. As this can be less than attractive you might achieve the same idea through staggering the trees and shrubs. Once you have slowed the wind by absorbing much of the energy you will find the sand drops out of it there. That would suggest you consider placing that screen back from the areas you want to protect from the dust.

Realize also that the proper screen will get fairly tall and will create different angles of shading at different times of year. A comprehensive plan would therefore place these evergreen trees in the west and northwest to block wind and shade from the hot summer afternoon sun, but not stop the winter sun from warming the house. Tall deciduous trees to the south will best do the summer shading to keep the areas cooler. Of course, how your house, other structures, and existing pavement are oriented to the elements makes it more complicated.

Yes, I meandered a bit from the subject of windbreaks and blowsand, but once you start realizing how landscape plantings can increase the livability of your home and cut energy costs in other ways it makes sense to look at the overall design to optimize the environmental effects. Consider doing some research and/or talking to a landscape designer who can help plan and install just such an environmental buffer.

Getting your landscaping irrigation well ready for spring

Author: Tom F.; Published: Mar 14, 2011; Category: New Mexico Landscaping; Tags: Irrigation Systems, New Mexico Landscaping, Watering; No Comments

There are some areas in Albuquerque where our customers have irrigation wells that water their landscaping. This especially is the case for homes along the Rio Grande, where it’s very cost effective to drive a well and not have to pay for City water. With spring right around the corner, many people are wondering what to do with their well pumps to get them ready for the busy irrigation season. I thought I would jot down a few tips for owners of irrigation pumps.

The most common types of pumps used in residential landscape well applications are centrifugal pumps, submersible and above ground pumps.

A submersible pump has a hermetically sealed motor and is submerged in water. Submersible pumps push water, instead of pulling water, to the surface. Submersible pumps are inside the well casing and can be located at any depth. Usually, the deeper they sit, the cleaner the water. Typically, they are located at approximately 120’ below ground, but can be as deep as a couple hundred feet. They require much less maintenance than centrifugal pumps, and can run for years without any major problems.

Centrifugal above ground pumps pull water out of the well by using an impeller and centrifugal force. These pumps are on top of the well. Centrifugal pumps are used for discharging a large volume of water through smaller heads, and work on lower pressure while putting out more gallons of water per minute. They are mainly used for shallow wells and cost much less to install than submersible well pumps.

Pumps should be checked to insure that they’re performing as they should. Pumps that are exposed to the weather should be drained out during cold weather to prevent them from freezing. An irrigation system check should be able to determine that the pump is working properly. Heads that are not turning or not popping up usually indicate the system is pumping sand or that there is a leak.

If your pump is not working, first check to make sure that the power is on and the fuses are good. On some pumps there is a reset button on the pump motor control that will also need to be checked. Centrifugal pumps should be checked to make sure they are primed before start up. If the pump has been sitting unused, it could lose its prime. Running this type of pump with no prime could burn up the motor, causing expensive repairs.

Pumps are run on electric current, and we all know that water and electricity do not mix. Unless you are very familiar with well irrigation systems, repairs are best handled by professional irrigation technicians. Getting zapped can be lethal, and that will ruin your whole day.

Landscaping lasts a long time: cheapest isn’t always best

Author: Doug Bishop; Published: Mar 9, 2011; Category: New Mexico Landscaping; Tags: Affordable Landscaping, Landscaping Quote, New Mexico Landscaping; One Comment

Is the cheapest landscaping always the best? Definitely not, when you consider that you will be living with the results of a landscaping project for years. On the other hand, there is no reason to spend more than you need to. How do you get the best value for money spent on landscaping?

My best advice is to get multiple quotes and compare apples to apples. That does not always mean to go with the cheapest quote, however, because price is only one of the selection criteria. Sometimes, who’s selling the apples makes a difference.

We have somehow developed a reputation for being expensive. When new acquaintances ask about my profession, I tell them I’m a landscape architect at The Hilltop. Sometimes they respond, “Oh, I can’t afford you guys.” On questioning them about this, I often find that they’ve received an estimate from us, but have nothing to compare it to. If they had gotten other quotes from reputable contractors, some may have been 10% lower or higher, but the price would be in the same ballpark, and there would be a basis for comparison and evaluation.

I’ve been in many competitive bid situations, and have been able to see all the bids once the jobs were awarded. Every single time, we are neither the lowest nor the highest bidder. We’ve been awarded many of those jobs, even though we weren’t the lowest bidder, because of another reputation we have. Many people say they are more comfortable paying a little more, because they know where to find us if there is a problem, and they know we will resolve the problem. It’s hard to put a price on that, but worth it if you have a problem, and worth factoring into your selection criteria.

Choosing a price in the middle can give you some assurance that you are getting what you are paying for. You may get a sense you’re being high-balled by the most expensive price, but you might have concerns about the quality you will get with the lowest price. Those are often valid concerns.

When people say they’re planning to get a number of quotes, I encourage them, because it only reinforces the justification behind our price. I also suggest that, whoever you select as your landscape contractor, make sure that they are licensed and insured.

So if you are considering a new landscape project, keep your bases covered. Don’t assume that you are getting more for your money by choosing the lowest bid, or that you’re getting the best work possible by selecting the highest.

Frigid February turns to March madness: plants suffer freeze damage following record lows

Author: Victor Rodriguez; Published: Mar 2, 2011; Category: New Mexico Plants and Trees; Tags: Landscape Maintenance, New Mexico Landscaping, Plants and Trees, Winter; 2 Comments

Click on image to view full-size.

Look for plant damage due to record low temperatures!

The deep freeze of February is starting to lose its grip and after what seemed to be an interminable period of “always-Winter-but-never-Christmas”, we start to see the stirrings of something that looks like Spring. And despite the March winds, daffodils, crocuses and hyacinths begin to peek their heads out cautiously. The winter jasmine begins to bloom, its star-like blossoms a harbinger of the fecundity soon to follow. And we have hope that the dying roar of a long Winter’s night will give rise to the melody of vernal harmony.

Unfortunately, this spring, your landscape may not be the idyllic paradise you want it to be. Take a good look at your landscape and  you will begin to see what the Evil Snow Queen has wrought. Because of the very cold weather in February (-15°F) you will notice some freeze damage to your plants. Plants that are normally evergreen will look like they have been blowtorched. I have looked at many landscapes in the last few weeks and what is most confounding is that one Indian Hawthorne may look absolutely fried, while right next to it another may be completely unharmed. Such is the Jekyll and Hyde nature of fickle Jack Frost.

The following is a partial list of plants and trees that may have been affected:

• Photinia
• Indian Hawthorne
• Cherry Sage
• Lavender
• Agaves
• Mexican Elders

• Rosemary
• Privet (ligustrum)
• Palm Trees
• Willows
• Crape Myrtle
• Ornamental grasses

• Boxwoods
• Some Conifers
• Palm Yuccas
• Ash trees
• Sycamore trees
• Prickly Pear Cactus

This by no means is an exhaustive list and you may see other damage in your landscape.  Some damage may not be evident until later in the Spring. As the temperatures increase keep an eye out for die back in turf areas or perennial flowering plants that did not survive the record cold temperatures.  Start increasing the watering of your plants and lawn right now. Wait until plants start to leaf out in the Spring before you do any hard pruning. This will give you a better idea of what actually survived.

Some of the plants may push off all the dead leaves and re-leaf.  So wait 3-4 weeks, then you can start trimming the dead out. A hard pruning will leave plants looking a little scraggly, but they should recover after a couple of growing seasons. However, I would wait until the middle of May before you remove an apparently “dead” Crape Myrtle, since they are one of the last trees to come out of dormancy.  I would also wait on Vitex (Chaste Trees) and indeed many other trees.  Patience is an important virtue when dealing with Mother Nature.

It is sad to lose a few years of growth on a plant or tree, but it won’t be long till we are tiptoeing gaily through the Tulips again!

Hilltop Landscaping fun facts: 40 years adds up

Author: Victor Rodriguez; Published: Feb 28, 2011; Category: New Mexico Landscaping; Tags: Irrigation Systems, Landscape Design, New Mexico Landscaping, The Hilltop, Xeriscape; No Comments

Arguably, The Hilltop has done more to change the face of Albuquerque than other landscaping contractor. And any company that has been in business for a long time starts to build up some accomplishments. After 40 years in the landscape business, The Hilltop has quite a few, so I decided to make a short list. And while I don’t mean to brag (well, maybe just a little), when I looked at this list I was rather impressed myself!

In the past 40 years The Hilltop has:

• Landscaped more than 50,000 homes in the Albuquerque area
• Done the “streetscapes” in more than 50 subdivisions
• Completed thousands of commercial projects
• Put down enough gravel to make a two lane road from Albuquerque to Santa Fe—and back!
• Designed and built 40 city and private parks
• Planted more than 150,000 trees
• Planted 1,000,000+ shrubs (yes, more than a million!)
• Installed more than 750 miles of irrigation (enough to run a pipe from Albuquerque to Los Angeles)
• Put in over 19 miles of irrigation in 2002 (enough to a run a pipe from Nine Mile Hill to Tramway Blvd.)
• Installed enough grass to make 1000 NFL-size football fields.

But even after 40 years we are not basking in our accomplishments. What has helped The Hilltop be successful over 40 years is our ability to grow and adapt to changes in what customers want. In the late ‘70’s and 80’s water savings were not on people’s minds and customers wanted lush lawns. But through the 90’s and after the turn of the century, customers have become more aware that water is an expensive commodity. We’re now at the forefront of xeriscaping, educating our customers about xeriscape alternatives and helping them create xeriscape gardens.

Most of our success though, has to be tied in to the loyalty of our clients. We have some clients that have used us for every house they have bought, from the starter, two-bedroom tract home, to their much larger dream home 20 years later.

Our clients today want beautiful landscapes that do not impact the environment as much. We do that by providing you with solutions that fit your lifestyles, be it an intimate back yard with a kiva or fire pit; or even an outdoor kitchen! Or perhaps you want to take advantage of Albuquerque’s Xeriscape rebate program.

Whatever the landscaping “landscape”, we are proud to continue to serve Albuquerque and the rest of New Mexico after 40 years.