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The Tucson Gardener |
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Garden Smarts If all goes well the young tree you carefully place in the soil is going to grow. Before you decided on the specimen did you consider how big it would get? Both above ground and below. Did you plant a tree next to a wall or next to your house or even next to the concrete or brick patio? If you live in one of the older neighborhoods where the phone and power lines run from pole to pole you have to watch out for those too. The power company won't hesitate to severely prune the trees if they cause problems with the wires. The tree's roots are going to grow. If you water thoroughly the roots should grow down, deep into the soil. If not, the roots are going to grow near the surface. Over time they could eventually raise and crack a wall or lift a patio. Every fall the red berries of Pyracantha are pretty and add visual impact to a landscape. They also create a mess if they're planted along walks. Birds love the Pyracantha berries and they're messy eaters scattering the berry remnants everywhere not to mention the droppings they leave behind. Your homeowners insurance agent may like that you planted thorny prickly pear or cholla cactus in front of some of your windows to discourage burglary but how do you clean the windows, replace a broken pane of glass or mend a window screen? Have you planted a mesquite, palo verde or acacia tree and not considered the numerous seed pods they produce and that eventually drop on the ground or in your swimming pool? Did you buy small clay pots because they're so much cheaper than the large ones and you can group them together for pleasing effects? Do you plan on watering every day sometimes twice a day in the summer? Small pots dry out very fast in Tucson's desert climate and require constant monitoring for moisture content. Why would you plant an ocotillo or other thorny plant next to your mailbox? To make mail delivery easy for the postperson or to annoy them? Do you have ivy or another vine growing up your brick or stucco wall? Maybe it's crept under the eaves and is making its way through the attic to the other side of the house. Not a good idea. Have you placed plants next to the foundation of your home that require lots of moisture? Termites and many other insects thrive with moisture. It's like sending and invitation to the pests to stay for dinner. Did you plant a deciduous tree next to your neighbor's wall only to find out that neighbor has a low maintenance back yard? Not all the leaves are going to fall into your yard. Hope you have friendly, understanding neighbors. These are just some of the things you might want to consider before you dig a hole and plant a shrub or tree. Then, when spring and summer come around, you can have more time to sit in your hammock and enjoy the garden instead of worrying about the planting mistakes. (1998) |
