Desert willow could benefit from longer, slower waterings

Q: I have a 20-year-old desert willow that isn’t thriving. Every year there are more and more dead branches. Please tell me where to water and how often. Use a soaker hose or drip system? Lay it at the drip line of the tree or placed near the trunk? A lot of the drip line for the tree heads down a steep hill. I need guidance on feeding and how often, too. — E.B., Placitas

A: My first thought about the desert willow was that it might be aging out. I don’t know how long the lifespans of desert willows typically are, but yours might be approaching its term. Harsh, yes, but it does happen.

Looking at the picture showing the steep hill next to it, I wonder if there might be any ground dwelling critters that have burrowed into that hill and have eaten or removed enough of the willow’s root system to be a cause of it not thriving. I don’t know.

As to watering, I adore the thought of you’re laying down a soaker hose in its space. Applying it in a sort of serpentine pattern would be great, and yes, laying it along the drip line is best. You’d want to cover the tubing with a bare layer of pea gravel or even pieces of flagstone to keep it in place. Using the soaker hose system will only work if you are willing to let it run for at least an hour at a time. A puny ten-minute run won’t do at all. The point is to have the system run for an extended period, so the water offered soaks into the soil.

Same thoughts if you were to use a drip line too. Drip emitters that offer a gallon per hour with at least six emitters placed to surround the tree can be effective. You’ll still want to run that sort of system for an hour, maybe longer. Again, a ten-minute run offers only a tenth of a gallon of water. When you think of that, you see that’s not much water at all.

How often should a drip or soaker system run? Well, during growing season, I’ll suggest every seven to ten days for at least an hour to be effective, and during the heat, maybe more often.

Fertilization should be first offered in the early spring, and then no more than twice more through the season. I think a granular fertilizer, watered in, that offers more phosphorus in it, and offered as the first feeding of spring, will help keep the desert willow well-tended. Remember not apply any type of fertilizer that contains a weed killer in it.

Just know that this willow’s time might be coming to an end, and perhaps it’ll be time to replace it come next year. I’m just not sure. I hope, with consistent care, you will be able to get it back to a state of thriving.

Q: Last week, you discussed getting areas ready for spring blooming bulbs. I have a space that I think will work and want to know what sort of bulbs do I plant this time of year? — N.K., Albuquerque

A: How fun! You’ll want to go to any of our nurseries or even garden centers for the answer. Most all the bulbs offered this time of year are to be planted during the period of late autumn.

Traditionally this time of year you’ll find daffodils (narcissus), tulips, crocus and allium available at any retailer worth its salt. You might also find plants like reblooming iris. There are now varieties of iris that can bloom twice a year, as compared to the usual once in the spring. Just pop into the retailer of your choice, and you’ll discover a world of bulbs galore to fill your needs.

The packaging should offer information on how tall each bulb can get, allowing you the ability to design just how the beds will look. Remember, just a few bulbs won’t offer a very pleasing display. More is better, for sure. Now is the time, along with the bulb shopping, that you’ll want to focus on preparing the areas you choose to plant. The more turning of the soil, adding perhaps some much-needed additional nutrition, and getting oxygen moving into the soil, the better off the beds and what you plant in them will be. Peruse the bulb offerings and rest assured that most offered now are the ones you want to plant soon. I will offer more on planting bulbs next week.

Meanwhile, Happy Diggin’ In!

Tracey Fitzgibbon is a certified nurseryman. Send garden-related questions to Digging In, Albuquerque Journal, 7777 Jefferson NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109, or to features@abqjournal.com.