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Yeah.. my wife's family has too much grass (for the area) @ about 1000 sq ft. As for my family... just let the mess dry-up and pick it up later. Welcome to the land of manana!
Not to get too deep in it but, because it is so dry here its actually very easy to clean up after a dog. Now mind you I have a Jack Russell, not an Irish Wolfhound. I also use a very high qual dog food (little waste). IF you dont clean up after It petrifies and will still be there in 20yrs.
With respect to paying for lawns, if the home you are interested has a nice green lawn ask to see the water bill for the last month or so. This is perfectly acceptable. granted the number of people in the household is relevent. I do know without a lawn and 1 person its the min $34 a month. with 2 people and a small nice lawn its over $100.
Thanks for all the information, especially EnjoyEP. I've used your advice as a starting point for my research. There seems to be a surprising number of trees that have low water needs, grow best in full sun, and are hardy down to 10 degrees or less.
What trees have you specifically had experience with?
What trees have you specifically had experience with?
Tree-wise, I love fruit trees.
Try peach trees or nectarine or plum or apricot - all great for ABQ's sunny / warm climate; (but the great thing is that most fruit trees - outside of citrus which wouldn't cut it in ABQ - need some of the chilling / freezing that ABQ's winter nights provide...this is why these particular trees do so well in an Atlanta which also has freezing / chilling winter nights versus a Phoenix where it is too hot).
The blossoms are unbelievable in March - so pretty and aromatic - and the bonus is you get to eat fruit in the summer. Usually good for shade too.
Otherwise, Crape Myrtle, Desert Willow, Lacebark Elm, Cottonwood, and Kentucky Coffee tree are good, easy, low maintenance.
What is a good source for Crape Myrtle? We were at the BioPark last week and my husband wondered out loud if Crape Myrtle would do well here.
And a question for the experts. Does buffalo grass fill in over a couple of seasons? We planted from seed this spring and have a budding lawn but it definitely needs to fill in. Wondering if we should overseed this season or wait til next spring or summer to see what happens.
And a question for the experts. Does buffalo grass fill in over a couple of seasons? We planted from seed this spring and have a budding lawn but it definitely needs to fill in. Wondering if we should overseed this season or wait til next spring or summer to see what happens.
Lisdol - I would try a combination of overseeding and perhaps some add'l buffalo plugs. Make sure the soil where you plan to overseed is not too hard-packed or dry; if you can loosen it up and even put down some add'l soil it will help. Plugs can be bought at area nurseries, in flats of ~ 72. Alameda Nursery sells them for $22, although we got some grama mixed in with the buffalo which sucks because it grows much higher, and needs to be mowed/cut. The buffalo plugs we got at Plants of the Southwest [$34?] were all buffalo, no grama.
If you do wait a season to let it fill in [which buffalo is only too eager to do], still try to make sure the soil is moist & loose enough too let the roots establish. We planted our buffalo lawn from plugs exclusively [recommended] but in retrospect I wish we had started from seed like you. I think it creates a denser and more sod-like lawn.
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Clean, simple, low-maintenance, attractive!
