R EVISED E DITION LLushush && EEfficientfficient LandscapeLandscape GardeningGardening inin thethe CoachellaCoachella ValleyValley Coachella Valley Water District LLushush && EEfficientfficient LandscapeLandscape GardeningGardening inin thethe CoachellaCoachella ValleyValley RR EVISEDEVISED EE DITIONDITION CoachellaCoachella ValleyValley WaterWater DistrictDistrict IRONWOOD PRESS Tucson, Arizona Coachella Valley Cover photo by Acknowledgements A special thank you goes to Water District Scott Millard Directors and staff of the Ann Copeland, now retired Coachella Valley Water District, Primary photography by Coachella Valley Water District from CVWD. An educational specialist who taught water CVWD, is a local govern- Scott Millard: © pages 5, 7, 8, 9, extend their gratitude to Scott ment agency controlled by Millard of Ironwood Press science to the children of five directors elected by the 10 (right), 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19, Coachella Valley, she took on 20, 21, 22 (left), 23, 24, 25, 26, in Tucson, Ariz., for bringing registered voters within its this revised book to fruition. the additional responsibility 1,000 square mile service area. 27, 28, 35, 38, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 of working closely with Eric That area in the southeastern (top & lower right), 46 (top left, Scott and primary author Eric A. Johnson were partners at Johnson, reading his text and California desert extends from bottom center & bottom right), identifying photos to illustrate west of Palm Springs to the 47 (bottom left inset, bottom Ironwood Press and published communities along the Salton several excellent desert land- it. She also worked closely right & upper right), 48 (left & with contributing author Dave Sea. It is located primarily in upper left), 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, scaping books together before Riverside County but extends Harbison in developing and 55 (left & center inset & right), Eric’s death. In this second into Imperial and San Diego revised edition, Scott has sig- improving the district's land- Counties. 56 (lower left), 57, 58 (upper scape workshops that supple- left & lower right), 59 (upper nificantly revised the plant Peter Nelson, President ment this publication. right & lower right), 60 (upper palette with the guidance of Patricia A. “Corky”Larson, left & right), 61, 62, 63 (lower CVWD’s water conservation CVWD staff who contributed to Vice President left), 64 (lower left & right), staff to add newly introduced the success of this publication Tellis Codekas, Director 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71 (lower material and eliminate some include Dave Koller, conserva- Russell Kitahara, Director left & lower right), 72 (upper that weren’t as well adapted to tion coordinator; Jim Weston, the harsh growing conditions water management specialist; John W. “Jack” McFadden, & lower left), 73 (upper left), of the Coachella Valley. Dennis Mahr, director of com- Director 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79 (upper left, upper right & lower right), 80, munications & legislation; Dave Steve Robbins, General Manager- CVWD directors and staff also Anderson, photographer; Bob Chief Engineer 81, 82 (top left & center), 83, 84 (right), 85, 86 (top left, center extend their gratitude to the Keeran, multimedia specialist, Dennis C. Mahr, Director of left & right), 87, 88, 89 (bot- staff of The Living Desert in and Kevin Hemp, education Communications and Legislation tom left, upper right & lower Palm Desert for maintaining specialist. Dave Koller, Conservation right inset), 90, 91 (lower left healthy examples of most of the Coordinator & right), 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, plants found in this book and 98, 99 (upper left, lower left for allowing the water district & lower right), 100, 101, 102 to use Living Desert facilities to Text Copyright © 1988, 2001, (left & center), 103, 104, 105, conduct its annual homeown- 2006 106, 107, 108 (left & upper ers' landscape workshops. Coachella Valley Water District left), 109, 110 (left, upper left & right), 111, 112 (upper left & Ironwood Press acknowl- All rights reserved. No part of right), 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, edges Jacqueline A. Soule, this book may be reproduced 118 (lower left & lower right), PhD, Tucson, Arizona, for her in any form or by any means, 119, 120, 121 (center & upper contributions in researching electronic or mechanical, right), 122, 123, 124 (upper & and writing descriptions of including photocopy, with- lower left, lower center & lower the many new plants in this out written permission from right), 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, edition, as well as updating Coachella Valley Water District. 130, 131 (upper, lower left & information on irrigation and right), 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, landscaping. Printing 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 137, 141, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, back cover (lower left) Printed in Korea Additional photography by The information in this book is true and accurate to the best of CVWD: © pages 1, 4, 6, 10 our knowledge. It is offered (left), 12, 22 (right), 29, 37, 45 without guarantees on the part (left), 46 (bottom left), 47 (bot- of the authors and the publish- tom left), 48 (right), 56 (upper er, who disclaim any liability in left, center & right), 58 (lower connection with the use of this left), 59 (upper left), 63 (lower information. right), 64 (upper left), 71 (upper right), 72 (upper right), 73 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data (upper right), 82 (bottom left, Johnson, Eric A. Published to promote wise right), 84 (left), 86 (bottom left), Lush & efficient : landscape gardening in the Coachella Valley/ water use as a public 89 (bottom right), 91 (upper Eric A. Johnson, David Harbison, Scott Millard.--Rev. ed. service by Coachella Valley right), 108 (right), 110 (center), p. cm. Water District. 112 (lower left), 118 (center right), 121 (left), 124 (upper Includes bibliographical references and index. Address inquiries to: center & upper right), 131 ISBN-13: 978-0-9762336-1-9 (center), 138, 139, 140, 149, 151, Coachella Valley ISBN-10: 0-9628236-6-X (first edition of lush & efficient) back cover (top) Water District 1. Desert gardening--California--Coachella Valley. 2. Desert Macore Company: © page 73 plants--California--Coachella Valley. I. Harbison, David, 1943-II. PO Box 1058 (lower left) Coachella, CA 92236 Millard, Scott. III. Title. IV. Title: Lush and efficient. Janet Rademacher: © pages 60 SB427.5.J63 2006 A version of this (bottom left), 79 (center), 99 (upper right), 102 (right), 118 635.9’5250979497--dc22 publication appears on (upper left, upper right) 2006023701 the internet at http:// Kira Rodriguez: © page 55 www.cvwd.org (center) C ONTENTS The Desert Gardening Difference....................4 Ingredients of a Desert Garden................07 Mulching to Save Water.........................18 Landscaping for Climate Control...........10 Controlling Insect Pests.........................19 Grouping Plants by Sun & Water Need....12 Preventing and Controlling Diseases......20 Selecting and Buying Plants...................14 Weed Control........................................21 Pruning by the Seasons.........................15 Month-by-Month Gardening Calendar Planting Step by Step............................16 for the Coachella Valley......................21 Fertilizing.............................................18 Water-Efficient Irrigation...............................26 Using Technology to Tell How Much Daily Irrigation Schedule for Turfgrass...34 and When to Water.............................29 Installing Your Irrigation System........... 35 Designing a Water-Efficient Retrofitting an Irrigation System........... 39 Irrigation System....................................30 Maintaining and Troubleshooting Irrigation System Components...............30 Your Irrigation System............................39 Irrigation Guide for Landscape Plants....32 Success with Desert Plants............................42 Introduction.........................................43 Perennials...........................................120 Trees.....................................................44 Annuals............................................128 Shrubs..................................................68 Ground Covers.....................................94 Vines...................................................100 Cacti and Succulents...........................106 Ornamental Grasses............................118 Landscapes & Special Gardens....................136 Planning Your Landscape....................137 A Dry Creek for Your Landscape..........150 Landscaping Near Pools and Patios.....140 Creating a Wildlife Habitat..................150 Small Lawns for Landscapes................142 Container Gardening...........................143 Glossary.................................................152 Vegetable Gardens...............................145 Resources...............................................154 Fruits—Trees and More.......................147 Public Gardens.......................................155 Citrus.................................................147 Index......................................................157 u C HAPTE R ONE u The Desert Gardening Difference esert gardens can be lush and efficient. Contrary to the image of a desert landscape consisting only of cacti, boulders and gravel, Dmany native and introduced dry-climate trees, shrubs, vines, ground covers and perennials have lush foliage, distinctive forms and showy flowers. In fact, a great many native Southwest desert plants pro- vide even more color and interest over longer periods than their introduced tropical