Your Villa Magazine - Desert Cities - October-December - 2022

D E S I G N + B U I L D How to keep trees alive during drought Coachella Valley Water District encourages customers to keep trees alive during drought . Trees take precedence over other landscaping plants. Lawns and landscape plants are easily replaced; a large shade tree takes many years to become established. Mature trees are important for cooling, provide shade and wildlife habitat, absorb carbon dioxide, release oxygen, filter pollution from air and water and reduce energy use. If your trees are surrounded by grass, they may su†er when water for lawns is reduced or eliminated because the trees never developed extensive, deep roots due to shallow irrigation. Here are steps you can take to keep your trees healthy during drought if they do not have a dedicated water source. • Apply mulch in a circle around the tree from the drip line to about 8 inches from the trunk. Avoid using rocks as they hold heat and stress roots. • Water trees slowly, deeply and widely to a depth of 2 to 3 feet. You can circle a tree with a soaker hose, wrapping rings around the tree starting about 2 feet from the trunk out to the drip line. • Try a watering device created by UC Davis and the California Center for Urban Horticulture. The Tree Ring Irrigation Contraption, TRIC, uses inline drip-tube technology to help homeowners water trees to a depth of 3 feet. For more details, visit https://ccuh.ucdavis.edu/tric or cvwatercounts.com/trees. For information on how much water your trees need, look at CVWD’s watering guide and more conservation tips at cvwd.org/conservation. 14 | YourVilla Magazine CVWD Outdoor Water E ciency Rebates & Discounts Facebook “ f ” Logo CMYK / .eps Facebook “ f ” Logo CMYK / .eps Visit www.cvwd.org/rebates for program details and requirements. Or call us at (760) 398-2651. Programs require pre-approval. Smart Irrigation Controller Turf Conversion - now $3/square foot Sprinkler Nozzle Replacement