Selecting and Maintaining Trees for Urban Desert Landscapes

About the Book

Growing trees in an urban desert environment can be challenging, especially if water is a limited resource. In a comprehensive reference manual, seasoned educators Dale A. Devitt and Robert L. Morris combine ninety years of professional experience to offer a road map that provides guidance to those living and working in the Desert Southwest on how to select and irrigate urban trees to achieve a healthy, beautiful landscape while conserving water. Devitt and Morris lead homeowners and landscape contractors through an assessment of their existing landscape; provide valuable insight into the climate, soil, water, irrigation system and strategies, and landscape design; and share proven guidance on tree selection and a maintenance plan that allows for the healthy growth of trees even under stressful environmental conditions. Included are “Did You Know” questions that offer interesting scientific facts about the desert soil, history of the environment, water challenges, and much more. Selecting and Maintaining Trees for Urban Desert Landscapes is a valuable resource for anyone interested in growing trees in an urban desert environment.

About the Author

Dale A. Devitt is a professor of soil and water in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He is also the director of the Center for Urban Water Conservation where he conducts both basic and applied research focused on how water is used in urban desert environments. Robert L. Morris retired from the University of Nevada, Reno, in 2010 and is now consulting in the Las Vegas area. He and his wife own and operate an agritourism farm in the Philippines with a mission of teaching existing and new farmers how to grow and market agricultural and horticultural crops.