Each year, thousands of Arizona residents email or call Rosie Romero’s radio show with questions about everything from preventing fires in their chimneys to getting rid of tree roots invading their sewer systems. His goal is to provide answers that suit the specific lifestyle wherever someone lives in Arizona.
QUESTION: My dog keeps digging up sprinklers and plants in my backyard. I had to spend almost $800 to fix the sprinkler systems recently. Is there anything I can do with the sprinklers or the landscape to prevent this from happening?
ANSWER: Actually, this is not a landscaping problem; it’s a dog-training problem. You can buy your dog a special collar that will vibrate every time he goes crazy in the backyard. Otherwise, you have to try to be out there with the dog every time he or she is out in the yard to catch them in the act. Sometimes when they chew up things though, it can be for the best. We know someone who had a lot of freshly planted fruit trees that were chewed on by a dog. It turned out that all the trees chewed down to about five inches tall were the most prolific trees in the yard once they started growing again.
Q: How much does planting citrus trees add to the value of a property?
A: That’s something that would have to be estimated by a real estate appraiser. Generally speaking, your total landscape can add 15 percent to 20 percent of an improvement in value if the trees have been planted in a good location. It’s not about a single tree or plant, it’s the entire landscape that counts: the aesthetics, the shade and the types of trees. Plants have to be well-placed in order to become an asset to your home.
Q: I have a historic home from the 1950s that has beautiful windows with frames that are not in very good shape. I want to strip the old paint off the frames to paint them a different color before installing new glass. I can’t find a painter that wants to take on the job, so I want to do it myself. How should I do this?
A: It’s probably a task that will require handling the frames with kid gloves. You will need to use very fine sandpaper on the frame to get down to the metal without damaging the stucco around the windows. You may also want to visit a specialized paint store to get some expert advice.
Q: We had a couple of trees with huge roots that lifted up part of a nearby concrete block wall. The trees were removed. Then we used herbicide to kill the roots. Now we’re looking for a repair solution. I can see through cracks in the wall into the neighbor’s backyard. Can I repair this without building a new wall?
A: I think you probably have to redo that portion of the wall. A good mason can take down the blocks in the broken section and build a new section. Unfortunately, the tree roots may still be a problem. You might want to dig down in front of the wall to cut out the roots in that area.
Q: I have a huge Bermuda grass lawn with some low spots. Can I lay down sand to level those areas? I want the lawn to be more level so that I can mow it more easily.
A: Yes, you can put down some sand, preferably some that includes a mixture of sand and organic matter. Once you’ve put it in place, you need to drag a level across it and sprinkle in some grass seed. Spring is a good time to do this job. Just make sure to lightly cover the new seed with the same soil mixture and keep the areas moist to allow the seeds to germinate.
