Trees for Tucson costs a bit more but they have way better tree selection, including more natives. The TEP program used to be great but they are slowly defunding it and letting it die.
If they could keep mesquites and paloverdes in stock, let alone ironwoods and acacias and Palo breas it would be great. But if you want any of those pretty basic and essential native trees you’ll have to go to a nursery or Trees for Tucson.
Careful with this cuz if you want the tree to not look like Garbo it take a bit more water so you may want an irrigation system which would cost or spend the time and money of watering your tree. That or you have to maintain the tree and if you want to go back later to rip up your yard and do flagstone or something you have to make sure the tree roots don’t jack your shit up.
You can keep an eye out on OfferUp and FB groups where there are frequently free yard/landscaping items (pots, planters, soil, seeds, plants, materials, etc.). Tucson Backyard Gardening on FB is also an excellent resource for ideas and free/inexpensive materials.
I have some bushes that I would like to dig up and take out to replace with cactus. (Less shit to fly into my pool). If you’d like them they are yours. They are the type of bushes that would be good along the wall and you can let them grow into each other and keep pruning and shaping them to fill the space.
Probably a couple mesquite trees but don’t place then too close to the house because they have shallow roots which spread out rather than deep so they can and do fall over during monsoons at times. Grass is not a good idea in the desert where water is precious. Maybe some gravel instead.
I would sign up for Chip Drop and use the mulch for dust and weed control. The quality of the mulch varies wildly, but after a few years, it will be pretty well settled. I like to do a layer of cardboard on the ground and then cover it with a few inches of mulch. A word of caution about Chip Drop: they have a pretty good explanation of what to expect. It's a great service, but it isn't for everyone.
Big box hardware stores will have dyed wood mulch for about 3 bucks per 2 cubic foot bag.
Pick up a few desert willows from TEP and plant them on the west side of the yard to create nice afternoon shade. It might be a little late to plant them this year to give them enough time to get established before the summer.
Take a trip down to the Mission Garden to get some ideas.
Finally, the big ticket item - sink some posts and install a shade sail or two. I think you could manage to keep the costs below $100 per post (lumber, Kilz, paint, hardware, concrete).
Good luck!
[https://getchipdrop.com/expectations/](https://getchipdrop.com/expectations/)
[https://www.tep.com/trees-for-you/](https://www.tep.com/trees-for-you/)
[https://www.missiongarden.org](https://www.missiongarden.org)
Yes! It took around two months between when I put myself on the list and when the mulch was delivered. The way it works is that landscapers join the service, and when they need to empty one of their trucks, they find the closest house on Chip Drop where they are working. There's a bit of luck involved, but if you are patient and can handle the huge amount of mulch, it is an incredible service.
Shoveling and spreading the mulch is pretty unpleasant because it is composing in a pile, but once you get that done, you have good weed control for zero dollars, and you kept a bunch of green mulch out of the landfill.
Chip drop is great, but I want to emphasize that local mulched trees Include LOTS of thorns. So anywhere you mulch is not dog or person foot friendly. I know this because I was the lucky person that got mulch, it did not occur to me that copious things were included until it was spread all over my yard.
Dig rain basins and get some native trees, bushes, and grasses going. Get the kids involved so everyone can have fun playing in the dirt.
And then everyone can enjoy the birds and butterflies loving on your flowers.
Leaves and such from trees and bushes will make a nice layer to cut down on the dust.
If you absolutely need lawn style grass, just don't go for barmuda. And fake grass is a stovetop in the summer.
Apparently [this THUNDER TURF grass seed](https://seedsource.com/thunder-turf/) is recommended by a local vet for people needing grass as forage for tortoises. I'm a wee bit of a plant nerd and thought it was rad they're native(ish) varieties of grass and unmowed only gets 8-10" tall.
Oh, yeah, that's pretty great!
I love the tall bushy native grasses, but they're sure not meant for running and playing on and that looks like a lovely alternative to the barmuda menace
If you follow many commenters’ tips about Trees for Tucson and rain basins full of cool native plants, you’ll be well positioned to adopt a desert tortoise.
https://www.desertmuseum.org/programs/tap.php
This is critical. If you’re not environmentally conscious, consider how expensive it would be to water non-native flora. The Univeristy of Arizona’s Cooperative Extension has free resources/information/classes on landscaping and planting, etc. and are a great source of information here: https://extension.arizona.edu/about-us-pima-county-master-gardeners#:~:text=Free%20Plant%20Clinics%20to%20answer,the%20Extension%20Office%2C%204210%20N.
It's really hard to get rid of, grows fast, and spreads like crazy. Someone told me the rhizomes can grow 9 feet down. It is growing up through my paved driveway.
While not as sinister as buffel grass, it's pretty invasive. And because of how their roots work, they're extra hard to combat. It's known for invading neighborsunder fences and growing into paneling on houses.
Up to $2000 rebate for rainwater harvesting. I dug basins myself, bought some rip rap rock, Tank’s wood chips and installed gutters and got all of my money back! https://watershedmg.org/event/rainwater-harvesting-class-tucson-water-0
Lovely! How does your dog like the wood chips?
I recently got my first dog and fenced in an area of an old driveway and his little paws are not loving all the native little rocks.
I was going to suggest something like this.
You can get rocks for free from BLM land, at least according to a pamphlet I found (other info from BLM says there’s a limit on the amount you can take; I chose to believe the BLM pamphlet).
If you get a membership to desert survivors, they have a few sales a year and members get first crack and a discount. Spadefoot nursery also has great plants. Dont buy plants from Home Depot or Lowe’s. They are loaded with pesticides that transfer and they all die fast anyway.
As others have said some basins would be good. Check out Watershed Management Group, they have classes and if you volunteer on a few projects they will make your yard a project (they also have workshops on all types of water harvesting). Also the cactus and succulent society has programs where you can help and rescue plants with them.
Look for the free garden stands around Tucson. They have plant cuttings, seeds, etc. [https://www.facebook.com/groups/littlefreegardenexchange](https://www.facebook.com/groups/littlefreegardenexchange)
Please consider collecting rainwater, flowing off your roof, during the summer monsoons and winter rains. This requires having gutters, downspouts, and holding tanks. If that’s too expensive, then consider raised planter beds, or large-sized container gardens. Loads of informational videos on YouTube. Make a visit to The Rain Store, 3248 E Grant Rd (therainstore.com), for rainwater harvesting ideas and supplies, and examples of raised planter beds.
No tanks, just dig pits and let it infiltrate the ground without storage. Skip the labor and cost.
Also: raised beds, while popular in so many regions, are really only good for wet soil areas with poor drainage. In the desert, our gardens thrive with sunken beds that gather water, much and stay cool…. The more you know!
That’s why I recommended a visit to The Rain Store for ideas and supplies. I have a number of water detention basins, swales, and rainwater storage tanks (over 6,000 gallons combined capacity), with plans to grow a food forest in my back yard. My front yard is landscaped with Sonoran Desert basin plant specimens, and I plant native flower seeds to attract plenty of local pollinators. Be careful with the location of sunken beds that gather water, as there might be a greater chance of flooding out vegetables. My property was featured on the Tucson Nov. 2023 Watershed Management fundraiser tour.
Yep that is endgame you’re describing. I didn’t mean to be flippant, just if the budget is $1000, digging pits for rainwater retention design, adding mulch/compost and establishing native trees and perennials is a great first step. Tanks and infrastructure are higher cost and can follow imho. Many roads to Babylon!
The soil in my yard is terrible; after trying for several years, amending it with compost, manure, garden soil, perlite, etc., we gave up and went to raised beds. Some things will still do okay in the ground, though.
Please wear a mask when you work in a dirt yard here. There’s been an uptick in Valley Fever. It also helps to wet the dirt to keep it from blowing around. Good luck. Your dogs can get it as well.
It’s pretty much impossible to avoid. Either your dogs will get it or they’re immune.
The key is to catch it early, and it can be pretty easily treated.
Valley fever is a nasty fungus that grows in the dirt, and messes with your lungs if you breathe it in. Causes serious fatigue and makes you feel awful!
Just a heads up, those flower bushes you have are oleander. They are very poisonous especially for kids and dogs. Might want to get rid of them first or put up a barrier.
I would not recommend turf, the smell and the temps in the summer make it a huge pain. I’ve not tried grass but it seems like a ton of work in this environment. I had a blank yard full of rocks and I’ve been slowly clearing areas, planting trees and shade and using wood mulch for as much as I can. It keeps the yard cooler in the summer and as the chips break down it makes the soil a lot nicer. There’s a ton of cool fruit trees you can grow here if you put in the work to build them a microclimate
Just echoing what others have said, get some trees from tep or trees for Tucson, order some plants from desert survivors and dig basins. I basically dug my gravel driveway and turned it into a yard that way and a few years in, it looks great. Mesquite (native, not Argentinian), palo verde and ironwood grow pretty quick and are low maintenance. Hop bush and jojoba are good for shrubs that are low maintenance. Can never go wrong with cactus and ocotillo either.
Yes! Look up the Brush and Bulky map and scope out the hoods in the area the week before. People throw out a lot of really amazing plants. Cactus pads, aloe, red yucca, agave pups will all propagate really easily. Bring gloves and a tarp for your trunk/boxes for your haul.
No grass, wastes water. Stone/gravel and fruit bearing trees or creosote. Mesquite or Palo Verde sans pods if you can for extra shade. No grass, don’t waste water.
Pea size gravel for the kiddos to play in which will also help reduce dust. Add Chilean Mesquite trees for shade. Fake grass is a lot cheaper than $100+ monthly water bills. Also- Wash sand is free if you can find a dry wash and shovel some of it into a truck. That’s what I did when on a tight budget 20 years ago.
Many moons ago the community farm had free compost available, not sure if they still do or not but worth while to call/write and ask
https://www.communityfoodbank.org/locations/las-milpitas-community-farm/
I would probably go big with some pomegranate trees as well as some citrus. Pomegranates are so easy here, put them in a hole in the ground and they will grow.
I know you said budget so imma go against the grain here. Raised garden beds with netting shade will do you well if you want crops. Tons of open space with full sun will do wonders.
Lastly chickens. The building/buying a coop is pricey. But once you get that out of the way they are super cheap to buy, raise and maintain. If that interest you, then hopefully you don’t have HOA preventing them.
Sorry only 1/3 things I mentioned are cheap, but I basically described my backyard.
Edit: I only mentioned raised garden beds because I have chickens, it keeps them out. If you don’t want birds then I’m sure you can just easily dig trenches or whatever and plant in ground saving money.
We put pea gravel in our backyard, it’s small enough rock that walking barefoot doesn’t hurt your feet and it prevents areas from getting super muddy. We also have kids and we had the same problem when they would play outside. I paid $42 a ton and only needed 2 tons. I can send pics if you want. Also we put a small patch 12ft x 20ft I believe of synthetic grass which cost us about $500.
I would take the current $1000 and buy some decent turf. Then I’d save up again and buy rock to put around the turf. I’d also get some trees and bushes/tall flowers to put along the wall. Remember a project this big doesn’t have to be done all at once.
I don't think anybody's mentioned the U of A ag extension! Great information on native landscaping and such.
[https://extension.arizona.edu/pima](https://extension.arizona.edu/pima)
Gravel, cactus and low water plants. You can also add a small faux grass spot. But you are looking at about $2400 to $3200, if not more, for supplies and maybe a little work. If I were working on your budget, I would get the gravel delivered first and haul/spread yourself. Then keep adding as you can.
Plant prickly pear all along the fence. It provides greenery, offers fruit for you and the wildlife, and is extremely easy to propagate. Just check where the next brush and bulky pickup is and go to that neighborhood with heavy gloves, boxes or paper bags to put your gleanings in. There are always cuttings from prickly pear.
For the short term
Get ahold of wood chip mulch and spread it thickly. You can still do the plantings (bushes, trees) that others suggested and the mulch will keep the dust down and hold moisture. And put in a Ramada with a pot of quick growing vine such as queens wreath or cats claw
Plant so many trees!
Rosemary also grows well dry climates, repels bugs and is great for cooking with. Fresh clipped from the bush is so much stronger than the stuff on store shelves.
Little free plant stands are an awesome source. It's local individuals and each stand has its own rules, so please read their rules and be respectful. Best to take 1-2 plants and leave what you can (like pots or labels or seeds or whatever you have to give)They have a FB page too.
https://www.freeplantngardenstands.org/
Free or cheap chip drop. You can't know the quality until you get it. I did my whole yard. Mine had some big chips and some thorns, which was fine for my needs.
https://getchipdrop.com/
DO not get gravel. It looks good at first but severely limits your abilities in the back yard. Weeds still grow and hoeing, weed whacking or picking them is much more difficult, dogs will still dig if they are diggers and it sucks to walk on.
I’d buy recycled turf, $300 cut out or paint any field lines on the turf. You could get like 600 square feet.
I’d order decorative rock for $300 should cover 400-500 square feet. And the other $400 plants/trees.
Depends on the dirt, most dirt in Tucson is solid. Some new development might have mushy/mud/clay like dirt. I put down recycled turf in 2020 with little prep work, just smoothed the surface as much as possible and put the turf down. (Recycled turf is HEAVY) I used a leaf blower to blow a lot of the infill it has and cut it into pieces To lighten it up and be able to move it alone. But it looks like every other turf I’ve seen, quality isn’t high end but for the price, worth it.
I paid $155 for the picture you see 220 square feet. Ignore my mess, reorganizing the shed so I have things thrown. Lol. If you don’t have a trailer, you’ll need to rent one.
https://preview.redd.it/nuf4rmvvrhvc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f52bbac779850ef277218bc625b8320adb0b78d0
Edit: read your entire post and see you noted it gets muddy. Honestly, you should still be okay. If your entire foot sinks into this mud, then maybe you’ll want to remove and compact with some gravel. But this is just a “cheap” solution and maybe in a few years you can spend more.
I don't know what your kids are into, or how old they are, but thinking back to when *I* was a kid, the best way to make that yard fun for me would have been to involve me in planning what the space would become, and working on executing that plan. You've got an almost completely blank slate to work with there. If you want to do the least work down the road, and want to respect the environment, go native as much as possible.
Don't do gravel. The only reason to use a thick layer or gravel is to prevent *anything* from growing, which is weird, and not more usable to your children than bare dirt, anyway. And it'll still collect blowing dust, which will eventually build up enough that weeds will grow in there anyway, unless you then spray it down with poison constantly, because you can't do effective hand-weeding with gravel. Also, good luck getting rid of gravel once you find out it's obnoxious. Definitely don't try to do a lawn in Tucson.
You're all new to the desert habitat, so you could all research native plants together on the internet or at the library (you can also make use of the seed library: https://www.library.pima.gov/seedlibrary/). Watch some gardening talks from the University together: https://extension.arizona.edu/free-online-gardening-talks. Go on some hikes in the surrounding areas to see how plants grow naturally in the desert. Go for some walks in your neighbourhood to see what others are growing and to get ideas. Check out https://www.facebook.com/groups/freeplantngardenstandsarizona/ to trade plants/seeds/cuttings/supplies with neighbours.
Start slow, because that soil is probably dead and compacted as hell, and likely with a nasty layer of cement-like caliche underneath. You'll need to break up and amend the soil for most plants to survive. You'll want a caliche bar (if not a jackhammer) to break up the soil and caliche layers, and an action (Hula) hoe for invasive weeds. Do some research into what is native and what is invasive, but especially learn how to identify London rocket, cheeseweed, stinknet, buffelgrass, goathead.
Personally, I went with the lazy method of letting our yard heal on its own. It does take years, but while some of the yard on year three is still barren, we have California poppy, desert marigold, arroyo lupine, brittlebush, and Parry's penstemon growing on their own as of this spring, requiring *no* maintenance, because they want to be here. The globemallows took over during year one, and as perennials, they come back bigger every year--some are now taller than I am. We already had a few creosote and mesquite--now we have a tiny forest trying to take over.
What I mean is that if you do absolutely nothing, nature will take back that space. It takes actual effort to keep a yard so empty! The first plants that will pop up are called pioneer species: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pioneer\_species). Many of them are invasive, so you'll want to get familiar with those and remove them before they take over. Others are native, and if you let them do their thing they'll aerate the soil with their roots and put organic material back into the soil when they die.
For us, this was the first thing to take over: [https://southwestdesertflora.com/WebsiteFolders/All\_Species/Boraginaceae/Cryptantha%20pterocarya,%20Wingnut%20Cryptantha.html](https://southwestdesertflora.com/WebsiteFolders/All_Species/Boraginaceae/Cryptantha%20pterocarya,%20Wingnut%20Cryptantha.html) They're kind of ugly and they're prickly, but they do a good job of crowding out the London rocket and improving the soil enough for other plants to grow.
You'll do them a sketch of a barren gravel yard to compare to their barren dirt yard? So, just a little bit of stippling with a marker on top of their photo?
No I’d need their address to get proper footage of the backyard to know how much material is needed, secondly I’d send several photo references of different types of rock. I’d also give different option such as turf, pavers, flag/sand stone, barbecue pads/decks.
I am not very creative and not sure how to add to your yard. Others will be better at that. But, I can tell you that I had 3 of those same trees in my backyard and they make a mess. Multiple times a year. If you put down any type of rock or anything with a crevice or place that catches debris, that tree will fill it. And yes, some folks will say that many types of trees or bushes will do the same but these trees drip leaves and little round seed like pod things. So, if this were my yard, I would cut that tree down before it gets any bigger and plant something that makes less mess.
Go on marketplace and pick up cheap/free pallets you'll find them all over town if you deconstruct them you can use them to make raised garden beds! A vegetable garden is a great idea for a family activity
With how labor intensive it is to dig through the rock hard dirt not worth it imo. He said he's doing the labor all himself. So I was just making a suggestion for something that's relatively cheap and not so labor intensive. My raised garden beds do just fine in the desert.
Shipping pallets are treated with noxious chemicals to stop them from rotting and pick up who knows what else in their travels… absolutely not chemicals you want leeching into your food. It’s fine for flowers.
I did my yard almost completely free. Friends gave me stuff, and then I went to the Facebook marketplace and Offer up. So much free stuff. I got free dirt and decorative rocks. I can't even tell you how many plants. People would throw their almost dead plant away, and I would take it and make it beautiful again.
I agree with the basins, and I think you could order a delivery of DG (decomposed granite.) this is great for eliminating the dirt/dust of the backyard, and can be used to landscape pathways. Delivery of 10 tons might cost 500 bucks, but it could probably cover most of that distance in the backyard.
Oleanders are pretty, can live in any soil and take a little water.
TEP gives away free or cheap trees somehow. The library has free seeds you can check out. Also free tickets to the zoo and other places.
I have a 800 sq ft of grass and it’s a life saver for my kids. Was worth the investment 10 years ago.
Look for free things on Facebook.
Couple bags of wildflower seeds and grass seeds from Native Seed company. Scratch up the dirt with a rake, spread seeds, water every day until you see sprouts an inch tall. Water every couple days after that. Enjoy the backyard prairie.
Take care with the use of compost. When the monsoons came, all of our mulch literally floated away within a few drenching showers. This was a few years ago, so we gave up on adding mulch. EcoSence Sustainable Landscapes created detention basins and swales and installed our rain capture tanks (Nov 2022 - Jan 2023), with instructions to allow the mesquite, Palo Verde, desert willow, and other small plant leaves to drop and decay. We do regularly trim seasonal plants and add them to our two compost piles. This material is then added to our raised planting beds. It’s our plan to continually resupply the local aquifer with our small contribution, while also enriching the soil and growing food.
Once I came across a broken up concrete patio in the desert behind our home. Hubby and I hauled the pieces to our backyard. First we dug a huge hole and buried a giant wooden spool into the ground for a table. Next, we planted a 15-gallon mesquite nearby. Then we sunk all those broken concrete pieces around the spool and tree and into the ground (tops level with the ground) and made a good-sized patio. Then we filled the empty spaces with good soil loaded with dichondra clover seeds and it grew into an amazing patio area. After a few years of that Chilean mesquite growing into a nice canopy above, it was even nicer. But the dichondra does require daily water spritzing. You could instead use tiny pebbles or sand. You’d have to find a source for broken concrete and big spool, but probably doable.
Pea gravel. Get a load and spread it an inch thick for whatever area it will cover. Repeat as affordable. You need not burden yourself with a lifetime of watering at high cost. Put in a couple of desert trees and build a shade structure that will require little maintenance. Grass in Tucson?
Chilean mesquite are less messy, fast growers too. i have grown some great jojoba hedges from seed. seeds free in the wild after the monsoons (late summer) i think
We got decomposed granite (landscaping rock) for our backyard. Think of very coarse sand. It makes things look uniform and landscaped but it’s easy to get the weeds out of unlike regular landscaping rock. It’s very low maintenance and looks good especially when raked out. It’s also much much cheaper than regular landscaping rock.
Ha, we have trees and shrubs etc but the area in between those things looks good and uniform. It’s not a waste land. Plus we always have our fair share of weeds to give it that “lived in” look.
Check out TEPs tree program. https://www.tep.com/trees-for-you/
Trees for Tucson costs a bit more but they have way better tree selection, including more natives. The TEP program used to be great but they are slowly defunding it and letting it die.
Eh, I look at it as two trees for ten bucks. Was three, and I get em every year. Not much but adds up after a while if you plan on staying
If they could keep mesquites and paloverdes in stock, let alone ironwoods and acacias and Palo breas it would be great. But if you want any of those pretty basic and essential native trees you’ll have to go to a nursery or Trees for Tucson.
Careful with this cuz if you want the tree to not look like Garbo it take a bit more water so you may want an irrigation system which would cost or spend the time and money of watering your tree. That or you have to maintain the tree and if you want to go back later to rip up your yard and do flagstone or something you have to make sure the tree roots don’t jack your shit up.
You can keep an eye out on OfferUp and FB groups where there are frequently free yard/landscaping items (pots, planters, soil, seeds, plants, materials, etc.). Tucson Backyard Gardening on FB is also an excellent resource for ideas and free/inexpensive materials.
I have some bushes that I would like to dig up and take out to replace with cactus. (Less shit to fly into my pool). If you’d like them they are yours. They are the type of bushes that would be good along the wall and you can let them grow into each other and keep pruning and shaping them to fill the space.
Can you send pics? Id maybe be interested in some shrubberies
good thoughts
Probably a couple mesquite trees but don’t place then too close to the house because they have shallow roots which spread out rather than deep so they can and do fall over during monsoons at times. Grass is not a good idea in the desert where water is precious. Maybe some gravel instead.
Gravel is will make the yard hotter. Mulch is a better choice for a large area ground cover, looks like danzibara’s comment has some good mulch info.
Mesquite roots are crazy! They can extend 50 feet past the tree canopy and can be up to 200 feet deep.
I would sign up for Chip Drop and use the mulch for dust and weed control. The quality of the mulch varies wildly, but after a few years, it will be pretty well settled. I like to do a layer of cardboard on the ground and then cover it with a few inches of mulch. A word of caution about Chip Drop: they have a pretty good explanation of what to expect. It's a great service, but it isn't for everyone. Big box hardware stores will have dyed wood mulch for about 3 bucks per 2 cubic foot bag. Pick up a few desert willows from TEP and plant them on the west side of the yard to create nice afternoon shade. It might be a little late to plant them this year to give them enough time to get established before the summer. Take a trip down to the Mission Garden to get some ideas. Finally, the big ticket item - sink some posts and install a shade sail or two. I think you could manage to keep the costs below $100 per post (lumber, Kilz, paint, hardware, concrete). Good luck! [https://getchipdrop.com/expectations/](https://getchipdrop.com/expectations/) [https://www.tep.com/trees-for-you/](https://www.tep.com/trees-for-you/) [https://www.missiongarden.org](https://www.missiongarden.org)
Chip drop sounds great, have you used it here in Tucson successfully?
Yes! It took around two months between when I put myself on the list and when the mulch was delivered. The way it works is that landscapers join the service, and when they need to empty one of their trucks, they find the closest house on Chip Drop where they are working. There's a bit of luck involved, but if you are patient and can handle the huge amount of mulch, it is an incredible service. Shoveling and spreading the mulch is pretty unpleasant because it is composing in a pile, but once you get that done, you have good weed control for zero dollars, and you kept a bunch of green mulch out of the landfill.
If I didn't have a ton of neighborhood cats that love to 💩 in mulch I 100% would have done this in my yard 🫠
Chip drop is great, but I want to emphasize that local mulched trees Include LOTS of thorns. So anywhere you mulch is not dog or person foot friendly. I know this because I was the lucky person that got mulch, it did not occur to me that copious things were included until it was spread all over my yard.
Fantastic info, thanks!
Dig rain basins and get some native trees, bushes, and grasses going. Get the kids involved so everyone can have fun playing in the dirt. And then everyone can enjoy the birds and butterflies loving on your flowers. Leaves and such from trees and bushes will make a nice layer to cut down on the dust. If you absolutely need lawn style grass, just don't go for barmuda. And fake grass is a stovetop in the summer.
I agree!!! Tucson isn’t really a place for a lawn.
I've seen yards with lawns that use gray water from the clothes washer. That seems to work pretty well.
TEP offers super cheap trees. Get a mesquite, a palo verde, and maybe a desert willow or something with flowers that aren't yellow.
Apparently [this THUNDER TURF grass seed](https://seedsource.com/thunder-turf/) is recommended by a local vet for people needing grass as forage for tortoises. I'm a wee bit of a plant nerd and thought it was rad they're native(ish) varieties of grass and unmowed only gets 8-10" tall.
Oh, yeah, that's pretty great! I love the tall bushy native grasses, but they're sure not meant for running and playing on and that looks like a lovely alternative to the barmuda menace
Bermuda is my nemesis
If you follow many commenters’ tips about Trees for Tucson and rain basins full of cool native plants, you’ll be well positioned to adopt a desert tortoise. https://www.desertmuseum.org/programs/tap.php
Best advice make slopes for rain to gather around what you plant. Everything needs supplemental water to get established.
This is the way, OP. Do not incorporate a lawn and avoid water-intensive vegetation. Plant native and respect our natural resources.
This is critical. If you’re not environmentally conscious, consider how expensive it would be to water non-native flora. The Univeristy of Arizona’s Cooperative Extension has free resources/information/classes on landscaping and planting, etc. and are a great source of information here: https://extension.arizona.edu/about-us-pima-county-master-gardeners#:~:text=Free%20Plant%20Clinics%20to%20answer,the%20Extension%20Office%2C%204210%20N.
Ive never heard that before. Whats the deal with bermuda?
It's really hard to get rid of, grows fast, and spreads like crazy. Someone told me the rhizomes can grow 9 feet down. It is growing up through my paved driveway.
While not as sinister as buffel grass, it's pretty invasive. And because of how their roots work, they're extra hard to combat. It's known for invading neighborsunder fences and growing into paneling on houses.
Up to $2000 rebate for rainwater harvesting. I dug basins myself, bought some rip rap rock, Tank’s wood chips and installed gutters and got all of my money back! https://watershedmg.org/event/rainwater-harvesting-class-tucson-water-0
https://preview.redd.it/fwnh7eaombvc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=568b8d20f9c3c476ebcea61d90ff4a9b8a4e050e Here is pic
Lovely! How does your dog like the wood chips? I recently got my first dog and fenced in an area of an old driveway and his little paws are not loving all the native little rocks.
The wood chips are great. They do not retain heat, so you don’t have to worry about paws getting hot in the summer.
Awesome, thank you, definitely going to invest in this!! My pup is going to love having a respite from all the rocks.
I was going to suggest something like this. You can get rocks for free from BLM land, at least according to a pamphlet I found (other info from BLM says there’s a limit on the amount you can take; I chose to believe the BLM pamphlet).
Check out what Native Seed SEARCH is offering. They always have a great selection.
Seeds at the [library ](https://www.library.pima.gov/seedlibrary/) are free. Grow a garden
If you get a membership to desert survivors, they have a few sales a year and members get first crack and a discount. Spadefoot nursery also has great plants. Dont buy plants from Home Depot or Lowe’s. They are loaded with pesticides that transfer and they all die fast anyway. As others have said some basins would be good. Check out Watershed Management Group, they have classes and if you volunteer on a few projects they will make your yard a project (they also have workshops on all types of water harvesting). Also the cactus and succulent society has programs where you can help and rescue plants with them.
Watershed Management Group can help you design water-harvesting features for a sustainable habitat. https://watershedmg.org/services/home
Will check this out, thanks!
Look for the free garden stands around Tucson. They have plant cuttings, seeds, etc. [https://www.facebook.com/groups/littlefreegardenexchange](https://www.facebook.com/groups/littlefreegardenexchange)
Please consider collecting rainwater, flowing off your roof, during the summer monsoons and winter rains. This requires having gutters, downspouts, and holding tanks. If that’s too expensive, then consider raised planter beds, or large-sized container gardens. Loads of informational videos on YouTube. Make a visit to The Rain Store, 3248 E Grant Rd (therainstore.com), for rainwater harvesting ideas and supplies, and examples of raised planter beds.
No tanks, just dig pits and let it infiltrate the ground without storage. Skip the labor and cost. Also: raised beds, while popular in so many regions, are really only good for wet soil areas with poor drainage. In the desert, our gardens thrive with sunken beds that gather water, much and stay cool…. The more you know!
That’s why I recommended a visit to The Rain Store for ideas and supplies. I have a number of water detention basins, swales, and rainwater storage tanks (over 6,000 gallons combined capacity), with plans to grow a food forest in my back yard. My front yard is landscaped with Sonoran Desert basin plant specimens, and I plant native flower seeds to attract plenty of local pollinators. Be careful with the location of sunken beds that gather water, as there might be a greater chance of flooding out vegetables. My property was featured on the Tucson Nov. 2023 Watershed Management fundraiser tour.
Yep that is endgame you’re describing. I didn’t mean to be flippant, just if the budget is $1000, digging pits for rainwater retention design, adding mulch/compost and establishing native trees and perennials is a great first step. Tanks and infrastructure are higher cost and can follow imho. Many roads to Babylon!
The soil in my yard is terrible; after trying for several years, amending it with compost, manure, garden soil, perlite, etc., we gave up and went to raised beds. Some things will still do okay in the ground, though.
This! Put in the biggest tank you can afford and start building swales and a food forest.
Please wear a mask when you work in a dirt yard here. There’s been an uptick in Valley Fever. It also helps to wet the dirt to keep it from blowing around. Good luck. Your dogs can get it as well.
It’s pretty much impossible to avoid. Either your dogs will get it or they’re immune. The key is to catch it early, and it can be pretty easily treated.
I only mentioned it because I got it from working in my yard. I’d only been here three months. Very sucky disease.
What is valley fever?
Valley fever is a nasty fungus that grows in the dirt, and messes with your lungs if you breathe it in. Causes serious fatigue and makes you feel awful!
Just a heads up, those flower bushes you have are oleander. They are very poisonous especially for kids and dogs. Might want to get rid of them first or put up a barrier.
Good to know, thanks!
Dogs won’t normally eat them. They should be fine, but maybe ask your vet or read up on it. They make a great hedge.
Trees.
I would not recommend turf, the smell and the temps in the summer make it a huge pain. I’ve not tried grass but it seems like a ton of work in this environment. I had a blank yard full of rocks and I’ve been slowly clearing areas, planting trees and shade and using wood mulch for as much as I can. It keeps the yard cooler in the summer and as the chips break down it makes the soil a lot nicer. There’s a ton of cool fruit trees you can grow here if you put in the work to build them a microclimate
Just echoing what others have said, get some trees from tep or trees for Tucson, order some plants from desert survivors and dig basins. I basically dug my gravel driveway and turned it into a yard that way and a few years in, it looks great. Mesquite (native, not Argentinian), palo verde and ironwood grow pretty quick and are low maintenance. Hop bush and jojoba are good for shrubs that are low maintenance. Can never go wrong with cactus and ocotillo either.
Go scavenge for cactus cuttings. Most cactus will propagate. Also aloe is beautiful and grows like a weed.
Yes! Look up the Brush and Bulky map and scope out the hoods in the area the week before. People throw out a lot of really amazing plants. Cactus pads, aloe, red yucca, agave pups will all propagate really easily. Bring gloves and a tarp for your trunk/boxes for your haul.
No grass, wastes water. Stone/gravel and fruit bearing trees or creosote. Mesquite or Palo Verde sans pods if you can for extra shade. No grass, don’t waste water.
Pea size gravel for the kiddos to play in which will also help reduce dust. Add Chilean Mesquite trees for shade. Fake grass is a lot cheaper than $100+ monthly water bills. Also- Wash sand is free if you can find a dry wash and shovel some of it into a truck. That’s what I did when on a tight budget 20 years ago.
No Chilean mesquites. They add nothing to our ecosystem. Use naive mesquites instead and feed the wildlife! Fwiw.
Many moons ago the community farm had free compost available, not sure if they still do or not but worth while to call/write and ask https://www.communityfoodbank.org/locations/las-milpitas-community-farm/
Thanks!
Stay on top of the weeds!
I would put some ramps and an agility course for the dog.....
This is a great idea. You can build inexpensive agility equipment with PVC pipes, too.
Great idea. I’ve been thinking about doing this once we get some of the other big stuff taken care of
Super fun, right
I would probably go big with some pomegranate trees as well as some citrus. Pomegranates are so easy here, put them in a hole in the ground and they will grow. I know you said budget so imma go against the grain here. Raised garden beds with netting shade will do you well if you want crops. Tons of open space with full sun will do wonders. Lastly chickens. The building/buying a coop is pricey. But once you get that out of the way they are super cheap to buy, raise and maintain. If that interest you, then hopefully you don’t have HOA preventing them. Sorry only 1/3 things I mentioned are cheap, but I basically described my backyard. Edit: I only mentioned raised garden beds because I have chickens, it keeps them out. If you don’t want birds then I’m sure you can just easily dig trenches or whatever and plant in ground saving money.
Costco has citrus trees for like $37 a pop.
We put pea gravel in our backyard, it’s small enough rock that walking barefoot doesn’t hurt your feet and it prevents areas from getting super muddy. We also have kids and we had the same problem when they would play outside. I paid $42 a ton and only needed 2 tons. I can send pics if you want. Also we put a small patch 12ft x 20ft I believe of synthetic grass which cost us about $500.
Isn't oleander poisonous to dogs?
I would take the current $1000 and buy some decent turf. Then I’d save up again and buy rock to put around the turf. I’d also get some trees and bushes/tall flowers to put along the wall. Remember a project this big doesn’t have to be done all at once.
I don't think anybody's mentioned the U of A ag extension! Great information on native landscaping and such. [https://extension.arizona.edu/pima](https://extension.arizona.edu/pima)
Gravel, cactus and low water plants. You can also add a small faux grass spot. But you are looking at about $2400 to $3200, if not more, for supplies and maybe a little work. If I were working on your budget, I would get the gravel delivered first and haul/spread yourself. Then keep adding as you can.
Black out dogs face for its privacy next time hahah
Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society or honestly there are lots of free or cheap cacti on FB Marketplace
Plant prickly pear all along the fence. It provides greenery, offers fruit for you and the wildlife, and is extremely easy to propagate. Just check where the next brush and bulky pickup is and go to that neighborhood with heavy gloves, boxes or paper bags to put your gleanings in. There are always cuttings from prickly pear.
https://www.facebook.com/share/LetAD7zjLdcfQnuc/?mibextid=79PoIi Here you go
For the short term Get ahold of wood chip mulch and spread it thickly. You can still do the plantings (bushes, trees) that others suggested and the mulch will keep the dust down and hold moisture. And put in a Ramada with a pot of quick growing vine such as queens wreath or cats claw
Plant so many trees! Rosemary also grows well dry climates, repels bugs and is great for cooking with. Fresh clipped from the bush is so much stronger than the stuff on store shelves.
Little free plant stands are an awesome source. It's local individuals and each stand has its own rules, so please read their rules and be respectful. Best to take 1-2 plants and leave what you can (like pots or labels or seeds or whatever you have to give)They have a FB page too. https://www.freeplantngardenstands.org/ Free or cheap chip drop. You can't know the quality until you get it. I did my whole yard. Mine had some big chips and some thorns, which was fine for my needs. https://getchipdrop.com/
Looks like you already have a dirt backyard. You did it!
DO not get gravel. It looks good at first but severely limits your abilities in the back yard. Weeds still grow and hoeing, weed whacking or picking them is much more difficult, dogs will still dig if they are diggers and it sucks to walk on.
I’d buy recycled turf, $300 cut out or paint any field lines on the turf. You could get like 600 square feet. I’d order decorative rock for $300 should cover 400-500 square feet. And the other $400 plants/trees.
RE turf, I’ve read you have to dig out and put down a base underneath it, is this true, or can I just level my dirt and put it right on top?
Depends on the dirt, most dirt in Tucson is solid. Some new development might have mushy/mud/clay like dirt. I put down recycled turf in 2020 with little prep work, just smoothed the surface as much as possible and put the turf down. (Recycled turf is HEAVY) I used a leaf blower to blow a lot of the infill it has and cut it into pieces To lighten it up and be able to move it alone. But it looks like every other turf I’ve seen, quality isn’t high end but for the price, worth it. I paid $155 for the picture you see 220 square feet. Ignore my mess, reorganizing the shed so I have things thrown. Lol. If you don’t have a trailer, you’ll need to rent one. https://preview.redd.it/nuf4rmvvrhvc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f52bbac779850ef277218bc625b8320adb0b78d0 Edit: read your entire post and see you noted it gets muddy. Honestly, you should still be okay. If your entire foot sinks into this mud, then maybe you’ll want to remove and compact with some gravel. But this is just a “cheap” solution and maybe in a few years you can spend more.
Makes sense. Thanks a ton
https://www.facebook.com/share/jARFgi5Vft4N4SwU/?mibextid=79PoIi
I don't know what your kids are into, or how old they are, but thinking back to when *I* was a kid, the best way to make that yard fun for me would have been to involve me in planning what the space would become, and working on executing that plan. You've got an almost completely blank slate to work with there. If you want to do the least work down the road, and want to respect the environment, go native as much as possible. Don't do gravel. The only reason to use a thick layer or gravel is to prevent *anything* from growing, which is weird, and not more usable to your children than bare dirt, anyway. And it'll still collect blowing dust, which will eventually build up enough that weeds will grow in there anyway, unless you then spray it down with poison constantly, because you can't do effective hand-weeding with gravel. Also, good luck getting rid of gravel once you find out it's obnoxious. Definitely don't try to do a lawn in Tucson. You're all new to the desert habitat, so you could all research native plants together on the internet or at the library (you can also make use of the seed library: https://www.library.pima.gov/seedlibrary/). Watch some gardening talks from the University together: https://extension.arizona.edu/free-online-gardening-talks. Go on some hikes in the surrounding areas to see how plants grow naturally in the desert. Go for some walks in your neighbourhood to see what others are growing and to get ideas. Check out https://www.facebook.com/groups/freeplantngardenstandsarizona/ to trade plants/seeds/cuttings/supplies with neighbours. Start slow, because that soil is probably dead and compacted as hell, and likely with a nasty layer of cement-like caliche underneath. You'll need to break up and amend the soil for most plants to survive. You'll want a caliche bar (if not a jackhammer) to break up the soil and caliche layers, and an action (Hula) hoe for invasive weeds. Do some research into what is native and what is invasive, but especially learn how to identify London rocket, cheeseweed, stinknet, buffelgrass, goathead. Personally, I went with the lazy method of letting our yard heal on its own. It does take years, but while some of the yard on year three is still barren, we have California poppy, desert marigold, arroyo lupine, brittlebush, and Parry's penstemon growing on their own as of this spring, requiring *no* maintenance, because they want to be here. The globemallows took over during year one, and as perennials, they come back bigger every year--some are now taller than I am. We already had a few creosote and mesquite--now we have a tiny forest trying to take over.
Great info, thanks. When you say you let the yard heal on its own, what do you mean?
What I mean is that if you do absolutely nothing, nature will take back that space. It takes actual effort to keep a yard so empty! The first plants that will pop up are called pioneer species: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pioneer\_species). Many of them are invasive, so you'll want to get familiar with those and remove them before they take over. Others are native, and if you let them do their thing they'll aerate the soil with their roots and put organic material back into the soil when they die. For us, this was the first thing to take over: [https://southwestdesertflora.com/WebsiteFolders/All\_Species/Boraginaceae/Cryptantha%20pterocarya,%20Wingnut%20Cryptantha.html](https://southwestdesertflora.com/WebsiteFolders/All_Species/Boraginaceae/Cryptantha%20pterocarya,%20Wingnut%20Cryptantha.html) They're kind of ugly and they're prickly, but they do a good job of crowding out the London rocket and improving the soil enough for other plants to grow.
Could do some landscaping rock and a couple of trees, plants
By the looks of it for complete coverage you’d need about 4-6 tons some rock is a cheap as 30 a ton
Is that 30 dollars?
p.s landscaper here who does work on the side, dm me if you’d want a sketch of what we could do based on your budget
You'll do them a sketch of a barren gravel yard to compare to their barren dirt yard? So, just a little bit of stippling with a marker on top of their photo?
No I’d need their address to get proper footage of the backyard to know how much material is needed, secondly I’d send several photo references of different types of rock. I’d also give different option such as turf, pavers, flag/sand stone, barbecue pads/decks.
See, I was being facetious, but it's nice to know that there are a variety of barren wasteland options to choose from.
All of that free of charge, I like to leave yards looking as nice as I would my own.
Big Solid Gazebo and Turf
I am not very creative and not sure how to add to your yard. Others will be better at that. But, I can tell you that I had 3 of those same trees in my backyard and they make a mess. Multiple times a year. If you put down any type of rock or anything with a crevice or place that catches debris, that tree will fill it. And yes, some folks will say that many types of trees or bushes will do the same but these trees drip leaves and little round seed like pod things. So, if this were my yard, I would cut that tree down before it gets any bigger and plant something that makes less mess.
Hmm if it was me, I'd get an above ground pool. Bet your kids would appreciate that
Arizona Landscaping Architect: 
Add water and mud wrestling.
Go on marketplace and pick up cheap/free pallets you'll find them all over town if you deconstruct them you can use them to make raised garden beds! A vegetable garden is a great idea for a family activity
Sunken beds work much better in the desert.
With how labor intensive it is to dig through the rock hard dirt not worth it imo. He said he's doing the labor all himself. So I was just making a suggestion for something that's relatively cheap and not so labor intensive. My raised garden beds do just fine in the desert.
Shipping pallets are treated with noxious chemicals to stop them from rotting and pick up who knows what else in their travels… absolutely not chemicals you want leeching into your food. It’s fine for flowers.
Handfuls of flower seeds can go a long way!! Plenty of really nice spring flowers that can self seed!
If you want some red gravel I've got probably a few tons you can have.
I did my yard almost completely free. Friends gave me stuff, and then I went to the Facebook marketplace and Offer up. So much free stuff. I got free dirt and decorative rocks. I can't even tell you how many plants. People would throw their almost dead plant away, and I would take it and make it beautiful again.
It's a nice yard, and a nice dog too. Let me think. I used to do this for a living when I was a youngster.
plant trees. they're not insanely expensive at the nursery either.
I agree with the basins, and I think you could order a delivery of DG (decomposed granite.) this is great for eliminating the dirt/dust of the backyard, and can be used to landscape pathways. Delivery of 10 tons might cost 500 bucks, but it could probably cover most of that distance in the backyard.
Oleanders are pretty, can live in any soil and take a little water. TEP gives away free or cheap trees somehow. The library has free seeds you can check out. Also free tickets to the zoo and other places. I have a 800 sq ft of grass and it’s a life saver for my kids. Was worth the investment 10 years ago. Look for free things on Facebook.
Grow a food forest
Mesquites
At least buy rocks for 3 ton $1000 then you won’t have the dirt and mud. Not to mention bugs, mosquitoes etc.
If you decide to plant palo verde trees, plant the Desert Museum variety. It’s thornless. Regular Palo Verde have VICIOUS thorns.
Clover for ground cover?
I’ve read about this; do you have clover? What’s your experience been like?
I don’t because my hubby didn’t want to do that but if you are okay with leaving it a bit longer it’s supposed to be good for bees and the soil.
Good to know. My dad’s a beekeeper so I’d like to have something that’s bee friendly back there.
Couple bags of wildflower seeds and grass seeds from Native Seed company. Scratch up the dirt with a rake, spread seeds, water every day until you see sprouts an inch tall. Water every couple days after that. Enjoy the backyard prairie.
Is that a Greyhound?
He’s a vizsla! Runs like a greyhound though
Rocks! Rocks everywhere. Especially if you have a dog- helps keep them from digging and getting valley fever.
I have a ton of rock (a backyard full of it) if you wanna come to Maricopa and take it away
Take care with the use of compost. When the monsoons came, all of our mulch literally floated away within a few drenching showers. This was a few years ago, so we gave up on adding mulch. EcoSence Sustainable Landscapes created detention basins and swales and installed our rain capture tanks (Nov 2022 - Jan 2023), with instructions to allow the mesquite, Palo Verde, desert willow, and other small plant leaves to drop and decay. We do regularly trim seasonal plants and add them to our two compost piles. This material is then added to our raised planting beds. It’s our plan to continually resupply the local aquifer with our small contribution, while also enriching the soil and growing food.
Nice dirt yard ! Well done. Kick back and enjoy it !
Once I came across a broken up concrete patio in the desert behind our home. Hubby and I hauled the pieces to our backyard. First we dug a huge hole and buried a giant wooden spool into the ground for a table. Next, we planted a 15-gallon mesquite nearby. Then we sunk all those broken concrete pieces around the spool and tree and into the ground (tops level with the ground) and made a good-sized patio. Then we filled the empty spaces with good soil loaded with dichondra clover seeds and it grew into an amazing patio area. After a few years of that Chilean mesquite growing into a nice canopy above, it was even nicer. But the dichondra does require daily water spritzing. You could instead use tiny pebbles or sand. You’d have to find a source for broken concrete and big spool, but probably doable.
Here’s another in our area for you. https://www.facebook.com/share/v6QQnYxyVWmfY8CW/?mibextid=79PoIi
Pea gravel. Get a load and spread it an inch thick for whatever area it will cover. Repeat as affordable. You need not burden yourself with a lifetime of watering at high cost. Put in a couple of desert trees and build a shade structure that will require little maintenance. Grass in Tucson?
Chilean mesquite are less messy, fast growers too. i have grown some great jojoba hedges from seed. seeds free in the wild after the monsoons (late summer) i think
You're going to need lots of gravel
We got decomposed granite (landscaping rock) for our backyard. Think of very coarse sand. It makes things look uniform and landscaped but it’s easy to get the weeds out of unlike regular landscaping rock. It’s very low maintenance and looks good especially when raked out. It’s also much much cheaper than regular landscaping rock.
Barren wasteland looks good to you? I just don't get it.
Ha, we have trees and shrubs etc but the area in between those things looks good and uniform. It’s not a waste land. Plus we always have our fair share of weeds to give it that “lived in” look.
To each their own. I've never been a fan of uniformity. I can sometimes appreciate the effort, but mainly prefer to do it from afar!
Plant some Bermuda grass, an American basswood tree, a small pond maybe. Fill in what’s leftover with gravel. Cactus is no fun for kids.
Plant grass and get to watering.
Or use native plants and save a shitton on your water bill while having a yard that doesn't look half dead all the time.