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Grasslands on the high plains will actually keep the soil stable. If you live in these areas between approximately 4,000 to 7000 feet you will need scrubs planted to prevent erosion and also grasslands. In some areas there will be no shade and lots of wind. Evaporation occurs quickly when any moisture is in the soil with the heat of each day.
The soil will vary depending on the area of the Southwest that you live, from clay soils to sandy loam. When you have a lot of grass density all the grass and shrubs will be competing for any moisture they can obtain. Sometimes a wide area will not have growth and other times there will be heavy grass. The growth will depend on the type of soil, the moisture that the soil obtains and also the type of grass planted especially on slopes.
In some areas blue grama will thrive especially on the shortgrass prairie while in the drier areas black grama will thrive. When the soil heats up in the spring these grasses will begin to grow although if they don't get enough moisture they can also go dormant earlier than usual. The hot part of the season is hardest on anything growing in the desert Southwest where they is very little moisture and intense heat.
If you have burrowing animals in your area don't rid yourself of them as pests as they will aerate the soil. This helps the grasslands to grow as the soil would not be aerated without these small burrowing animals. Even the insects that pollinate plants will help the ecological balance in this area.
Shrubs can store moisture in their tissues, thus you will want to space your shrubs wider apart than in some areas of the county. Then each shrub will be able to obtain more water from its roots when there is moisture. When there is moisture in the area it tends to help fill in gaps from erosion of the soil and each shrub needs as much moisture near it as possible for it to absorb.
There are many wildflowers that grow in the grasslands and these actually will require drought. Sometimes you will need to water these wildflowers just to get them to grow, then you can leave them alone and let them depend on any natural moisture. If you tend to transplant you will need to water until they are established. Remember that the warmer the temperature is there will be more water lost to evaporation and when the soil is very dry it will tend to erode.
Sometimes you won't even see trees except in arroyos where water has provided a runoff. If you have an arroyo near you then you might want to consider planting trees or shrubs to enable the plants to have the benefit of the run off of water and moisture. These trees or shrubs will also
help to end erosion. They will also stabilize the soil and make breathtaking views also.
In some areas people are replanting grasslands and making them as the prairies of long ago were with a mixture of blue grama, sideoats grama, galleta, black grama, purple threeawn, fluffgrass and Indian ryegrass. The planting of these grasses which don't need as much moisture will prevent erosion and also stabilize the soil in the areas in which they are planted.
Planting Russian Olive trees in this desert Southwest also with red yuccas and various shrubs such as the Silveberry and Grayleaf Cottoneaster will provide year around foliage and also a cover for birds plus stabilize the soil. A natural cover of grasses as mentioned above around the property will make the area very native and also attractive around your home.
Weeding is necessary but only a few times per summer just to remove the sage and tumbleweeds that might grown on their own. Sage brush bushes are to be avoided as they will steal water from the plants that you want to thrive. Thistles are another problem plant that will grow native in the Southwest and needs to be removed.
You might install a drip watering system that will water the trees and shrubs and if affordable the grassland grasses you have planted on your property. Some of the plants will need deeper watering than others and you might want to consult your local plant nursery for more information on the water necessary to maintain certain plants on your property.
If you will try to plant grassland grasses and shrubs and trees that are native to the area of the desert Southwest that you live you will have much better success in growing these plants, grasses and trees. Just look around your area and see what others have planted and also take a drive to see what grasses, plants and trees are just growing naturally and native. Some years you will have extreme conditions and that is when you will be able to see that native grasses, plants and trees will still live while others may not survive. Even the natives at times will not do well but you won't lose as many to heat and dry conditions. Each plant will also develop at its own rate, the growth of any two or three plants in this desert Southwest will not be the same.
Some of the shrubs for the desert will have leaves that will retain more moisture than other shrubs thus not requiring as much moisture during the severe drought and heat times of the year. You really need to establish any trees or shrubs by deep watering as they will not require as much water when established fully. Sometimes it is hard to get these trees or shrubs to grow but other times they will thrive. Be sure as I mentioned above to keep all weeds, thistles and sage brush plants pulled or dug around the grassland grasses, shrubs for the desert and trees. With care and proper watering and weed reduction and fertilizers you should have a beautiful area that you will be proud of when people visit your home.
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