Landscaping FAQs

Las Cruces Landscaping Questions, Answered

Straight answers to the questions Las Cruces homeowners ask us most: costs, watering rules, plants, caliche, goatheads, drainage and how we work. Each answer links to a full guide or service page if you want the details.

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Costs

Costs and estimates

Most Las Cruces landscaping projects cost $1,500 to $10,000. Small jobs like cleanups and rock refreshes run $150 to $3,000, a front yard xeriscape $4,000 to $10,000, and a backyard with a patio and plantings $12,000 to $25,000 or more. See the 2026 cost guide.

Yes. We walk the yard with you and give you a free, written, itemized estimate. Nothing starts until you approve it.

Usually $8 to $20 per square foot installed, so a 500 sq ft front yard runs about $4,000 to $10,000. More on the xeriscaping page.

About $3 to $6 per square foot with weed barrier and labor. Removing old rock adds about $1.50 to $3 per square foot. See landscape rock.

Most repairs run $137 to $422, with a typical call near $278. A single broken head is often $65 to $90. See sprinkler and irrigation repair.

Paver and flagstone patios typically cost $12 to $30 per square foot installed; a 12 by 16 foot patio runs about $2,300 to $5,800. See hardscaping.

Watering

Watering and irrigation

Even-numbered addresses water Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday; odd-numbered addresses water Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. No one waters on Monday. See the watering schedule guide.

From April 1 to September 30, only before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m. on your watering days.

For trees, shrubs and beds, yes. EPA WaterSense says drip uses 20 to 50 percent less water than spray sprinklers. Lawns still need sprinklers or rotors. See drip vs. sprinklers.

Watch for soggy spots that never dry, water running into the street, low pressure at some heads, and a water bill that jumps without a reason. A zone-by-zone check finds most leaks.

Yes, lightly. Deep water trees and shrubs about once a month on a mild day, on your watering days. Dry winter wind damages roots.

Plants

Plants, soil and lawns

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 8b on the 2023 USDA map. Higher areas like Organ run a little colder.

Desert willow, chitalpa, Texas sage, Apache plume, autumn sage, red yucca, Parry’s agave, blackfoot daisy, desert marigold and blue grama are all reliable. See 25 plants that thrive in Las Cruces.

October and November. Roots grow through the mild winter before the June heat. March is the second-best window.

Caliche is a hard, cement-like layer of calcium carbonate under many yards. It blocks roots and drainage and keeps soil alkaline. Trees need wide planting holes dug through it. See the caliche guide.

Yes, usually Bermuda, watered on your three days in summer. Many homeowners keep a small lawn where they use it and convert the rest to rock and desert plants.

It can. Studies found synthetic turf averaging 35 to 42°F hotter than natural grass in direct sun, so shade matters. See artificial turf and sod.

Yard care

Weeds and yard care

Pull or hoe them before they set burrs (they seed within 2 to 3 weeks), bag the plants, pick up burrs with a shop vac, and apply a pre-emergent in late winter. Seeds last 8+ years, so it takes a few seasons. See how to get rid of goatheads.

Late January to February, before goatheads and spring weeds sprout in March. Always follow the product label.

Most shade and fruit trees January to March while dormant. Thin mesquite and palo verde in late spring, before monsoon winds. See tree and shrub trimming.

For City customers, the grappler picks up yard waste and bulky items once a month on your trash day, up to 4 cubic yards. See the grappler guide.

Prune in winter, pre-emergent in February, irrigation start-up in March, drainage prep in June and planting in fall. See the yard care calendar.

Drainage and design

Drainage, hardscape and design

Make sure the ground falls at least 6 inches in the first 10 feet from the house, keep swales open, and add a French drain or dry creek bed where water collects. See drainage solutions.

Under the residential code, walls over about 4 feet from the bottom of the footing, or walls holding back a driveway or structure, generally need a permit and often an engineer. Check with the City or County.

Often, yes, especially for front yards, walls and structures. We provide a sketch and plant list for your application.

A simple planting plan usually runs $300 to $600, and a full front or backyard design $700 to $3,000. See landscape design.

Working with us

Service area and scheduling

Las Cruces and nearby Doña Ana County, including Mesilla, Sonoma Ranch, the East Mesa, Picacho Hills, University Park and Las Alturas, Talavera and Doña Ana, Fairacres and Organ.

Call or text before 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday and we get back to you the same business day.

Monday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Call or text (575) 270-0676.

Yes. One-time cleanups, repairs and installs are welcome, with no contract required.

Yes. We schedule around tenants and move-outs and send photo updates when you’re not on site.

Still have a question?

Call, text or send the form. We’ll answer it, and if you’d like, walk your yard and give you a free, written, itemized estimate.

Call (575) 270-0676 Text Us
  • We call back the same business day
  • Free, written, itemized estimates
  • One-time jobs welcome; no contract
  • Serving Las Cruces, Mesilla and Doña Ana County

Las Cruces Landscaping Group
1921 Santa Ines Drive, Las Cruces, NM 88011
(575) 270-0676. Mon to Sat, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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