Aug05

Arizona Desert August Plant Guide Checklist

by admin on August 5th, 2011
Posted In: Arizona Lawns, Desert Plant Guide, August Plant Guide, Desert Gardening, Desert Plant Guide

Our August checklist is short but it is time to start getting ready for fall planting and preparations.

1.  August is the best time to plant palm trees.  Palms love the heat and do best planted in the summer.  Dig the hole as deep as the root ball and 2′ wider around.  Do not amend the soil in the planting hole.  Palms trees will do best in our native soil and will not grow as well if you amend the soil.  Maintain consistent soil moisture for two weeks by watering daily.  The water should soak through the depth of the hole each time.  As it cools, you can gradually decrease the amount of water to every 7 days.  After this time, deep-water the established palms very 1- 2 weeks in the summer and every 3-5 weeks in the winter.  If you have runoff, you will need to adjust the watering as needed to minimize water runoff while getting the deep watering needed.

2.  You can still install Bermuda lawns from seed or sod.  Water 4 times daily for 5-10 minutes on new lawns to keep the soil moist until the roots begin to expand into the soil for the first 2 weeks.  You may gradually reduce the frequency of the watering after this but add more time to the duration so the water soaks through the root system.  Cut back to 2 times a day in 2 weeks, and 1 time a day in 3 weeks.  Watch the lawn for dry areas and fix sprinkler coverage as needed.  If the lawn gets too dry it will feel hard and crackly to the touch.  This means you need to increase water.  Over the long term, Bermuda does best with deep watering.  Many of our customer’s water daily in the extreme heat but recommendations are actually every 2-3 days.  Try the screwdriver test.  After watering, push a long screwdriver into the ground.  It needs to push into the ground easily after watering at least 12-18″.  If it does not , then you are not watering long enough.  Unfortunately, if you have runoff you will not be able to water long enough so you have to water more often. Do not forget to fertilize.  This goes a long way in reducing water needs.

Check out our Bermuda watering guide for more details:

http://landscapearizona.com/blog/2011/05/desert-bermuda-grass-care/

http://landscapearizona.com/blog/2011/05/arizona-bermuda-grass-water-guide/

3.  Fertilize citrus plants/trees.  Apply 1/3 of the tree’s annual nitrogen in August or September.

4.  Watch for squash bugs.  Examine your garden crops for these bugs.  They suck the sap from leaves and stems.  Adults are 1/2″ long, brownish gray and shaped like a shield.  The hide in the leaf litter, under rocks, or boards at night.  Pull mulch away from plants to eliminate hiding spots.  In the morning, stomp the bugs.  Examine the underside of leaves for eggs laid in rows and crush them.  Remove the leaf litter in the winter to prevent them from surviving the winter.

5.  Remove mosquito breading ares.  Mosquito’s breed in very shallow water.  Remove any standing water.  Make sure pooling water on the ground drains within 24 hours and empty saucers beneath containers or other receptacles.

6.  Aerate your lawn in dry patches.  Bermuda lawns benefit from aeration every 2-4 years to reduce compaction and aid in movement of oxygen, water, and nutrients to the root zone.

For Arizona landscape installation and Arizona landscape design contact Arizona Living Landscape & Design.  480-390-4477.

 

 

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Aug05

Arizona Lawn Rye overseeding guide

by admin on August 5th, 2011
Posted In: Arizona Lawns, Bermuda Grass, Desert Plant Guide, Tips and Tricks

8 Steps for over-seeding your Arizona Bermuda grass with Rye Grass.    Bermuda Grass will stay green usually into November but as soon as the frost hits, Bermuda will go dormant until Spring. Many Arizonan residents plant Winter Rye grass over their Bermuda lawn. Rye grass looks and feels very different from Bermuda Grass and will give your yard year round enjoyment, in addition to keeping the weeds at bay in your lawn. We usually over-seed in early October.

1.  The first thing to do is not fertilize your Bermuda Grass 4-6 weeks before over seeding. You do not want it to be actively growing when it is scalped.

2. Plan to over seed in late September through early November when night time temperatures are below 60 degrees but not much cooler.  Do not wait until the frost hits.

3. Cut your watering schedule down by half a few weeks before  over-seeding to allow the Bermuda grass to go dormant.

4. Stop mowing your lawn one week before scalping it.

5. The day of overseeding you will scalp your lawn to about 1/2″ high and remove all clippings.  You ay want to go over it a couple of time to get all of the dead grass out of it.  For lawns that have been in a long time, you might want to consider mulching it.

6. Spread the Rye seed according to package directions.

7. Cover seed with mulch, composted manure, or grass clipping to aid in moisture and keep the birds away.

8. Water 3-4 time daily for 5-10 min. until the seeds germinate in 5-7 days. After the third or fourth week, you can gradually reduce your watering to every 3 to 7 days in Nov. and Dec. and every 14 days for the rest of the season, depending on rainfal, etc. You may mow your ryegrass after is has grown 2″ tall but only mow to 1.5″. Do not fertilize until after the first mowing.

For assistance on your fall ryegrass overseeding call a licensed landscape contractor. Arizona Living Landscapes operates in the east valley: Queen Creek, Mesa, Gilbert, and Chandler Arizona. 480-390-4477

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Jul05

Summer Planting Tips in Arizona

by admin on July 5th, 2011
Posted In: Desert Plant Guide, Tips and Tricks

Extreme temperatures during summer in the Arizona desert make it a challenge for gardeners. June through August are the most extreme months for heat. Your plants may start to yellow or look droopy. Do not add more water to planters if the leaves start to look droopy at the end of the day. Take a look at them in the morning and if they are still drooping, then it is time to increase your watering. Otherwise, the sun, heat and salt in the soil are causing the drooping leaves. You want to water deeply enough for the salt to wash away from the soil but too much water will cause root rot. To help the plants look their best and keep the ground cool and moist, try adding some mulch. Be careful to keep the mulch away from the stems of the plants as much as possible and water your plants in the evening or early morning during the summer.  The draw back to evening watering is mosquitoes.
Another great idea for your plants is to install a patio misting system or greenhouse misting system. Plants on the patio will love the moist air from your patio misting system and it will keep your patio 10-20 degrees cooler. Call Arizona Living Landscape for your next misting system. 480-390-4477
Try these ideas for color around your flower bed from Home Depot. Annuals for summer heat

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Jul05

Arizona Patio Misting System

by admin on July 5th, 2011
Posted In: Misting System, Tips and Tricks

It is HOT out there Arizona. Wouldn’t it be nice to sit in your yard and enjoy the evenings by the pool with a Professionally Installed patio misting system? When properly installed, these patio mist systems can dramatically reduce the temperature in your back yard or anywhere you might need a system. Misting Systems can be installed around your Patio, Pool, Entertainment Areas, Greenhouses, RV, boat, trailer, golf cart, or anywhere you can imagine. Misting systems use very little water (less than half a gallon per hour for each nozzle) and are constructed and installed to last for years. Sure, you can go to a hardware store and pick up a do it yourself kit but you get what you pay for. The key is in the components used and the pump for a true fog effect.

By pressurizing water up to 1000 psi and forcing it through a specially designed mist system nozzle, billions of tiny water droplets can be created. Each droplet is smaller than the size of a grain of salt and are so light they actually suspend themselves in the air. If the water evaporates, it produces cooling up to 30 degrees Fahrenheit making it a very effective method of outdoor cooling. If the droplets are enclosed in an area such as a greenhouse, humidity levels up to 100% may be achieved. Because the droplets are so small, they have the ability to remove small particles from the air making fog systems a very effective method of dust and odor control. Misting Systems can be used within your landscape (mist-scaping) or a fog effect can be created in a pool water feature (Fog Deck). The key to the full effect is in the pump, high-quality materials, and regular maintenance.
Call for a free estimate on a professionally installed patio mist system 480-390-4477

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May17

Arizona Water Harvesting

by admin on May 17th, 2011
Posted In: Desert Gardening, Organic Gardening, Tips and Tricks

In the Arizona desert we get about 4″ of rain a year.  That isn’t much compared to many parts of the country but water run-off from a monsoon storm can produce enough water to water your garden or lawn for several weeks or months for free.  See below on how to harvest rain water in Arizona.

Getting started:

  • Observe the natural flow of the rainfall in your yard from your house and around.
  • Sketch a site map and include these areas.
  • Mark the pitch of the roof and flow of rain.
  • Mark high and low points in your yard and where water accumulates.

Next Steps:

  • Begin with adjusting or installing gutters. Add a barrel or build a berm to direct or capture the water off of the gutter. During a 1″ rainfall, a 1,000 sq. foot roof collects about 630 gallons of water.
  • Watch what happens during rainfall and make adjustments or add other elements as needed. You should direct the water away from the foundation by about 8-10 feet.
  • Promote quick drainage by loosening or tilling the soil in holding areas and covering with mulch. Do not compact the soil or the water will just sit and create a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
  • Add spillways to provide for overflow in order to channel the extra water elsewhere in the landscape.
  • Utilize many small rainwater collection areas. These are more effective then one large basin and will drain faster to your plants.
  • If you are wanting to store the water for future use during dry times, then consider installing a containment system with filtrations installed to avoid contamination and mosquitoes. This system can then be plumbed to your plants to keep them watered without costing you a dime.

Moby Rain Barrel – 65 Gallon – $ 234.95
We like this barrel because of it’s huge 65 gallon capacity. It has two overflow ports, so you can easily connect this barrel to another barrel, and still have an overflow port free to divert excess water.

 

Excerpts of this Article Courtesy: Phoenix Home & Garden Magazine

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