Ahhh, July in Arizona! Now that we are deep into the summer, enjoying our landscaped areas can be challenging. The combination of shade and living, breathing plants come together to provide the most appealing outdoor spaces. If you have turfgrass areas, you know how important they are to your overall landscape. These living surfaces keep our yards cooler and provide a more livable and enjoyable space. The most commonly used summer turfgrass in Arizona is Bermudagrass. While Bermudagrass is seemingly easy to grow (as evidenced by it growing in places we haven’t invited it!), it does come with some challenges if you are trying to enjoy your lawn in the shade.

Right Plant, Right Place… We can’t say it enough. Yet it is common to see plants too wide for narrow strips of landscape planted in our landscape. Who is making the decision to plant the wrong plant for the site, or shall we say the ‘right plant,’ just in the wrong place? Here are a few considerations to discuss with your landscape professional before planting:

As the cost and availability of water is a hot topic in adjacent states, there is no doubt that at some point Arizona will be in the same boat. Many cities and communities are being pressured to reduce water consumption, with the #1 consumer being the landscape. Here are a few tips on how you can better manage water in your landscape:

As you drive through Phoenix and Tucson metro areas, you might have noticed the browning of needles of older pine trees this winter. It has been determined by local plant experts that this browning of pines is due to drought. Arizona is now entering its 21st year of long-term drought. Coupled with the abnormally warm winter (and past summer,) makes it challenging for some trees such as the Aleppo pine to adapt to these challenges in the urban environment. Below are a few tips to help your trees battle the warm and dry conditions our region is currently facing:

Since we are deep in the Arizona winter (is it really forecasted for 90+ degrees next week?) many landscape companies have already begun hard cutbacks, also known as Renovation Pruning. This type of pruning is usually performed in the winter and early spring to rejuvenate shrubs and groundcovers to encourage growth after the dormant period. It can also help manage plants that have outgrown the space, are encroaching over sidewalks, or are obstructing lines of sight. Here are a few additional benefits to help better understand why renovation pruning is taking place in your neighborhood: