Landscaping Tips

With Memorial Day behind us, summer has officially arrived! And the scorching temps won’t be far behind. Before thermometers soar well into the triple digits in the coming weeks, now is a good time to check over your landscape and make a few warm-weather preparations.

• If you haven’t already, make sure you adjust your irrigation system. From now until the mid-July is one of the times of year when plants need the most irrigation water. You should be watering five to seven days per week, depending on your landscape and plant species. 

• Non-desert trees are probably in the process of leafing out right now. Since producing leaves takes a lot of energy, your trees need more moisture during this time. Increase their irrigation water slightly until they are fully leafed.

• If you have heat-sensitive plants (i.e. young plants or non-desert adapted species) you can help protect them by applying organic mulch to the ground around them. Just be careful to not pack the mulch up against the trunk or stem; this can trap fungus or pests and lead to root rot.