The triple-digit temperatures and long days can only mean one thing: it’s summertime in the Valley! As we move out of spring’s blooming season, our main focus shifts to protecting your landscape in the scorching heat.

The Bermuda grass in your turf has emerged from dormancy, taking over the winter Ryegrass and turning green again. Crews are applying fertilizer to the turf, spoon feeding bare spots as needed, which will help balance out the nutrients each area receives and to further strengthen it as the weather heats up.

Early summer also means cleanup from the spring blooms and crews are removing fallen leaf and flower debris from your trees. Crews are also moving through cycle work, trimming back plants as needed and keeping an eye on your sightlines. We are currently pruning in the northern parks and along Point 22 Boulevard. We are also pruning your trees, thinning out canopies to allow wind to flow through more easily. This helps protect trees from pests and storm damage. We completed tree pruning on the southern streetscapes and are now moving through the northern side of your community.

A well-functioning irrigation system helps keep your landscape healthy and your water costs low especially in the summer, and we are running regular assessments of your system and performing necessary repairs. We have lengthened irrigation run times to keep plants, turf and trees hydrated in the heat. Our spray technicians continue to treat weed growth with post-emergent herbicide as needed. We are currently spraying along Ray Road and the outer perimeter of Eastmark.

Watering for our summer heat

Summer has arrived in the Valley, and June is generally the hottest and driest month of the year. Just like us, plants and trees get thirsty when temperatures begin to rise. When summer monsoons arrive and the humidity increases, plants actually require less water. Ensure your home landscape is getting the water it needs now and you won’t be playing catch up later.

To minimize waste and to get more water to the roots, we recommend watering at night whenever possible. Now is also a good time to provide supplemental water to cactus and other succulents if they are not already on a drip water system. Take special care to not overwater saguaros.
Here are some helpful tips to assist you in getting the right amount of water where it needs to go:

• Check that your water delivery system is functioning correctly by turning the system on and walking around your yard. Check your emitters to make sure they are watering what they are supposed to and where they are supposed to.
• Check your irrigation controller to see if the watering schedule meets the needs of your landscape during the hot summer months. Sometimes the controller can default to a general schedule if you recently lost power.
• Use a long screwdriver or piece of rebar to test the depth of how far your water is soaking into the ground. A screwdriver will move easily through most soil when it is wet, but will stop when it reaches dry soil. The roots of most shrubs are not more than 6” to 18” deep and even a large tree will have most of its roots within the first 24” of soil. For turf, getting moisture to a depth of 6” should be sufficient.

For additional tips on how to use your irrigation system to manage your landscapes watering needs, continue reading.

Get ready for monsoon season

With summer temperatures creeping into the triple digits, monsoon season is just around the corner. Summer monsoon storms offer much needed rain to our desert environment but also pose the biggest weather related risk for trees. If not pruned and thinned properly, your trees are more susceptible to the strong monsoon winds.

Continue reading about how to prepare your trees for monsoon season.