Menu

ArizonaLandscaping

Weed Prevention in Arizona Landscapes

How Monsoon Season is Affecting Weed Growth in Arizona HOA Communities

, , , , , , ,

Have you noticed more weeds than usual cropping up throughout your HOA community landscape recently? Weeds can quickly get out of control in the Arizona Monsoon season, which lasts from June 15th all the way until September 20th! This increased growth is primarily due to the heavy rain and high winds that this season brings. These extreme climate changes affect your Arizona landscape in a number of ways when it comes to promoting weed growth- mostly by washing down pre-emergent chemicals past their effective depth, preventing them from helping to control germinating weeds while encouraging the spread of seed throughout the property. In fact, monsoons provide the perfect environment for quick and out-of-control weed growth, making it especially important to invest in weed management and maintenance during this time.

Weeds are maintained with pre-emergent (weed prevention) and post-emergent (weed control) chemicals. Pre-emergent chemicals are typically sprayed in liquid form onto the soil to make a barrier, preventing the growth of weeds in that area without causing harm or death to the surrounding plant material. This application works best if done about every six months in order to help prevent weeds from growing into the turf and landscaped areas and can be followed with post-emergent for those few weeds that do crop up.

Due to the monsoons creating more rain than normal and the intense winds blowing soil/dust around your Arizona landscape, pre-emergent chemicals have a hard time staying saturated in the soil. Heavy rains can wash away the chemicals and high winds blow the seed throughout the property, giving weeds the perfect opportunity to flourish. These storms also make it hard to keep up with maintenance as they flood the landscape and appear consistently, leaving little time for the landscape to dry off and new, weed-preventing chemicals to be applied. Because of this, post-emergent may be necessary to use as a measure to control the increase in new weed growth.

During this season, it is a good idea to work with a professional landscape company to strategize a plan for weed prevention and control. Professional landscapers will be more aware of where to put the most attention in a large HOA landscape and they also can create a timeline for pre-emergent and post-emergent applications to ensure you are getting the best use out of each application. It is a great time to invest in prevention now, keeping your landscape from suffering the consequences later!

Reach out to our team here at ELS Maintenance today for a quote on commercial landscape maintenance and enhancements!

Important Landscaping Note

Overseeding This Year Might be a Bad Idea

, , , , , ,

Overseeding season is right around the corner and we want to be sure to get you all of the information you need this year to make the right decision when it comes to overseeding your community landscape.

This year, things are a bit different when it comes to rye seed production and distribution. This is due to a variety of reasons including the record-breaking temperatures we have seen, the long drought experienced over the last two years, and the disruption in the supply chain that we are seeing in many industries due to Covid. Unfortunately, these factors together have caused a severe decline in overseed production for the fall of 2021- evidenced in various studies conducted in Oregon, the grass seed capital of the world.

What is Happening to the Rye Seed?

Most commercial landscape vendors receive their rye seed from Oregon distributors. In fact, according to the State Department of Agriculture, Oregon grows 91% of all ryegrass seed- earning its nickname of grass seed capital.

Unfortunately, distributors in Oregon have noted that this season’s perennial rye production has turned out to be one of the most challenging ever due to the extreme heat and drought the state is experiencing. According to the Capital Press, the period during which the seed starts coming out of dormancy to produce the ryegrass seed heads (March through June) saw the rainfall down 5.5 inches from normal. Due to the low precipitation occurring during this critical timeframe, the rye seed did not receive the water necessary and the rye seed yields dropped by 20-50 from the conditions. This is backed by records, provided by OSU, dating back to the 1970s that show 2021 to be the worst deficit since that timeframe.

Along with the drought, a punishing heatwave with temperatures reaching as high as 117 degrees is also putting the rye seed to the test- resulting in seed quality and quantity that it below optimal.

What Does This Mean for the State of Overseed in the Fall?

ELS wants to be as transparent as possible and stresses that the use of lower quality rye seed yield may not create the same results we have seen in recent years where the seed was of better yield. To put it frankly, the ryegrass seed yield from this year is extremely low and the quality is not up to par with what we have seen in the past. In fact, Denver Pugh of Pugh Seed Farm in Oregon noted, ” When you really start looking at seed heads, it’s going to be an awful light seed, if anything at all.”

Due to the state of the seed at this time, the several years of high temperatures lasting late into the fall (and causing high water consumption for plants), and of course the lack of rainfall, we are recommending to skip overseeding this season. It is a good idea to skip overseeding every couple of years anyway to decrease competition long-term competition between the Winter Rye and Summer Bermuda. With the rye seed production being low already if there was ever a year to skip the overseed process this would be the year!

What are the Benefits of Skipping Overseed This Year?

In addition to the benefits your landscape receives from an overseeding break this year, your community will also save money. This money can be used in other parts of the landscape such as enhancements or upgrades that may have been put off in previous years. We recommend giving our team a call or speaking with your area manager to discuss!

One enhancement option for utilizing saved money from overseeding would be to apply some amendments and pre-emergent this fall, these will help next year’s summer grass come in strong. Why use pre-emergent if you are not seeding? Every year that your turf gets overseeded you are missing opportunities to treat the turf for winter weeds! Poa Annua is one of these winter weeds that come in about the same time as the ryegrass. If you treat to kill this weed while you are overseeding, you would essentially also be killing the ryegrass. All in all, if you are not overseeding this year is the perfect opportunity to treat weeds, put some soil conditioner down, and make a smoother summer transition for next year.

Please feel free to contact the ELS Maintenance team with any questions or for additional information in making your decision to overseed or not. We are happy to provide you with everything you need to make the best decision for your community landscape.

Contact Us

ArizonaLandscaping

Arizona Landscaping; Heat Stressed Plants

, , , ,

Arizona is in for another record-breaking Summer this year! Can you believe it? With last summer being the hottest on record for Phoenix and with the effects of the last two years of drought, we’re expecting plants in Arizona communities to feel the burn this year!

So far this Summer, the increasing temperatures and summer storms have begun to cause heat stress and storm damage to many landscapes already. As July turns into August,  we are expecting temperatures to continue to rise- increasing plant stress and the possibility of plant fatality.

How to Tell if a Plant is Heat Stressed

When a plant enters heat stress from drought and extreme temperatures, it begins to take drastic measures to ensure survival. These measures include the rolling and/or wilting of leaves in an effort to reduce the amount of leaf area exposed to the sun, the increase in letting the outer edges of the plant die off/burn in an effort to keep water at the base (the most important part) of the plant, and the production of fewer flowers.

Some plants may appear dead or damaged during the day only to revive at night when temperatures drop and the sun goes down. This is a great example of the plant protecting itself from the sun during the day and then returning to a less-stressed state after the threat of the sun/heat is gone.

It is important to closely monitor plants that appear to be experiencing heat stress and to adjust your landscaping care accordingly.

How to Prepare & Care for Heat Stressed Plants

In order to avoid the effects of extreme heat as much as possible it is a good idea to follow these guidelines for plant care:

Refrain from New Plantings: While temperatures are on the rise, it is a good idea to refrain from placing any new plantings in your landscape. Planting new material will expose the plant to extreme heat and will cause stress on the plant before it has a chance to really grow and thrive. It is strongly recommended to wait until the cool temperatures of Fall arrive when it comes to adding new plantings to your landscape, should you have to!

In addition to staying away from new plantings, it is smart to also avoid excessive pruning of existing plants. Over-trimming can expose more of the plant to the heat/sun effects and cause deeper, more fatal, damage to the base of the plant.

Change Your Watering Strategy: With the days becoming longer and the excessive heat hitting the valley, it is crucial to update your watering strategy when it comes to plants. It is advised to water your plants in the early morning prior to the hottest parts of the day to avoid rapid evaporation and increase absorption. A good rule of thumb, according to the University of Arizona Collaborative Extension , is to water until the soil is wet to the depth of your plant’s root system. This would be a three-foot depth for trees, a two-foot depth for shrubs, and a one-foot depth for your small plants, such as annuals.

Prioritize Trees and Shrubs: As opposed to small plants that are usually changed out seasonally, the trees and shrubs in your community landscape are long-lived investments that have most likely survived a couple of summers already. The removal of trees and shrubs can be much more costly than changing out your seasonal plants and because of this, it is a good idea to prioritize them when it comes to the resources and time you are providing your landscape. To read more on tree care in the Arizona Monsoon season, click here.

Commercial Landscaping- How we Handle the Heat

As a commercial landscaping company, servicing the landscapes of large HOA communities here in the Valley, we here at ELS Maintenance follow a heat stress strategy during the months where we experience extreme heat. Our team typically works to leave as much foliage as possible to act as a shield for the base of shrubs and trees from the heat and sun. As soon as temperatures drop back down around 100-105 degrees, we are able to cut back stressed material to where the green foliage is still at or to the ground and allow the plant to come back naturally. We leave this choice up to the board/HOA community we work with. In addition to this, our team increases water usage and monitors our community landscapes closely to ensure they are looking their best throughout Summer.

Want to learn more about how we can keep YOUR commercial property or HOA community looking great this Summer? Reach out to our qualified experts today or fill out our Request a Bid form for a free estimate in one of your communities.

Stephen Stewart-Business Development Manager- [email protected]

LandscapeAZ

AZ Landscaping; Preparing Your Landscape for Summer Temperatures

, , , ,

Arizona is known for its dry desert climate and triple digit Summers, meaning that our Summer landscaping practices might look a little different than that of your average state! It is important, therefore, to ensure you are properly preparing your Arizona landscape to beat the heat in the coming months!

Keeping Your Summer Turf Looking Great

Here in Arizona, the turf that we use in our landscape is Bermuda grass. Bermuda is heat hardy and thrives with lots of sunlight and warmer temperatures. Typically, Bermuda transition begins in late Spring to ensure that the turf is fully grown in before the Summer months hit. This transition involves the Summer turf getting a much needed head start over the previous Winter turf (Rye grass). In most cases this can be done by scalping down to about half of the turfs height and laying some new Bermuda seed where it has not filled in. Some Rye grass will stay around all year in certain areas- not to fear as you can take Summer preparation measures regardless to ensure that your lawn looks great and to give the Bermuda the best chance at taking hold!

Another way to prepare your turf for the heat is by aerating it. Aeration is a great way to open up and introduce air to the soil. This process can be done in various ways and is an important step to follow if you are looking to aid your Bermudagrass in transition. It is highly recommended that if you are going to aerate, you follow this by spreading a soil conditioner, such as gypsum, afterwards (follow instructions found on bag).

After grass has transitioned and our Arizona temperatures start to climb, it is a good idea to implement a deep watering program. This will be beneficial since the hot temperatures and dry winds can dry out the surface level soil. Additionally, be sure to perform this watering in the morning or evening to reduce evaporation effects that often occur mid-day when the sun is at its highest. Finally, make sure you are properly maintaining your turf after transition by de-thatching. The best time to dethatch is in May/June when it is growing at its fastest rate, this ensures that the grass is not suffocating from over thatch and provides an opportunity to see what is going on with the grass at the surface level.

Plant Maintenance Adjustments for Summer Survival

Plant maintenance will need to be adjusted to aid the plants with surviving the higher temperatures that the Summer months bring. A good place to start when adjusting your typical maintenance routine is to remember not to over prune your plants prior to or during the hot Summer months. Branches and leaves protect your plants and keep them cool, acting as a barrier between the sun and the base of the plant. Over pruning while temperatures are high will leave the most important parts of the plant exposed and could result in plant fatality!

It is also a good idea to use a layer of organic mulch around plants to reduce evaporation! By doing this you can save hundreds of gallons of water each year according to the Arizona Landscape Contractors Association!

Implement Summer Hardy Annuals into Your Landscape

Add Summer-hardy Annuals to your landscape during the hottest months to keep it looking great! Annual flowers are a great addition to any landscape as they are beautiful and add color, fill bare spots in a landscape, and can be changed each season to match the look that you are going for at that time! Replacing your flowers with Summer Annuals means you are adding plants that can survive intense sunlight and extreme temperatures to your landscape- perfect for Summer!

Interested in obtaining a landscape maintenance bid for your commercial property or community landscape? Reach out to our Business Development team today or request your bid on our website!

Stephen Stewart | Business Development | [email protected]

Mackenzie Bates | Business Development | [email protected]

Request a Bid

CitrusTree

Arizona Landscaping; It’s Time to Fertilize Citrus Trees

, , , ,

Temperatures are finally warming up and Spring is right around the corner! With this change in seasons comes changes in the landscape of your HOA community or commercial property and it is important to properly prepare the plant and tree materials for the upcoming warmer weather.

January/February marks the kickoff to Spring here in Arizona and is the perfect time to begin fertilizing Citrus Trees in your landscape. Citrus Trees, like many fruit bearing tree species, are heavy feeders so it is important to their health and fruit bloom that they receive the proper fertilization and water prior to their full bloom. Amount of fertilizer recommended to use varies depending on size and age of the tree. When buying your fertilzier it is a good idea to refer to the back of the package to find proper amounts to use for your tree. We have also included a chart that details recommended amount by the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension which you can access here.

Download Citrus Fertilization Chart

When it comes to applying the fertilizer to Citrus Trees, you can do it one of two ways. One way to go about this process is to purchase a spray fertilizer which you would spray directly on the leaves of the tree. The other option is to spread fertilizer on the ground near the tree. When applying fertilizer via the ground it is important to spread the fertilzier from the tree to the length of the canopy, avoiding placing fertilizer directly on or near the trunk of the tree.

Finally, due to the dry climate that we have here in the desert southwest it is crucial to the health of the trees to water them thoroughly following the application of fertilizer. This ensures that they get the water they need to utilize the fertilizer in a way that will promote bloom and growth.

ELS has an entire division dedicated to Arbor Care, complete with SLM certified arbor professionals. Request a bid for your next arbor project!

Request an Arbor Bid
Shrub.Pruning

Landscape Management; Shrub Pruning in an Arizona Landscape

, , , , ,

Shrubs are an integral part of any Arizona landscape as they are easy to maintain, survive well in the desert climate, and are great for taking up extra ground space and bringing a diverse landscape together.

Shrubs are typically chosen for a landscape to keep maintenance costs low and for their natural appearance and aesthetic. Though they come in a variety of species with different characteristics, they typically all share similar attributes of simplicity and shapeliness.

When choosing the type of shrubs to place on a property or in a community landscape it is important to consider the surrounding plants, the amount of space the shrub/shrubs will have, and the maintenance and pruning that will be involved to keep them looking their best year yound.

Shrub Maintenance: Pruning Shrubs

Pruning is a process where a part of a plant is removed intentionally to either increase the plant/shrub health, rejuvenate the plant/shrub, or control the size. This is an important part of the maintenance of a landscape as not only does it keep the shrubs looking their best throughout the year but it also can aid in the bloom of flowering shrubs if done at the correct time.

Pruning schedules dictate the appropriate time to prune shrubs based on the species. For rejuvenation pruning, this is particularly important as it is scheduled to be completed in the Winter to promote Spring growth. If this pruning is not done at the right time it could lead to consequences such as plant death and need for replacement.

When pruning, it is important to ensure that you are using the correct tools. Hand pruners, such as bypass pruners and loppers, are considered appropriate for most shrub pruning techniques. However, it is advised for heavier work that professionals may use power equipment when necessary. Referring to a complete pruning guide for when to use what tool based on plant species will help you decide on the appropriate technique to use.

What to Expect From Your Landscape Management Company

If you have a landscape management company working for you , it is important to know what you should be expecting of them when it comes to the maintenance and upkeep of your landscape.

When it comes to shrubs, landscape management companies should be scarcely pruning shrubs so as to keep natural shape, performing rejuvenation pruning according to annual schedule, and using the correct tools as noted above.

If you are looking for a landscape management company to beautify the landscape of your HOA community or commercial property, reach out today!

Request a Bid
Overseedwordpress

To Overseed or Not?

, , , , , ,

Consider the money you save from the overseed and water costs this year so you can: remove and update ‘wrong plant, wrong location’ areas or fill in areas that are missing plants.

As fall soon approaches it is important to remember more than just the jack o’ lanterns, cooler weather, and colorful leaves that surround us here in Arizona. Fall is typically the time we transition our grass warm season turf in the desert. Bermuda grass will become dormant for the winter typically around September-October which is when we begin to transition lawns to our winter Rye grass. This transition raises a question as to whether or not to overseed. Annual overseeding is pretty common for us in the valley, but is it the best move for your lawn this season?

 Why Skipping Overseeding This Season Can Add Value

 Overseeding with winter Rye gives our grass landscape a uniform green grass through out the winter, so why should we skip overseeding this season? With Arizona’s extreme heat and recent lack of rainfall this year, as well as increased pricing of seed and water, giving your grass a break from overseeding this season may be just what your budget, summer turf areas, and overall landscape need.

Overseeding with Ryegrass too often can lead to competition for nutrients, water, and light between your summer Bermuda and the winter Rye grass. This competition can lead to wear and spotty Bermuda throughout the summer.

Taking a break this season from overseed in your community will ensure that spring’s Bermuda grass won’t be in competition to come back from dormancy, creating a stronger and healthier summer lawn.

With the money saved in overseed and water cost, your community can do those planting and enhancement projects this fall that have been put off during the hottest and dryest monsoon season.

Let’s talk more about how you can maintain the investment in your landscape and improve its value. Call ELS business development team at 602.703.1850 anytime.