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Arizona Landscaping

Preparing Your Arizona Landscape for Spring

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It is almost time for Spring here in the Arizona valley as temperatures begin to rise and the frost of Winter begins to melt away. While there is much to look forward to in the coming months, this is a very busy time for landscapes as they undergo change and transition for the warm climate to come. Participating in the right preparation for Spring ensures that your landscape looks its best following this transition.

Spring preparation includes many moving parts, especially when it comes to ensuring that each aspect of the landscape gets what it needs to transition. Our team here at ELS has shared some information on what they do with the landscapes of master-planned communities we work for to prepare for season change. These are great tips to incorporate into your residential landscape or to simply be in the know when it comes to best landscaping practices here in the desert southwest!

Spring Plant Cutbacks

Late Winter/early Spring is a great time to begin pruning plants to prepare for the growing season. Cutbacks allow for the removal of lasting frost effects such as dead/dying plant material as well as work to open the plant up so that it can receive more sun and nutrients at its core- promoting bloom as the temperatures warm.

Due to each plant species having its own blooming cycle and characteristics, some of this pruning may happen at different times throughout the Winter and Spring months. This is why it is recommended to follow a rejuvenation pruning calendar. This calendar breaks pruning schedules down by plant species. Following along with the calendar and ensuring that plants are pruned prior to the main growing season of Spring will ensure that you see beautiful bloom in your Arizona landscape as March turns into April.

Weed Control

Weeds tend to thrive in the heat and in an Arizona landscape where warm temperatures begin in February that means that we can expect increasing amounts of weeds coming through in the beginning of Spring onward. In order to prepare for this, it is important to apply pre-emergent herbicide where possible. This herbicide controls germinating weed seed, preventing some of the uptake of that seed and stunting weeds that do, unavoidably, find a way to sprout up into your landscape.

When it comes to weeds, it is important to take the proper precautions by applying the pre-emergent but equally as important to stay on top of later emerging weeds that will slip through the cracks and inevitably appear.

Preparing for Bermuda

Here in the Arizona desert, our climate calls for two different grass species: Rye Grass in the Winter (should you choose to overseed) and Bermudagrass in the Summer. Spring is the perfect time to begin revitalizing your dormant Bermudagrass so that it can grow into a lush Summer turf.

One of the best ways to revitalize your lawn is to apply soil amendments such as a soil conditioner (gypsum or sulfur are good examples). These conditioners increase water holding capacity, nutrients, and aeration to the soil to improve its overall structure. They also work to loosen compacted soils that may be locking up important nutrients and restricting water to plants.

Switching to Summer Annuals

As Spring transpires, it is a good idea to begin preparing your flower beds for Summer annuals. Summer annuals are warm temperature flowers that include a variety of species. A good way to start is to begin to pull out your Winter flowers as temperatures warm up and consider plant replacements where needed. When doing this, it is important to remember to add new soil and a balanced fertilizer. This keeps your landscape fresh and beautiful for the warm Spring and Summer seasons.

ELS Maintenance prides itself on caring for the landscape of our master planned communities and commercial properties. If you are interested in an estimate for work for one of your properties please reach out today!

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Licensed Landscape Contractor

Are Un-Licensed or Under-Licensed Contractors You Hire a Liability for Your Communities?

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It is important for property managers such as yourself to be aware of the licensing rules and liabilities when it comes to your landscape contractor or any contractor working for your commercial or association property. Not only does this ensure protection of your company and the property you manage but also ensures that the work you are receiving is of quality and done properly, avoiding un-licensed or under-licensed contractors attempting to fly under the radar.

Benefits of Hiring Licensed Professionals That are Licensed for the Work they are Proposing and Performing

Hiring a licensed contractor has a number of benefits that are well worth the search to check for a license. To begin, hiring a licensed contractor helps to ensure quality. In order to obtain a license to perform specific work, contractors must possess a minimum amount of experience to a related license, pass an exam related for the license they are applying for, have insurance, and have limited outstanding contracting complaints. It is also important to note that not all licenses are inclusive of all of the work a contractor may propose, so be sure to check these licenses and make sure that the contractor who is proposing commercial landscaping services isn’t only licensed for residential work! By doing this, you can trust you are hiring an educated and reputable contractor that is licensed to provide quality work for your property or community, limiting the liability while they are on-site.

Additionally, hiring a contractor who is licensed for the project they are tasked with protects you and the property you manage from scammers and bad business. When a contractor is properly licensed for the work performed and a complaint is filed against them, property managers can rely on the licensing organization to help handle the disputes for them. Hiring an un-licensed or under-licensed contractor to provide services that they are not licensed for creates a liability quagmire between the contractor, your company, and your client should things go wrong. This is an extremely important precaution that can easily turn into a missed opportunity to protect your company and your commercial property.

What You Should Know About Licensing & Insurance

Licensed contractors, especially commercial contractors, pay for insurance. This insurance includes, but is not limited to: Commercial liability, Automobile liability, Umbrella liability, Workers Compensation, and leased and rented equipment. Doing work at your commercial property or homeowners association requires a contractor to carry much higher limits of insurance than a residential contractor may carry and, in some cases, a non-licensed contractor may not carry insurance at all. Not carrying insurance or being underinsured may allow a contractor to underbid, however not paying proper insurance premiums is irresponsible and creates a liability for you as the property manager.

Property managers can check if a contractor is licensed by visiting https://roc.az.gov/contractor-search using the contractor search that they provide at the website or simply by giving them a call and asking a service representative to verify the licenses for the selected contractor.

Here at ELS, we make it easy for you to check our licenses by providing our license number in our written contracts and business cards. This is a great thing to keep an eye out for when receiving written estimates as it can make the process quick and easy when it comes to searching licenses and checking for updates on your contractors.

Need a written estimate from a licensed contractor you can trust? Request a bid and we will get back to you shortly!

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Pruning

For Residents; The Importance of Plant Pruning in Your Residential Landscape

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When it comes to pruning the plants and trees of your community landscape, your maintenance company has it covered. But what should you be doing when to comes to the landscape of your front yard? We have put together some information on the best practices for pruning your plant material to help keep your yard looking great year-round.

Why Prune?

There are many great benefits associated with proper trimming practices of your plants and trees. To start with, appropriately timed pruning of plant material encourages its natural cycle of bloom and dormancy and promotes growth/flowering as well. Pruning is a great way to help your landscape look its best year round and has positive long term health effects on your plants.

Additionally, practicing proper pruning techniques will ensure that plants do not out grow their designated space- encroaching onto sidewalks and driveways. This will keep them from obstructing nearby signage or views and keep them looking clean and tidy.

When to Prune

Now that you have an idea of how pruning your plant material can benefit your landscape, it is important to understand when the appropriate time to perform pruning is to ensure that you are able to enjoy these benefits!

Here in the Desert Southwest, we recommend following rejuvenation pruning schedules advised by experts such as the Arizona Landscape Contractors Association and Sustainable Landscape Management.

We also recommend referring to resources provided by your landscape management company, such as pruning schedules and species-specific plant information. Here at ELS, we have made resources for our large scale HOA communities to access and this is something that should be expected from your landscape management company as well.

Click Here to download our Free Pruning Schedule Guide

How to Properly Perform Rejuvenation Pruning

Rejuvenation Pruning is a type of pruning that is done annually, as needed, to ensure long term health of the plant. The time of pruning is different per plant species and is based on plant characteristics, blooming schedule, and growth pattern. This type of annual pruning helps you avoid excessively pruning your plant material which typically leads to stress to the plant thus requiring more water and resources to keep it alive.

By performing rejuvenation pruning according to the above schedule and keeping “here and there” pruning to a minimum, you will ensure long term health of your plant material and enhance seasonal bloom and color in your landscape!

For more information on how to prune, visit our blog post in the topic here.

Ornamental Grasses Image

Ornamental Grasses in Your AZ Landscape

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This holiday season we are talking more than ornaments for your tree! Ornamental Grass is a great addition to any Arizona Landscape and is an aesthetic plant material that thrives in the Winter, providing some green to your community while other plants struggle through the colder temperatures.

Ornamental Grasses are low water use and require little maintenance outside of pruning. They add texture and color to a landscape, specifically in the Winter season as other plants go dormant during the cold. These grasses come in a variety of types to choose from and are great for providing privacy, filling up dead space, and making a landscape look unique.

Maintenance of Ornamental Grasses in an AZ Landscape

Due to their frost-hardiness, Ornamental Grasses should not be pruned during the late Fall/ early Winter timeframe that most plants are. Instead, they should be attended to in the Spring after the frost has lifted and temperatures begin to rise. They can be lightly pruned to ensure they are looking their best at this time.

Water usage should rise slightly in the summertime for these plants to help them survive the hottest months of the year, however otherwise they are low water usage grasses. This is great for a desert landscape to help save on water use that would typically be higher for other plant material and regular grasses.

For more information on landscaping tips to maintain ornamental grass, visit the Arizona Landscape Contractor’s Association blog post.

If you are interested in an AZ landscape management company to help you with the maintenance of your HOA community or commercial property’s landscape, click here.

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Communicationblog.Featureimage

Communication in HOA Maintenance; Are You Asking Yourself These Questions?

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As a community manager or board member for an HOA community it is important to ensure that the maintenance company you choose for your community is keeping lines of communication open with you and your board. Important questions to ask yourself when considering if a company is right for YOUR community are:

  1. Is my HOA maintenance company transparent in what they are doing in my community and when?
  2. How is my HOA maintenance company communicating with me and my homeowners? Is their current method effective?
  3. What can my HOA maintenance company do when it comes to communication to make my job easier?

While there are other factors to take into consideration as well, communication between landscape company and community plays a vital role in establishing a long lasting and mutually beneficial relationships.

Download Our Free Communication Infographic Here

Blog Posts For FAQ

Blog posts are a great way for HOA maintenance companies to keep communication open and touch on certain topics that require longer explanations and detail to properly explain. Regular and consistent blog posts by an HOA maintenance company helps to answer frequently asked questions from homeowners and board members as well as to educate the community on industry standards. Blog posts should be easily accessible and shareable so that you, as a community manager, can send them out en masse. This helps mitigate an influx of homeowner questions and/or complaints for various landscape events that may happen in a community each season.

Utilizing blog posts as a resource to send to disgruntled or confused homeowners saves time, shows authority as an informative manager, and helps educate the homeowner.

Monthly Community Newsletters

Community newsletters are one of the BEST resources a maintenance company can supply when it comes to keeping communication open between community manager, board, and homeowners. These newsletters create a space where everyone can feel up to date on what is happening and holds the company to a level of accountability as all tasks that they should be completing are outlined in the newsletters.

We recommend releasing supplied newsletters (newsletters your HOA maintenance company creates and sends to you) monthly for large communities. A strong and effective newsletter will have one section dedicated to projects and events for the current month and another, separate section, dedicated to upcoming projects and events later that season. This allows for everyone to be on the same page and tells homeowners what they can expect from the HOA maintenance company.

Here at ELS, we release monthly newsletters for over 15 of our largest communities. This has decreased the amount of questions and emails that community managers receive and has increased satisfaction among homeowners, board, and managers.

Community Newsletter Example (Front)
Community Newsletter Example (Back)

Managers and Staff at Important Meetings

The presence of your HOA maintenance company at important meetings with the community is crucial to ensuring that all questions and concerns regarding landscape are addressed. A company that is not willing to attend these meetings is a company that is not willing to communicate. Building relationships with the community, attending all important meetings, and showing up plays a huge role in the overall success of the community and company.

While communication may not be on the top of the priority list when looking for a new HOA maintenance company for your community, we believe it should be. Here at ELS we value effective and strong communication with community managers, board members, and homeowners just as much as we value a job well done out on the field.

Download Free Communication Infographic Here

If you are struggling with your current HOA Maintenance company and feel they are not up to par with your expectations, contact us today!

Unhappy with the communication from your current HOA Maintenance company? We got you!

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Palm Tree

HOA Arbor; Planting and Maintenance of Palms

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Palm trees are notorious for their height, beauty, and position as focal points in a community. While they are not native to Arizona, they fit in perfectly with the Southwest desert climate and landscape- making them a popular choice in homeowners associations and commercial properties.

Palm trees are low maintenance and represent higher monetary value. They are an investment that is well worth what you put in as they add value to a community and serve as an accent planting in the landscape design. When maintaining this investment, it is important that your landscape management company properly cares for these trees to avoid costly replacements.

Our Arbor team has established some tips to follow when maintaining Palms:

Pruning:

  • Only remove fronds that are deceased
  • Refrain from using spikes/nails to climb the trunk of the tree for pruning. Instead use a hydraulic lift so as not to cause damage to the trunk of the tree
  • Do not remove over a quarter of the foilage at any given time
  • When removing fronds, keep removal minimal and to a 180 degree angle

Irrigation

  • Palm trees are not drought tolerant, this is a common misconception
  • Administer slow irrigation drop every couple of weeks to a depth of about 2 feet.
  • In Winter, keep irrigation administration to every 4-6 weeks

If your community or commercial property needs arbor care services to ensure that your trees are being maintained correctly, reach out to our arbor division here at ELS Maintenance.

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Woman Pruning a Shrub

What Your Commercial Landscape Management Company Should be Doing When it Comes to Rejuvenation Pruning

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Are you a decision maker when it comes to the landscape management of your HOA community or commercial property? If so, you may be asking yourself what you should expect out of your landscape contactor this season.

While we have many different posts on what to expect when it comes to communication and performance, we wanted to be sure to focus on something happening this season; Rejuvenation Pruning.

Rejuvenation pruning, aka Renovation Pruning, is a sustainable landscape practice where plants and shrubs are pruned seasonally rather that monthly or bi-monthly. This practice is done to ensure that plants and shrubs are not over pruned-leaving them in a constant state of stress and leading to plant failure.

When your commercial landscape management company is working on rejuvenation pruning, they should be following specific guidelines and schedule to promote plant health and ensure proper bloom. This is dependent on type of plant, plant characteristics, bloom time, and time of year.

Renovation Pruning Practices Your Commercial Landscape Management Company Should be Doing

To start with, your landscape contractor should be aware of the pruning schedules for the variety of plants and shrubs specific to your community. The schedules for a majority of plants and shrubs we find here in Arizona landscapes are outlined in resources such as those provided by ALCA and UofA Cooperative Extension.

Pruning plants at the right time and according to proper schedule will ensure that the plants bloom in the right season, aid in plant waste and water consumption being reduced over time, and ensure that the landscape does not become barren from over pruning.

A common misconception is that this type of pruning should be done to make the plants look aesthetically pleasing in the season of rejuvenation pruning. However, this is not the case. Your landscape contractor will ultimately be performing renovation pruning not for it to look good in the Winter months but instead to promote photosynthesis, enable light to reach the interior of the plant, and ensure healthy growth and bloom.

Interested in finding a knowledgeable and informative landscape management company for your HOA community or Commercial Property? Reach out to ELS for information on the services we provide and how we can benefit you.

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Tree Being Staked to Promote Growth

Arizona Arbor Care; Tree Staking

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Tree staking of younger trees here in Arizona is a common practice that promotes strength and proper growth of the tree. This practice holds tree roots in the soil until they are able to securely establish themselves and helps these young trees in the transition from nursery to landscape. This important step is not necessary for every young tree (multi-trunk trees and low branching trees can typically be planted without a stake) however it can make a world of difference for smaller, main trunked trees that do need growing assistance.

When staking, it is crucial to ensure that you are following the proper steps, monitoring the staking materials and tree growth, and not leaving the stake on the tree for too long. There are detrimental effects for those trees where staking is performed improperly.

Here at ELS, we have an entire division of our company dedicated to Arizona arbor care and this team has come up with some helpful tips and best practices for tree staking that will help you ensure your next young tree is staked properly and can grow to its full potential.

Staking Best Practices

  • Position tree stakes outside of the rootball
  • Position stakes at a depth of 24 inches. Utilize 2″ poles on each side of the tree and ensure that wires/ties used are coated with plastic or flexible to protect the tree itself
  • Monitor tree growth and staking materials so that the stake is removed at the appropriate time without causing damage to the tree
  • Change and adjust wires/ties if they effect tree growth over time
  • Ensure tree is not tied too tightly- the top of the tree should be able to move freely in the wind while the trunk remains stable and anchored
  • Remove staking materials once the trunk of the tree is 3/4 inches in diameter or the tree is able to securely stand by itself

For more information about tree staking and/or tree management for your HOA community or commercial property, reach out to our Arbor Divison!

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Decomposed.Granite

HOA Landscaping; Decomposed Granite Installation and Maintenance Tips

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Living in Arizona, you are probably familiar with Decomposed Granite. This form of rock is used in many of our local landscapes in place of turf and greenery. Decomposed granite is a byproduct of erosion of solid granite, coming in a variety of granulations. It is very similar to sand or gravel and comes in neutral colors that resemble it.

Decomposed granite is a great choice in a large community landscape such as that of a homeowners association. It is less costly than grass or artificial turf, requires less maintenance, and provides for an aesthetic backdrop for other plants and trees that are incorporated into the landscape.

As an HOA landscaping company, we have put together a simple and quick rule of thumb guide on the proper way to incorporate decomposed granite into a landscape.

Applying Granite

Installation of decomposed granite varies depending on the location that it is being applied. For installation in landscaped areas, it is expected to be applied at a 2 inch depth after compaction. For walkways or the like, that rises to a depth of 2-4 inches.

The finer the granulation of the granite, the easier it is to compact and less pervious the surface. This is important to note when choosing where to install certain types of granite. A rule of thumb that many HOA landscaping companies have is to use finer decomposed granite for walkways and a more sized material of granite near plants and trees.

HOA Landscaping and Granite Maintenance

Maintenance for decomposed granite includes applying pre-emergent for weed control, replacing decomposed granite where depth has been impacted by foot traffic and/or erosion, and the addition of stabilizers to provide strength (if necessary).


Need a Granite installation done for your community? Our enhancements division has got you covered!

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RedBird

Rejuvenation Pruning; Red Birds of Paradise

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Red Bird of Paradise, also known as Caesalpinia Pulcherrima, is a perennial flowering shrub that is very popular in the desert landscape as it is low maintenance, affordable, and drought tolerant. These plants are known for their ability to grow to large sizes (up to 10-20 feet when mature) as well as for their beautiful red flowers that bloom in late Spring, making them the perfect additions to ant Arizona community.

Red Birds of Paradise are able to tolerate high Summer temperatures and can withstand extremely dry climates such as that of Arizona. However, when temperatures drop below freezing the plant will go dormant and lose its leaves until warmer temperatures arrive again in the Spring. This dormant period provides an opportune time to perform rejuvenation pruning on the plant to ensure that it is healthy year-round.

Rejuvenation Pruning of Red Birds of Paradise

Rejuvenation pruning is a type of pruning that is done seasonally, as needed, to ensure long term health of the plant. The time of pruning is different per plant based on blooming schedule, characteristics of the plant, and growth pattern. For the Red Bird of Paradise, proper time for rejuvenation pruning is when temperatures begin to cool in late Fall/early Winter and the plant begins to fall into dormancy, typically in the month of November.

Renovation style pruning has many benefits for the plant itself as well as for the overall landscape of a community. Reasons for this type of pruning range from encouraging natural growth and dormancy periods for various shrubs as well as ensuring that plants are able to perform optimally when renovation pruning is over and Spring time arrives again. It is important to remember that this type of pruning must be done during the appropriate time of the year as excessive pruning is detrimental to the health of the plant and places the shrubs in a constant state of stress.

Red Birds of Paradise will be pruned this season, prior to Winter, to avoid the natural die back to the ground they experience when temperatures drop below freezing. Pruning of these plants ensures that they look their best, maintain a nice shape, and handles any plants that may have grown into the sidewalks or grown to obstruct views of signs, driveways, and more.

These plants are large shrubs that serve as beautiful and easily maintained attractions in HOA communities. With the proper rejuvenation pruning and maintenance they can survive for many years and look amazing in any community, making them a favorite among homeowners and landscapers alike.

To learn more about the landscape in your area as well as what ELS Maintenance can do to keep it looking its best click here.

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