Summer Annuals

Spring has officially arrived and it is almost time to plant Summer Annuals here in the desert! However, before we can enjoy the beautiful colors that these plants bring to our landscape it is important to know the proper ways to prepare for their arrival. Preparing your landscape for Annuals is a multi-step process that includes irrigation checks, possible soil amendments, and plant replacement plans.

Proper Irrigation

Proper irrigation is imperative to plant growth and health, especially here in Arizona as our Summer temperatures remain in the triple digits for the majority of the season. Annuals require a consistent supply of water due to their shallow root systems, relying on a fully working irrigation system to keep them alive and growing during the Summer months.

Most irrigation systems require constant monitoring, maintenance, and repair so it is a good idea to inspect your irrigation prior to the planting of new annuals. Some common irrigation issues that can be found include: multiple people changing the settings on the irrigation timer, broken irrigation heads, poor water pressure, and more! Checking your irrigation and ensuring that your system is working at its optimal performance prior to planting your Summer Annuals is a practice our team does out in the field and something that we encourage all residential owners to participate in when it comes to their own lawns and gardens.

Soil Amendments

Soil preparation is an important step in planting Summer Annuals and should be done a couple of weeks before planting is to be performed. To properly prepare soil it is important to ensure that it is free of debris, well drained, and obtaining adequate amounts of light. To improve soil quality, amendments are a good option!

Amendments are added to soil along with fertilizer to alter its condition and better enable plants to grow. They can change the soil in a number of ways depending on the amendment that is chosen but are used to positively impact plant growth and help the fertilizer do its job. Common types of soil amendments include lime, elemental sulfur, organic matter, ammonium sulfate, and gypsum.

Plant Replacements

Have extra landscape budget but are unsure of where to put it? Plant replacements are a great investment! Plant replacements/replenishments allow you to give your landscape a noticeable facelift and increase its value and beauty through the Summer months. Adding plants to your landscape will not only provide you with more diversity and versatility but also with fun combinations of color and texture to display.

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. Now is the time to plant the plants you have been waiting for all Winter- be sure to get with your area manager to discuss your planting plan before it’s too late!