When you are browsing for a container-grown tree, look for one with a firm, straight trunk. It should also have branches evenly spaced around the tree. The nursery should allow you to check the roots of the tree you are interested in purchasing as well. If the roots look like they are too crowded or if there are any roots poking through the drainage holes, do not purchase the tree. As a tip, grab the tree and lift it from the container to make sure the soil stays in contact with the roots.

If you plan to plant a tree in an open area prone to gusts of wind, you should stake your tree until it grows sufficient root mass to hold itself up. The trunk of a healthy tree should be able to hold itself upright, however staking the tree can act as an extra precaution against strong winds. A tree should only be staked for two years maximum.

Some may find it challenging to find types of trees that thrive in the Arizona climate. The Sweet Acacia tree blooms with beautiful orange-yellow flowers from February to April. The Chaste tree is another great choice for Arizona as it has dense purple flowers in the early summertime. There is also the Palo Verde tree which has its own golden-yellow blooms starting in March. The Texas Mountain Laurel tree has a unique flower with a fragrance that matches its beauty. Finally, the Desert Willow tree has orchid-like blossoms in a range of colors from white to purple and as an added perk, it attracts hummingbirds.

Trees help to give your yard shade as well as aesthetic appeal. With the above tips and knowledge, picking the perfect tree for your yard should be a breeze! If you have any more questions or concerns, feel free to stop in to our Chandler location or contact us with any of your lawn care questions.

You can find many different types of mulch from organic materials to inorganic materials. They can vary in texture from fine to coarse and in some instances, rocks can even suffice as proper mulch. To choose the right type of mulch for your lawn, find one that meshes well with your landscape design and reduces water loss at the same time.

Mulch helps drainage and encourages root development for plants in your yard. Additionally, mulch improves the soil in your yard by making nutrients more accessible to plants. Insulating soil and plants during winter months and cooling them during summer months is another benefit gained from installing mulch in your backyard landscape. It can also serve as a nice decorative style to your landscape design.

Organic mulches include materials that were once living. Some examples of organic mulch are bark, leaves, wood chips and compost. If you’re looking to find organic mulch, many nurseries have mulches specially prepared which you can purchase. Rocks are considered inorganic material and serve as a good alternative to organic mulch. However, it’s important to note that rocks can get hot which can hurt your lawn. As a tip, rock mulch should be shaded with water-efficient plants.

Using your hands is the best way to spread the mulch. During the cooler seasons, layer it about one to three inches. As a rule, the mulch and the plants do not come in direct contact with one another as this may cause certain disease problems. Instead, form a ring of mulch about two to three inches away from the plant. Once this is done, water the mulch a little bit to moisten it and settle it into place.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us here at Evergreen Turf, Arizona’s premier sod farm. Check out our lawn care guide for more useful resources and to find answers to all of your lawn care questions.

The University of Queensland research revealed that the aroma of grass affects parts of the brain that control an individual’s memory and emotions. Not only does the scent help people relax and make them cheerful, but as a result of these two components, it also slows down the decline in mental ability with age.

The research has resulted in the production of a perfume named Serenascent. It’s said to smell like freshly-cut lawn and is meant to help relieve stress and enhance memory. Dr. Nick Lavidis is credited with developing the idea of the perfume.

He reportedly came up with the idea after a 3-day vacation in Yosemite National Park. Dr. Lavidis says just 3 days surrounded by fresh pines and nature had him feeling like he had been on a 3-month holiday. Years later, when his neighbor commented on the wonderful smell of his recently cut lawn, Dr Lavidis says it all started to click into place. His incredibly refreshed state after his brief vacation in Yosemite sparked his curiosity to investigate what specific element in the environment contributed to feelings of relaxation. After seven years of experiments and trials, Serenascent was invented.

Dr Lavidis worked with pharmacologist Professor Rosemary Einstein to create the pleasant aroma. Currently the scent will be marketed to use as a room-freshener, linen-spray and perfume. However in the future, the scent may be incorporated into other products.

So the next time you’re mowing your lawn from Evergreen Turf, take the time to stop and smell the grass.

Food is the first element needed in your backyard wildlife habitat. You will want to grow foliage that is indigenous to the area. Provide food sources for the critters by planting trees and plants that have fruits or seeds on them. Bird feeders work well to attract many different kinds of birds too.

As you probably guessed, water is the second element of a wildlife habitat. You can create a water source in your backyard by arranging a bird bath. If bird baths are not your style, any other shallow water source will suffice. This will be used by the creatures to drink and wash.

Animals need and enjoy cover from poor weather conditions and predators. As such, shelter is the third element needed in your backyard. To accommodate, you can plant heavy shrubbery as part of your landscape. As an alternative, create hollowed out areas for the animals to chill out in the shade.

The fourth element is having a place for animals to raise offspring. These areas need to be safe and secure and will vary depending on the types of animals you are trying to attract. For birds or squirrels, trees are great. Ponds are conducive for amphibious creatures and their young.

The fifth and final element you need is sustainable gardening practices. This means planting native vegetation, reducing chemicals and building healthy soil. Keep in mind that your habitat effects the environment, so anything you can do to promote a healthy lawn helps.

If you want, you can apply to have your backyard wildlife habitat certified by the National Wildlife Federation. The above five elements are the qualifying criteria for the certification. You must meet all five criteria before applying for certification. For more information and to get started, visit https://secure.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat/certify/page1.cfm.

Evergreen Turf, official sod supplier for the Arizona Cardinals, is your source for Arizona sod installation and landscaping advice. For more information, visit www.evergreenturf.com.

For some, maintaining the lawn is an exciting and interesting past time. However, not everyone shares this sentiment. If you are looking to hire a qualified landscape contractor to help you maintain your yard, here are some tips to take with you to ensure you find a legitimate contractor.

The person or company you end up hiring for the job should definitely hold both city and county business licenses as well as be completely insured and bonded. They should be able to provide you with references that have samples of their work. Additionally, your contractor should be knowledgeable about local watering ordinances and proper horticulture in a desert environment.

Being prepared with a maintenance proposal for your contractor is important. This should include a schedule of maintenance work you would like to be done as well as the types of chemicals and nutrients you want used on your lawn.

Then, the contractor should give you their pricing estimate. Included in the estimate should be specific monthly charges including everything from maintenance and fertilization to repairs and replacements of plant materials. Additionally, they should include how often the service will be provided which is generally given in days per month. Make sure they provide you with a detailed schedule of all maintenance to be performed.

Your contractor should be providing you with all your lawn care needs. This means sticking to your landscape maintenance program as well as your irrigation maintenance program. Maintaining your irrigation system is just as important as tending to your sod grass lawn, so make sure your contractor regularly checks for broken sprinkler heads and maintains drip irrigation components. Developing proper irrigation schedules based on weather conditions is important to consider also. Being aware of all these elements will help to conserve water and improve the health of your lawn.

If you feel your contractor is not tending to everything up to your standards, address the issue directly and plan a solution with them. If many issues arise with your contractor, consider finding another one who knows how to do the job right.

Evergreen Turf, Arizona Cardinals official sod supplier, is dedicated to providing you with up-to-date lawn and landscaping tips all year round. Check back often at www.evergreenturf.com.

Think of your sod lawn as a room in your house. The hardscapes are like pieces of furniture. Border your walkways and separate the different planting zones with edging to create eye-catching definition. Consider utilizing boulders or stone formations as design anchors. This will give your yard a visually appealing balance to it. If you don’t like how boulders look in your backyard, the same affect can be reached with decorative pots and statues.

(photo by Eustauio Santimano)                            (photo by Uriah Welcome)

Just like a room in your house, you want a place in your yard for people to sit and talk to each other. It’s simple to create social areas around your plants and sod in Phoenix because of the year-long sunshine in Arizona. Outdoor seats, trellises or awnings work great for this. For places that receive more rainfall than Arizona, choose permeable surfaces for your outdoor furniture. This will allow water and air to pass through the furniture, keeping it fresh for your guests.

Most people don’t enjoy sitting in the dark and chatting to their friends, so you are going to need to accent your outside area with some lighting. Choose lights that set the mood, yet still offer enough light to see who is sitting across from you. Also consider lining your walkways with lights if you have not done so already.

In the winter months when plants are scarce, change up some of your hardscapes to make your landscape more inviting. A fire pit can be a nice form of entertainment on a crisp winter night at home. Be creative and choose items that are attractive as well as useful for you and your yard.

If you’re currently trying to sell your home, these tips can definitely help attract potential buyers to your property. Consider placing a water fountain in your front yard to entice these buyers through your front door. The sound of water helps to cover any noise from street traffic and is very appealing to home-buyers.

Evergreen Turf, Arizona’s top-quality sod company, has become the major sod provider not just for homeowners and landscapers, but for Arizona’s demanding golf courses and sports facilities. Visit www.evergreenturf.com

First, adjust your sprinkler heads so that they only hit your sod lawn and other plants that need watering. To ensure best results, make sure the sprinklers are not hitting any walls, driveways or sidewalks. Additionally, use the most efficient types of nozzles and irrigation clocks. You can find nozzles which use the most recent, water-saving technology at your local hardware store.

You want to check on your sprinkler system every week for broken or missing sprinklers. Replace any parts immediately to prevent issues such as flooding. When placing your sprinkler heads in your lawn, try to lay them out so that the spray of one sprinkler reaches the head of the sprinkler closest to it. This is known as “head-to-head” coverage. Once the sprinklers are in position, double-check for grass blocking the spray. Also, level all sprinkler heads to prevent tripping hazards.

Assess the different areas of your lawn and adjust watering times according to exposure, shade and sprinkler output. For areas of your Arizona turf lawn that are shaded, you will want to use about 30 percent less water than sunny areas.

When watering your sod in Arizona, you don’t want to have much run off. Take notice of when the water begins to leave your property. If you find you do have a lot of run off, adjust your irrigation clock.

For example, say you run your sprinklers for 12 minutes a day all at once. Instead, set your irrigation clock to cycle between two and four times a day for no longer than five minutes, one to two hours apart. This will give your lawn sufficient time to fully absorb the water, eliminating run off.

For trees and shrubs on your property, consider using a drip irrigation system. Running drip irrigation less frequently is much healthier for your plants than daily watering. Check the drip line once a month for breaks. Also, check the emitters for clogged or broken heads and replace as needed.

During this lawn maintenance process, make sure you are complying with all mandatory watering restrictions for your city. For Arizona, you can find this information at the web site http://www.azwater.gov.

Evergreen Turf, Arizona’s premier sod farm offers many tools and resources on its website to guide you through the exciting journey of creating your lawn. The lawn selector tool takes you through a series of questions to help determine which type of sod is best for where you live.

It’s important to go with an Arizona sod farm if you live in the area as compared to ordering from an out-of-state farm. This is because sod in Arizona will grow much differently from sod in other states.

Additionally you can find information on how to measure your yard and how to install your Arizona sod. In the lawn care section of its site you will find a frequently asked questions page as well as helpful information on a wide variety of topics from mowing and irrigation schedules to weed and insect control. Visit www.evergreenturf.com.

As a starting point, decide on your landscaping budget. Next, check with your Homeowners Association for landscaping requirements and/or restrictions. Create a timeline in which the planting and installation process is finished in time to make the most of each season. It is important to consider blooming seasons also when creating your timeline.

You’ll also want to know about zones. Plants are grouped together into hydrozones based on similar watering and sunlight needs. There are three hydrozones; mini-oasis zone, transition zone and arid zone.

To get an idea of the types of grass and plants you may want to use in your yard, take photos of the different plants that catch your eye. Then do some research on those plants to find out about price and availability. If you are on a smaller budget, buy smaller plants to save money.

When it comes time to layout the design of your lawn, create focal points for each part of your property. Place trees first as base points and work your way outward. Be aware of the amount of room the trees will need for root growth.

Finally, plan your irrigation system for several years in advance, taking into consideration future plant growth and water needs.

Examples of cool-season grasses include Fescue, Bluegrass and Ryegrass. These grasses are easy to remove, all you need to do is turn off the water supply and dig it out.

Warm-season grass can be a bit more difficult to remove because these types of grass are well-adapted to the warm, dry desert. Examples of warm-season sod include Bermuda, Buffalo and Zoysia. These types of western sod should be treated with a non-selective herbicide before removal due to the fact that they are more deeply rooted in the soil. Be cautious when choosing an herbicide as some can affect your soil.

When it comes time to remove your Arizona sod lawn, you can use a shovel to dig up small areas of grass. For larger areas it is recommended to use a sod-cutter. This will cut the sod into strips that can be rolled up and carried away. Sod-cutters are available for rent at some home improvement stores. Make sure to read all instructions and use caution when operating a sod-cutter.

If you are planning to dispose of your old sod lawn yourself, it is best to take it to a company that recycles green waste. If this is not possible, take the grass and debris to your local landfill. Several trash companies offer a service where they provide a small container for your sod debris, deliver it to your door, and take it away after it’s full.

While you are removing last season’s sod, clear the area of all rocks, stumps or other debris to help you prepare for the installation of your new southwest sod. Once your site is all clear, you’ll want to reference your landscape plan and mark where your plants will be located with temporary paint or flags.

Now, you are ready to install your new sod lawn. Take some time to shop around and find a company that offers the type of sod that is best suited for your lawn. Evergreen Turf offers a lawn selector tool which takes you through a series of questions to help determine which varieties are best suited for your location.

The final decision to be made is whether you will install your sod yourself or leave it to the professionals. If you decide to take on the task yourself, take all the necessary steps including ground preparation, install, watering and maintenance.

If you prefer to have a professional install your lawn, find a company which offers professional installation service. Evergreen Turf is comprised of highly skilled installation crews with years of experience in Arizona sod installation.

Trying to grow grass when starting from scratch can be challenging, tedious and time consuming. A great way to gain a jump-start on having your own lawn is by letting a professional install sod in Arizona. Evergreen Turf is a well-respected company based in Phoenix that specializes in sod installation. They help you decide which type of grass is right for you while explaining their selection of sod prices. People have discovered one benefit of having a lawn is that sod in Arizona helps to keeps the outside temperature about 15-20 degrees cooler than if there were no lawn at all. And when Phoenix reaches 115 degrees in July, every little bit counts!

Water conservation is important to keep in mind when you have an Arizona sod lawn. Installing healthy Arizona sod instead of seeding your lawn will save water in the long run since you will not have to constantly water the seeds and wait for them to sprout. If you have a large back or front yard area to cover, you may want to consider only laying sod in certain areas rather than the entire lawn space. Adjust your sprinkler heads so that only the areas that need water receive it.

For the areas of your lawn that do not have sod, planting xerophytic plants can help with water conservation. Xerophytic organisms such as cacti and bromeliads are able to survive in an environment with little available water or moisture. A variety of desert plants bloom with gorgeous colorful flowers and complement lawns with sod in Arizona quite nicely.

Creating a fun outside atmosphere for your home does not always require large amounts of time or energy. You can find simple ways to conserve water and still have a fresh green grass lawn for entertaining friends and family during the warm spring and summer months.