The stadium, which was recently damaged in a monsoon storm, was ready for competition as was the playing field installed by Evergreen Turf. As Arizona’s premier sod supplier, Evergreen Turf is proud to be the exclusive provider of sod to the Arizona Cardinals.

Prior to the game there was some concern about whether the stadium would be ready for competition due to the storm damage. University of Phoenix Stadium suffered damage during a reported micro burst that occurred on July 29, 2010. A hole was torn in the retractable roof and a piece of metal was ripped from the side of the building. The turf field itself was undamaged.

If you’d like to install a new lawn on your property with the same turf that’s used for the Cardinals, call Evergreen Turf today. Also visit our site for Arizona landscaping ideas.

Evergreen Turf, your Arizona sod producer, is proud to be the premier supplier of MiniVerde Ultradwarf Bermudagrass in Arizona and California. MiniVerde Bermudagrass was designed specifically for high-stress golf course greens and has received praise from golf course superintendents and golfers alike.

“I’ve really come to love and appreciate the challenge that this golf course [TPC Sawgrass] provides, and a few years ago when the course was changed to Mini Verde on the greens, it made a big difference,” said Phil Mickelson, 2010 Masters champion and Arizona State University alum. “I think the ball rolls and tracks so much better. And the less rough as opposed to having big, thick hay, having shots that are fliers, and you’re able to get up-and-down around the greens or at least have a chance has made this golf course fun as well as challenging.”

Evergreen Turf recently installed two new MiniVerde greens at the TPC Stadium Course in Scottsdale and the first MiniVerde greens were planted in Palm Springs on July 7. Evergreen Turf has now officially shipped MiniVerde bermudagrass coast to coast.

About MiniVerde Ultradwarf Bermudagrass

MiniVerde is a high shoot density, stoloniferous bermudagrass for production of high quality golf greens. MiniVerde tolerates continuous close mowing, has a dark green genetic color and excellent low temperature color retention. It does not exhibit purple leaf coloration due to anthocyanin production typical of Tifdwarf bermudagrass exposed to low, non-freezing temperatures.

In mild climates, MiniVerde may make sufficient growth through the winter months so that over-seeding is not required to provide an attractive winter color.

MiniVerde will tolerate relatively high amounts of sodium and therefore is adapted for use with reclaimed water. MiniVerde also tolerates soil pH levels of from 5.5 to 9.0 but will perform best at pH 6.0 to 6.5. MiniVerde also has few pest problems and tolerates close, frequent mowing.

Find out more about MiniVerde Ultradwarf Bermudagrass.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup culminates this weekend in South Africa. And as the World’s premier soccer stars lace up their boots for their final 90 minute battle, Evergreen Turf has set the stage for some great soccer matches to take place right here in Arizona.

Evergreen Turf, Arizona’s premier sod producer, recently installed a new turf field at the University of Arizona’s Mulcahy Stadium practice field. See the slideshow here.

In 1996, the University of Arizona Wildcats first acquired an official home field. They have since built a faithful fan base that regularly shows up to the stadium for home games.

Murphey Field at Mulcahy Stadium is located at the corner of Plumer Avenue and 15th Street, adjacent to Drachman Track in Tucson. In the off-season, the field is shared with the Department of Campus Recreation for intramural and other student activities, but once preseason practice begins in the fall, fencing is installed in order to keep the field in top shape for the start of the official season.

Evergreen Turf performed the recent grading and sodding of the newly surfaced field. Learn more about other sports complex sod installations by Evergreen Turf here.

About Mulcahy Stadium

Mulcahy Stadium is one of the premier soccer facilities in Arizona. The installation of lights for night play was made possible by the generous assistance of Tucson’s Murphey Foundation. A field house for soccer and track was completed in August 2007, and includes a concession area, changing area, training area, ticket office, official’s area, permanent public restrooms, and new signage.

In order to avoid an infestation of mosquitoes or other insects on and around your property this summer, make sure not to over-water your lawn.

“The mosquito operates at the paper cup level,” said Paul Robbins, who is heading up the UA study, which is focused on West Nile virus and Dengue fever.

“How can we predict where the paper cups are going to be? Where is that micro-habitat that the bug favors or doesn’t favor distributed in a complex place like a city that has culverts, drains, parks, and people who are watering their lawns, like in Phoenix,” asked Robbins?

We may not be able to eliminate every breeding ground for mosquitoes, but we can take action to limit the amount of standing water on our own property.

Although it’s hotter and drier during the summer - with the exception of monsoon season - than any other time of the year in Arizona, you don’t actually need to water your lawn more than usual. In fact, it promotes better root growth and drought tolerance to water well-established lawns only two to three times a week.

Now that it’s consistently above 80 degrees during the day and night, over-watering can leave those small, paper cup sized pools of water around long enough to allow mosquitoes to successfully breed.

“In southern Arizona, what you’re seeing under some scenarios of warming is an increased length of the mosquito season,” said Robbins. “Generally you worry about them in the rainy season, but we’re seeing that expand out to fall and spring, and that makes a big difference because it provides a much longer breeding season and a longer presence for bugs to transfer disease.”

In addition to limiting the number of breeding spots for mosquitoes, setting an appropriate watering schedule for your lawn will conserve water.

For more tips on lawn maintenance during the summer months, visit our Summer Health, Lawn Care maintenance page.

While keeping your lawn healthy requires regular watering, there are several ways to reduce your household water consumption, starting with periodic maintenance of sprinkler and drip systems.

Other keys to remember are:

• Make sure to adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk, or street.
• Monitor your water bill for unusually high use. Your bill and water meter are tools that can help you discover leaks.
• Water your lawn and garden in the morning or evening when temperatures are cooler to minimize evaporation.
• If water runs off your lawn easily, split your watering time into shorter periods to allow for better absorption.
• Adjust your lawn mower to a higher setting. A taller lawn shades roots and holds soil moisture better than if it is closely clipped.
• Check the root zone of your lawn or garden for moisture before watering using a spade or trowel. If it’s still moist two inches under the soil surface, you still have enough water.
• Use sprinklers for large areas of grass. Water small patches by hand to avoid waste.
• Remember to check your sprinkler system valves periodically for leaks and keep the sprinkler heads in good shape.
• Water your plants deeply but less frequently to encourage deep root growth and drought tolerance.
• Aerate your lawn at least once a year so water can reach the roots rather than run off the surface.

Visit the website, wateruseitwisely.com, for several other tips on conserving water and ways to save on your monthly water use.

]]> http://evergreenturfblog.com/lower-water-usage-keep-sod-evergreen/feed/ http://evergreenturfblog.com/spring-lawn-and-sod-care/ http://evergreenturfblog.com/spring-lawn-and-sod-care/#comments Thu, 03 Jun 2010 20:00:02 +0000 admin http://evergreenturfblog.com/?p=149 Spring has officially arrived, which means it’s time to start preparing for new landscaping projects and seasonal lawn maintenance. Every year, lawns, no matter how big or small, go through similar seeding and fertilization cycles and spring is the time when grass starts growing again. If you want to ensure a healthy lawn, take note of these tips.

For Arizona sod, as the temperature continues to rise, homeowners with over-seeded lawns (lawns with transitional ryegrass) will start seeing their winter ryegrass die away. As the ryegrass wilts and turns brown, it makes way for your sod lawn.

To facilitate the transition, take note of the nightly temperatures and when they begin the stay consistently above 65 degrees, it’s time to start adjusting your cutting, watering and fertilization.

The first step is to cut the ryegrass down, removing about 50 percent of the leaf blade. This allows sunlight and warmth to “wake up” the dormant root system of your lawn. If it’s after May 1, you could also aerate the lawn to achieve the same effect.

The next step is to cut back on water for five days, without fully stopping watering. This discourages the ryegrass from growing while encouraging the perennial grass to come out of “hibernation.”

Lastly, use a fertilizer high in ammonia sulfate to further discourage the ryegrass from growing. This step has the dual purpose of giving your perennial grass the nutrients it needs to grow. Be sure to rake the remaining ryegrass as it dies out to open up the perennial grass to the sun.

Now, if you decided against over-seeding your lawn with ryegrass, the process will be easier to get your lawn growing green again.

First, trim the grass on your lawn by about a third of the leaf blade and rake thoroughly. This allows the soil to soak in the sun and warmth to encourage new growth.

Next, fertilize with a 21-7-14 or 16-8-4 ratio fertilizer every 30 days.

Finally, start increasing watering to twice per week for 15-20 minutes a cycle. Deeper watering will encourage the root system to flourish as the summertime approaches.

For more details on how to maintain and jumpstart you lawn this spring, visit our Spring Maintenance Tips page.



]]> http://evergreenturfblog.com/spring-lawn-and-sod-care/feed/ http://evergreenturfblog.com/spring-brings-baseball-and-sod-back-to-life-in-arizona/ http://evergreenturfblog.com/spring-brings-baseball-and-sod-back-to-life-in-arizona/#comments Fri, 26 Mar 2010 21:39:09 +0000 admin http://evergreenturfblog.com/?p=160 The arrival of spring in Arizona has brought with it the activity and excitement of Major League Baseball’s spring training, as well as the re-emergence of lush, green lawns.

As winter retreats and the sun starts warming the soil, grass comes bursting back to life, just in time for the arrival of baseball fans from across the country.

“Baseball is like the grass that it’s played on. In the spring, it’s perfect. There are no weeds or brown spots, no ragged clumps or patches worn to dirt by the rubbing and clawing of cleats. It hasn’t been dried out by the sun or pockmarked by overuse,” wrote the Arizona Republic’s E.J. Montini in a recent column. “The season will take its toll. Whole patches, even whole fields, will be scraped up by the roots and replaced with sod grown on farms and rolled into place like carpet …”

Evergreen Turf has had a hand in laying the sod in many of Arizona’s major sports complexes from Tempe’s Diablo Stadium to the home of the Arizona Cardinals, the University of Phoenix Stadium. Diablo Stadium is in fact just one of 11 stadiums throughout southern Arizona being used for spring training games by the 15 teams competing in the Cactus League this year.

So as baseball’s star players continue preparing for the regular season, those deep, green-blue fields of grass are awakening from their winter hibernation, and they are in constant need of maintenance and sod replacement. Evergreen Turf will be there to service any of Arizona’s sod needs, whether it’s for major sports complexes, commercial developments or smaller residential projects.

Check out Evergreen Turf’s Web site for tips about spring lawn and sod care. Evergreen turf also has the expertise to determine what types of sod would be best for your property.



Tempe's Diablo Stadium

]]> http://evergreenturfblog.com/spring-brings-baseball-and-sod-back-to-life-in-arizona/feed/ http://evergreenturfblog.com/how_to_select_the_right_trees_for_your_yard/ http://evergreenturfblog.com/how_to_select_the_right_trees_for_your_yard/#comments Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:34:00 +0000 admin http://evergreenturfblog.com/?p=145 Choosing new trees for your front or back yard can be a challenge if you are not prepared with the information needed to make an educated purchase. First, do some research on the best local nurseries in town. A good nursery will have plenty of different trees for you to choose from and the staff should be helpful in answering any questions you may ask.

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.

]]> http://evergreenturfblog.com/how_to_select_the_right_trees_for_your_yard/feed/ http://evergreenturfblog.com/discover-the-benefits-of-mulch/ http://evergreenturfblog.com/discover-the-benefits-of-mulch/#comments Fri, 11 Dec 2009 22:26:11 +0000 admin http://evergreenturfblog.com/?p=137 Mulch is used as a protective covering for plants to help them stay healthy. When placed around the plant, mulch can reduce the amount of water lost to evaporation by up to 30 percent. It can also prevent weed growth and frozen roots. Mulch can be especially beneficial to folks in Arizona as it is a particularly dry desert climate with close-to-freezing temperatures in the winter.

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.

]]> http://evergreenturfblog.com/discover-the-benefits-of-mulch/feed/ http://evergreenturfblog.com/freshly-cut-grass-relieves-stress/ http://evergreenturfblog.com/freshly-cut-grass-relieves-stress/#comments Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:29:08 +0000 admin http://evergreenturfblog.com/?p=129 Everyone is familiar with the expression, “Take the time to stop and smell the roses.” As it turns out, you’re better-off stopping to smell the grass. According to a recent study, the smell of freshly cut grass makes people relaxed and happy.

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.

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