Expert advice to help make your home the best on the block 

How to water, what to plant, mulch, fertilizer, and more!

Depending on who you are, August is a month that you'd like to fast forward or slow down. For the teachers and students out there, you'd like to extend the summer break, but for the rest of us living under the sun for the past few months we'd like those fall days to be here right now. 

The one thing we can't fast forward is proper care for our landscapes. We know you have been doing a great job all summer and we just have one more hot month (technically) to go! Don't let up just yet. Proper care in this crucial month can help your landscape hit the ground running when the cooler weather sets in. Below, our nursery pros have covered some important areas for you when if comes to summer tree care. If you have any further questions, you are more than welcome to give us a call or you can visit any of our nursery locations. 

To Do List:

• Watering: Continue to water in the morning sometime between 4 a.m. and 8 a.m. as this reduces the evaporation loss and always want to deep water which is a slow application of water over a period of time. This allows the entire root zone to become saturated. The amount of water you apply depends on the tree or shrub you are watering. With trees, you will want to wet the soil at least 3 feet deep and with shrubs at least 1 foot deep. Use a soil probe to determine the depth of watering. Now, this is a quick overview on summer watering and for a more in depth look and for answers to common questions like "how much water do I use" and "how often do I water" are answered here in our Best Watering Practices. 

• Fertilize: The summer sun is relentless, and if something in your landscape isn't receiving summer shade relief it will suffer. You can give the material on your landscape a helping hand with our highly developed specialized blends of fertilizer designed to trigger growth responses and supplement the essential micro and macro nutrients that plants need to thrive in our region. We have fertilizers that can help trees, palms, and shrubs recover from any heat stress. These can be purchased at all Moon Valley Nursery locations or online. 

• Protect The Trunk Of Your Trees: Trees, just like us, can also get sunburn. However, a bottle of sunscreen isn't going to be enough. Young trees, especially citrus, need protection from the sun when temperatures increase. You can protect the trunk of a new tree from sunburn with Protective Tree Wrap. Available at any Moon Valley Nursery location. To further protect your tree, young or old, you can stake them. This provides stability when high winds or monsoon comes in. Moon Valley Nursery also offers staking services as well. Click here to map a location near you.

• Mulch: A super easy way to keep the soil moist all summer long is to apply mulch around the base of the tree. Adding a few inches of mulch can help keep your soil cool during the warmer summer months and warm during the cooler days. Mulch is available at any Moon Valley Nurseries location. 

Below are a few trees our experts recommend planting for this month

Chinese Elm
The ideal shade tree is the Chinese Elm. Homeowners looking for an attractive picnic tree, hammock, play area, and more will love this good-looking shade provider on their lawn. The mottled bark of this tree resembles camouflage-like patterns that give it a unique and attractive look. Feel free to leave a long lasting memory by engraving your initials into the single trunk. It is fast grower that thrives in the sun and loves to grow in hot areas. Once planted, it will not be too long until you can enjoy the many benefits this tree can bring to your landscape. If you are looking for a massive shade provider that is easy to care for, you will find much to love about this Chinese Elm Tree. Moon Valley Nurseries sells vibrant and healthy, professionally nurtured mature specimens.

Indian Laurel
Our customers are always looking for two things. Year-round shade and minimal maintenance. Seems like you'd never find this perfect combination, but it exists and it is called the Indian Laurel, also known as the Ficus nitida. Our #1 selling tree can block out the sun or unwanted views in no time. It is a very fast growing tree with a growth pattern is tall and wide, creating a massive umbrella-shaped canopy of shade. They handle the heat very well and can be pruned to any shape. We offer three different variations of Ficus: Single-trunk, multi-trunk, and column. Because these trees are so clean, you can plant them anywhere. Even next to a pool! If you're looking for shade, this is the tree for you.

Live Oak
You're probably thinking, 'a Southern tree in our region'? The answer is yes and the Southern Live Oak, Quercus virginiana, looks right at home planted in Southwestern landscapes. It is native to the coastal plains of the southeastern U.S and grows at a moderate rate. It is a large evergreen shade tree noted for its beauty and extreme drought tolerance. In fact, the Southern Live Oak was the lone survivor during the recent great Texas drought! Once established it will require low water, just let nature do the rest. This beauty will thrive in your landscape with full sun and little to no special care required.

Tipu
If you're looking for a tree that can grow on its own with minimal assistance from you, then the Tipu tree is the one for you. he Tipu tree is one of the most popular trees we offer at Moon Valley Nursery, and it is everywhere in our city. We guarantee you passed one on the way to work today. They are very fast growing trees that have an upright growth pattern creating and providing a large area with shade. These trees are also drought tolerant once established and they can handle even the hottest summer days. It produces a unique show of golden blooms from late spring and into early summer that contrasts beautifully with its feathery green foliage. If you are looking for shade and color, this is your tree. 

Sissoo
The Sissoo tree is one of the fastest growing trees on this list and is extremely well adapted to the hot climate of Arizona. Native to the the hotter areas of India, the Sissoo tree looks like a classic midwestern shade tree but is very durable and uses very little water. The Sissoo has quickly become a Valley favorite for landscapers and homeowners because of their extremely fast growth rate and huge amounts of shade. Take advantage of the Sissoo’s favorite time of year by planting now and fertilizing to allow the Sissoo to become the feature piece of your yard!

African Sumac
Known as the “Bullet Proof Tree”, the African Sumac is drought, cold and heat resistant, and nearly impossible to stop once established. Its ability to thrive in the hot summer months and winter freezes makes the African Sumac an ideal choice where durability is the main concern. The tree can be used as a centerpiece, tall privacy hedge, or for shade. Its leaves remain a deep green throughout the entire year.  

Date Palm
Our Resort Style Date Palm Trees are the ultimate palms for large landscape design. There are plenty of reasons you see Resort Style Date Palm Trees at most upscale resorts and shopping centers: They look amazing, they’re extremely hardy to cold and heat, and they provide a cool umbrella of shade wherever they’re planted.  Resort Style Date Palm Trees provide excellent shade with practically no litter, so they really enhance the tropical appeal of pool areas and other landscape features.

Mexican Fan Palm
This palm requires low water and thrives in our full sun and. A notable characteristic of the palm are its crown of large, fan-shaped, bright green fronds. Another unique aspect of this tree is that many homeowners choose to have the trunks skinned for a unique “cigar cut” effect that can create a more formal appearance. Did we also mention that it is cold hardy too! If you're looking for a palm that can handle everything, Arizona has to throw at it this is the palm you are looking for. 

Mediterranean Fan Palm
This striking medium sized palm is the only palm native to Europe and it is prized for its unique multi-trunk vertical growth, fan-shaped fronds, and aesthetically pleasing growth pattern that looks fantastic around pools and as centerpieces to any landscape. The reason why the Mediterranean Fan Palm can serve as a centerpiece is due to its growth pattern. The trunks of the Chamaerops humilis palm clump together, giving the palm a full thick look. Because they can be grown to display a full look, many homeowners have planted these palms in a cluster to create a barrier wall. Mediterranean Fan Palms also can fill in empty spots between large trees or in containers as well.

Bougainvillea
Bougainvillea can literally be found anywhere in our region and there is a reason why. Their flowers and when these flowers bloom they bloom! Flowers cover the entire plant making it a eye-pleasing sight. At Moon Valley Nurseries we offer three different varieties; bush form, vine form and Torch Glow, which is a more compact variety. Bougainvillea love the heat and are an extremely drought tolerant plant once established. They are heavy bloomers throughout Spring and Fall and produce white, red, pink, red, and purple flowers. 

Lantana
Lantana is one of the most colorful plants used in warm climates. Seen on highways, municipal grounds, commercial property and around homes, Lantana is great for adding color to desert landscaping and tropical settings. Plant them in part to full sun and water deeply. We offer three varieties of lantana at Moon Valley Nurseries: Trailing Lantana, Dwarf or Mounding Lantana, and Bush Lantana. All these come in red, yellow, purple, white, and multi-color. 

Hibiscus 
Hibiscus are medium to large growing shrubs with very lush, dark foliage and beautiful flowers that come in a wide variety of colors. These beautiful flowering plants prefer to be planted in well-prepared garden soil that drains well and need even moisture for their roots. Be careful though as heavy soil tends to suffocate them. We have them available in red, pink, white, and yellow.