Landscaping in August may seem challenging. After all, going outside can feel like you’ve just stepped inside an oven. However, this is a great time to enjoy your trees and plants that attract birds and butterflies to your yard. After all, they don’t seem to mind the heat! How about your trees and plants? The extreme Arizona heat can be tough on some of our landscape material. There is some good news on the horizon. Yes, cooler days will be here before we know it! However, until those better weather days arrive, we still need to pay close attention to our landscape.

Moon Valley Nurseries is a local Phoenix tree nursery that has been around for over 20 years, so we know how to handle the heat better. Our nursery pros live and work here, too, and have the perfect tips and suggestions for a healthy landscape during the grueling month of August. Read our tips, and most importantly, hang in there!

Tips for a Healthy Landscape

Watering: We have probably noticed the Monsoon clouds building and the humidity soaring. The climate in the Phoenix area can change in minutes. The temperatures are going to be high, so we will want to apply water to our landscape. Read about our Best Watering Practices by clicking on this link – it can answer some of the most common questions, such as “how much water do I use” and “how often do I water.”

Trunk Protection: With so much sunlight in the summer, getting sunburnt is more prevalent this time of the year. We can prevent sunburn by applying sunscreen on our bodies, and recover with some Aloe Vera. What about the trees in our landscape? Young trees, particularly citrus, need some protection. We can provide protection and prevent sunburn to our trees with a Protective Tree Wrap. We also recommend staking any age tree to provide stability when the high winds arrive.

Fertilize: The material in our landscape is dealing with the stressors of August. All those higher temperatures are causing the trees and shrubs in our landscape to show stress. Moon Juice can help with the heat stress, and when applying it, can also prime the roots for fall feeding.

Lawn Care: This is the right time to raise the mowing height to 2.5 to 3-inches. For our Bermuda lawns, we will want to water 1-inch per week. We can also give our lawns a boost with our fast-acting Moon Royale turf fertilizer. For our palms showing stress, we will want to apply our Super Palm Juice.

Mulch: Make sure to check the mulch around your plants. If you notice there is little or no mulch, be sure to put in a 3 to 4-inch layer, which can conserve moisture. Mulch any area that is receiving direct sunlight on the dirt. Mulching allows the roots to keep moist and cool.

Garden: This is the time to start your fall vegetable garden. Plant vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Chinese cabbage, carrots, collards, lettuce, and other cool-season vegetables. We will also want to remove any old vegetable plants that have stopped producing; doing this will help to eliminate pests and diseases from your garden. Make sure to stay on top of weeds, remove them, and do not let them go to seed.

Recommended Trees for the Month of August

We can plant trees that can liven up our Arizona landscape. Besides beautifying our yards, these trees can also provide lots of shade that can bring some relief during these long and hot, sun-filled days!

Indian Laurel (Ficus): It’s summertime, and Indian Laurel trees can come to the rescue in more ways than one. This Ficus tree is valued by many for its capability to provide shade. These evergreen trees thrive in a location with plenty of full sun exposure. People throughout Phoenix appreciate the wide-spreading canopy and lush green foliage that adds color and plenty of shade to landscapes. Buy a few mature specimens and have them properly placed around your home so that they can help reduce the temperatures inside your home. Do you want to make your yard much more private? Our Indian Laurel Columns are ideal evergreens for creating privacy. Line them up along a fence line and get ready to enjoy a yard without nosy neighbors getting into your business. And, those with homes near busy streets are sure to appreciate the way that these trees create a natural sound barrier. These beauties can handle the summer heat, too!     

Tipu (Tipuana tipu): If you are looking for one of the best shade trees you can find, look no further than the Tipu tree. These are colorful flowering trees, and mature specimens can provide lots of shade. These tropical-looking trees grow fast, feature feathery, bright bluish-green foliage, and have a high canopy that offers a beautiful resting spot to escape the sun. They also put on a show when the golden blooms arrive, covering the tree in vibrant hues that transform the look of any environment. These are ideal trees for our environment as they thrive in intense desert heat. We can plant Tipuana tipu trees as street trees, near the patio, and in any place where a beautiful shade tree is desired!

Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia): Bring a splash of vibrant color to your landscape – plant Crape Myrtle trees! We custom-grow the best-quality Lagerstroemia trees with flower colors that range from dark purple, dark pink, white, and red! They bloom from late spring through the summer, creating a happier landscape that can help us during the summer. They please the eyes year-round thanks to its attractive bark and fall color. These stylish, smaller trees are the perfect size for any landscape. Crape Myrtle trees love fun sun exposure, and they are drought-tolerant once established. We are the grower that only grows the best Lagerstroemia for our area – ours are mildew resistant varieties!

Piru Queen Palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana): Every backyard oasis needs a Piru Queen Palm. Our Queen Palm is used to create a tropical paradise, complete with shade! These palms are heat tolerant and feature dark green palm fronds that add a calming vibe to any environment. These are low-maintenance trees that can fit into any landscape style. They are also prized for having a look that complements all types of architectural homes and buildings. Add curb appeal by planting them in the front yard. Our Piru Queen Palms are grown from superior seedlings with better genetic traits, so you get the hardiest palm you will find.

Vitex (Vitex agnus-castus): Summertime is the right time for Vitex. Get ready for the butterflies. During the summer months, it puts on a show as the purple blooms arrive at every growth tip. This purple delight is the perfect size for any landscape. It features turning, twisting trunks and a statuesque appearance that makes it an excellent choice to light up with nighttime landscape lighting. In addition to its bright flowers are its long, dark grayish-green leaves that make them a favorite for yards in Arizona. We like to plant them as a single lawn specimen, in rows along a border or driveway, and as a small patio tree. Easy to grow and maintain. Plus, it is very drought-tolerant once established.

Allow the Moon Valley Nurseries planting crew to do all the work! We offer free planting on mature specimen trees and larger so that it cannot be any easier to have the yard you have always wanted, no matter what season we are in.