March Landscape & Garden Tips for Arizona

As the winter months come to an end and spring approaches, it's time to start thinking about landscape and garden maintenance in Phoenix, Arizona. The climate of The Sonoran Desert can be challenging for gardening, but with the right strategies, you can create a thriving and beautiful outdoor space.

Here are some tips to help you get started in March!

Start Planting Warm-Season Vegetables & Herbs  

In Phoenix, the prime time for planting warm-season vegetables and herbs is from March to May. These include tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, and herbs like basil and parsley. Make sure to choose varieties that are well-suited to the hot, dry climate of Phoenix. You can start these plants from seeds or purchase seedlings from a local nursery. 

Fertilize your Lawn & Plants  

Spring is the time when your lawn and plants start to come out of dormancy and require additional nutrients. Fertilize your lawn and plants with a slow-release, balanced fertilizer to help promote healthy growth. Make sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully and water the fertilizer in thoroughly. 

Adjust your Watering Schedule  

As the weather warms up, you'll need to adjust your watering schedule accordingly. In March, it's generally best to water once or twice a week, depending on the type of plants you have and the amount of rainfall you receive. Be sure to water deeply to encourage deep root growth and to prevent the soil from drying out too quickly. 

Control Pests & Weeds  

March is a good time to start controlling pests and weeds in your landscape and garden. Look for signs of insect damage or weed growth and take action as needed. You can use natural remedies like neem oil or companion planting to deter pests, or use a targeted herbicide to eliminate weeds. 

Prune your Trees & Shrubs  

Spring is the best time to prune your trees and shrubs before they start to leaf out. Pruning helps to shape the plant and remove dead or diseased branches. It's also important to prune for safety, especially if you have trees that are close to your home or power lines. 

Add Color to your Landscape  

Spring is a time of new growth and renewal, so why not add some color to your landscape? Plant annual flowers like petunias, marigolds, or zinnias to add vibrant hues to your garden. You can also add color with potted plants or hanging baskets on your porch or patio. 

Mulch your Plants  

Mulching your plants helps to retain moisture in the soil and suppress weed growth. Apply a 2-3 inch layer of mulch around your plants, taking care to keep the mulch away from the base of the plant to prevent rotting. 

March is an important month for landscape and garden maintenance in Phoenix, Arizona. By following these tips, you can ensure that your plants and lawn thrive in the hot, desert climate. With a little effort and attention, you can create a beautiful outdoor space that you can enjoy throughout the spring and summer months. 

ADDITIONAL LAWN CARE TIPS FOR SPRING

Whether it’s visible yet or not, the transition in your lawn from winter to spring has started, and the little things you can do now will make a big difference (and save you lots of work and money later) in the long run. Below are some tips we put together to help keep your lawn looking great all spring!

• As we mentioned earlier, preventing and removing weeds that you find in your lawn and landscape is the first step to bringing it back to perfect health.
• Remove the thatch that lays on top of the lawn to help get water and nutrients deeper into the soil and grass.
• Aerate your grass to loosen the soil for better water and nutrient intake, new grass growth, and allowing fertilizer to get all the way to the roots.
• Apply lawn fertilizer, such as our Moon Royale Turf Fertilizer, to bring your dormant lawn back to life!
• Water your lawn as needed for your yard. You might have to adjust the watering schedule a few times during spring as the temperatures continue to rise.
  
  

BEST TREES TO PLANT IN MARCH

PURPLE LEAF PLUM

This beautiful tree produces a showy display of light pink flowers in spring, and has dark purple foliage, making the Purple Leaf Plum perfect for when you need a stunning ornamental tree in your landscape design. These flowering accent trees make a bold and vibrant statement, wherever you plant them in your yard!

They are also very easy to care for and require minimal maintenance. Additionally, they become drought tolerant once they have established in a yard. Add this pink flowering tree with purple leaves to your landscape for a true pop of color!

MAJESTIC BEAUTY ASH

The Majestic Beauty Ash is a Moon Valley Nurseries Exclusive that we developed with the goal of creating the best ash tree variety for our area. Because we own all of our farms where we grow our trees and shrubs, our arborists have been able to develop a premium specimen that produces no seeds and is super easy to grow. It has a formal upright growth rate that allows it to be planted as a focal point or in a row if you're seeking additional privacy as well.

The unique, large, dark green foliage compliments the wide umbrella-like canopy with its dense growth. Minimal light will pass through this tree, which allows many of our homeowners to plant colorful partial-sun shrubs underneath the tree that will be protected from the sun.

PIRU QUEEN PALM

Specially grown at our farms for our region, the Piru Queen Palm is unlike other varieties. Our Piru Queen Palms feature thicker and hardier trunks, more dense and greener fronds, and produce fuller crowns.

This palm can handle hot summers, cold winters, and windy days like a champ. These palms feature a tall, resort-style look, that makes them ideal to showcase in spaces you would like an upscale feel, or around your pool for a tropical atmosphere.

CITRUS AND FRUIT TREES

Imagine hand-picking the sweetest and juiciest oranges, lemons, peaches, plums, apples, and more from the comfort of your own backyard! Thanks to our climate, we can grow fruit almost all year long, making growing your own orchard easy!

At Moon Valley Nurseries, we custom grow the best selection of citrus and fruit so that you are always going to get the best-tasting fruit for juicing, cooking, or eating whole! Quit going to the store to buy lemons, oranges, grapefruits, peaches, limes, tangerines, tangelos, kumquats, nectarines, apricots, plums, and figs. We have thousands of trees already at their fruit-producing age, so there is no need to wait to enjoy homegrown fruit anymore!

To learn more incredible yard care advice, design tips, and tree knowledge, check out our library of articles! We have a massive catalog of entertaining and informative articles written by our experienced nursery professionals to help you succeed with all of your landscaping goals.