Winter, we hardly knew you. Spring is here, and this is the perfect time to plant the trees, shrubs, and other plants in our yard that can attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and of course, bring vibrant displays of red, yellow, purple, pink, and white to our landscape!

We still have time to plant the trees that can provide summer shade, and we can also plant stone fruit and citrus trees that can fill our yards with a pleasing aroma as well as provide a bounty of homegrown food. We want to plant everything now. Temperatures are mild, so plant everything now before temperatures soar. Another reason to plant now is that it can give our trees and shrubs plenty of time to establish a root system before it gets too hot – the sooner we plant, the sooner the plants will become established!

How to Keep Up a Beautiful Landscape: March Landscape Tips from Our Nursery Pros!

Our nursery professionals take pride in providing the best service possible, and this includes offering our month of March landscape tips and suggestions for a beautiful landscape for every month of the year!

Control Weeds: Control weeds before it gets too hot and the weeds start getting out of control. Avoid weeds in your lawn by establishing a regular mowing schedule now. To prevent the spread of fungal problems, avoid mowing your lawn when it is wet.

Fertilzer: Cool season-lawns such as bluegrass and ryegrass should be fertilized now. Wait to fertilize warm-season grasses. Springtime is also the time to fertilize deciduous trees that leaf out. Keep fertilizing established roses and be sure to water the day before and after application. We are in the prime growing season, so you can give everything in your landscape a boost using a custom blended fertilizer from Moon Valley Nurseries.  Click here to read all about our custom blended fertilizers.

Watering: Weater is unpredictable, so we may still get rain. So, depending on the amount of rain, water lawns and gardens deeply onceto twice a week. Be sure to deep water. Do you want more information on deep watering practices? Download our water guide!                                                                                 

Mulch: Applying mulch around the base of edibles and flowers can conserve moisture and prevent weeds. Once the temperatures soar, preparing the landscape with a few inches of mulch can help keep the soil cool during the warmer months and warm during the colder days.

Vegetable Garden: Finish planting those delicious cool-season vegetables such as beets, carrots, cabbage, peas, and potatoes. Early spring is also the time to plant transplants including artichokes, eggplants, peppers, and tomatoes. Towards the end of March, you can begin sowing summer vegetables such as lima and snap beans, corn, cucumbers, cantaloupe, watermelon, okra, green onions, peanuts, pumpkins, summer squash, and sunflowers.

Herb Garden: An herb garden is a must for any would-be chef, or for anyone that enjoys the sights, scents, and flavor of homegrown herbs! Plant basil, chamomile, chives, lavender, marjoram, mint, oregano, parsley, sage, savory, thyme, and yarrow.

Pruning: Evergreen and summer-flowering trees and shrubs should be pruned now. Be sure to only prune spring-flowering shrubs after they finish blooming.

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

 Ficus: There are many reasons why the Ficus is our number one selling tree, and one of the biggest reasons is for the instant shade they can provide. With proper placement in the landscape, their very dense canopy of thick shade can keep your cooling costs down in the summer. Plus, they just may be the cleanest tree you will find anywhere; so put away that rake and enjoy the beauty, shade, and privacy features of the Ficus. Use them to create a private retreat, reduce noise level, and as a windbreak. We offer Ficus as single-trunk, multi-trunk, and column variations. Not available in Las Vegas.

 Shamel Ash: Everyone loves the amount of shade this ash variety provides, especially when it is hot and sunny outside! The natural shade cover and beauty makes them an ideal picnic tree. Our evergreen ash strain is stronger and more reliable than other strains available. These are fast-growing trees, and since they are waterwise, they are also ideal for any low-water-use landscape, as well as in any park-like setting!

 Brazilian Pepper: These heat-loving trees are evergreen with dark glossy green leaves and feature a dense umbrella-shaped canopy that provides plenty of shade. Once established, they are also drought tolerant, waterwise trees so they are perfect for landscapes in the Southwest. We like to use them as a focal point, and they are also magnificent trees for creating privacy. We grow them in a single-trunk or multi-trunk form.

 Purple Leaf Plum: Homeowners throughout the Southwest are falling in love with this tree. It is easy to see why! We sell the ‘Krauter Vesuvius’ cultivar, which is prized for its dark purple foliage and its low maintenance features – it produces little to no fruit! During its early spring bloom cycle, it produces puffy pink flowers that help to make this one of the prettiest ornaental trees you can find! A favorite tree for adding instant curb appeal!

 Tipu: The Tipuana Tipu tree is a favorite throughout the Southwest, thanks in large part to the massive shade they can create! Keep cool when it is hot and sunny outside because these fast-growing trees have an upright growth pattern so that they can provide a large area with shade. Besides the shade, these are also an attractive tree that can produce a spectacular show of golden blooms from late spring into early summer, which contrasts beautifully with its feathery green foliage.

 Citrus and Fruit Trees: Imagine hand-picking the sweetest and juiciest oranges from the comfort of your backyard. Make it a reality! Thanks to our climate, it is easy because we can grow our food almost all year long! At Moon Valley Nurseries, we custom grow the best selection of citrus developed from guaranteed great rootstock 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. Plus, in California, you can grow Hass avocados and toast to healthy eating! We already have trees at their fruit producing age, so there is no need to wait to enjoy homegrown fruit and more!

The Best Yard Ever – Easy Financing Makes it a Breeze!

Allow us to help you create your dream yard! Moon Valley Nurseries is a one-stop for all your landscape needs! We offer #FREEPLANTING on all specimen sizes trees!