Learn the tips and tricks from our pros 

Keep your lawn looking great all summer!

Just like that, the summer temperatures have arrived and unfortunately, those 100 degree days will be here for the next few months. That is why June is such an important month in the calendar year as proper preparedness and care will help your landscape fly through the summer months with minimal stress. 

This month is still a great time to plant certain trees and palms and that is because we grow everything in our local climate. Allowing the trees and palms to become acclimated compared to other nurseries who bring their trees and palms from out of state. If you're looking for shade relief or a way to turn that pool into a tropical paradise we have it. Below are a few tips and planting recommendations from our nursery pros. 

• Watering: This is the key to keeping the material in your landscape thriving all summer long. For starters, you want to water early in the morning sometime between 4 a.m. and 8 a.m. as this reduces the evaporation loss and you will 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 please check out our Summer Watering 101 guide. 
• 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. 
• Fertilizers: Even with proper care there may be a tree or shrub that just isn't handling the heat that well. If this is the case, the experts at Moon Valley Nurseries have developed highly 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 with trees and shrubs recover from any heat stress. These can be purchased at all Moon Valley Nursery locations or online. 

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

Crape Myrtle
If you've been driving around town you can't miss these flowers. They are literally popping everywhere and are a great way to add stunning summer color. The blooms can last until late summer and they bloom in red, white, pink, and purple. At Moon Valley Nurseries, we offer this tree as a single-trunk or multi-trunk. In addition, the Crape Myrtle trees grown at Moon Valley Nurseries are superior thanks to mildew resistance, which you will not find anywhere else. In addition, they Crape Myrtle's foliage will turn a showy bright orange in the fall.

Ficus (Arizona Only)
When it comes to literally blocking out the sun, the Ficus is one of the best options. It's dense evergreen foliage will allow zero, yes ZERO, sunlight through its canopy. As an evergreen, it will keep its foliage throughout the year and it can be easily pruned into any desired shape.When properly placed around a home, its canopy can provide enough shade to help cool down the backyard and your home, which can lead to lower utility bills. It is also a fast growing tree and we have a single trunk, multi-trunk, and hedge columns available. 

Desert Museum Palo Verde
The Desert Museum Palo Verde is a stunning tree that will attract eyes to your landscape due to its multitrunk grow, layered shade, and beautiful yellow flowers. This beautiful tree is a hybrid of different older Palo Verde species that brings out the best qualities in each. Back to the trunk, its blue-green color provides a great contrast to its yellow flowers and the layered shade provides two great benefits, as the tree looks light in your yard while providing sunlight to any shrubs you'd like to plant below the massive umbrella shaped canopy. This tree is a fast grower and requires minimal water once established.

Tipu
The other tree on this list which provides yellow flowers is the Tipu. The 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 our region. 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 favorite for landscapers and homeowners because of their extremely fast growth rate and huge amounts of shade. 

Vitex
This stunning multi-trunk tree is a favorite for its unique purple blooms on long spikes that form at every growth tip during the late spring and into the summer. The flowering spikes on the Vitex (agnus-castus) are a favorite for our pollinating friends like hummingbirds and butterflies. In addition to the stunning flowers, the trunk of the tree is always overlooked which is unfortunate because the twisted and tangled growth pattern gives this tree a statuesque appearance in any landscape. This tree loves the full sun and in the winter the leaves turn a golden yellow color.

Mexican Fan Palm
A classic resort style palm tree, the Mexican Fan Palm features a single trunk and is desired for its ease of growth. It can handle cold weather and thrives in the sun. The Mexican Fan Palm looks great when planted in clusters and its trunk can be skinned for a unique “cigar cut” effect that lends itself to a more formal appearance.

Mediterranean Fan Palm
This striking medium sized palm is prized for its unique multi-trunk vertical growth, fan-shaped fronds, and aesthetically pleasing growth pattern that looks fantastic around pools and as center pieces to any landscape. The trunks of this palm clump together, giving the palm a full thick look. These palms also can fill in empty spots between large trees or in containers as well.

Pygmy Palm
Pygmy Date Palms can be used in many landscape applications in single or multi-trunk. It’s versatility and dwarf growth pattern allow it to be planted in tight spaces around pools, patios, courtyards, and pots. The Pygmy Date Palm can also be grown in shade and its roots are non-invasive. This allows it to be a fantastic option for planting under larger palms.

Date Palm
The ultimate palm for your pool, the Date Palm is usually found at most resorts and shopping centers. Around pools, the Date Palm provides excellent shade due to its wide fronds and it has practically no litter. The Date Palm looks great when planted in clusters of 3 to 5 palms and is hardy to cold, heat and drought tolerant.

Piru Queen Palm
Queen Palms are a staple of the Arizona landscape. Grown purely from superior Argentine seedlings with better genetic traits, these Moon Valley Nurseries Piru Queen Palms are at the top of the class in the queen palms family due to their superior durability and grand appearance. Piru Queen Palms feature thicker and harder trunks as well as greener palm fronds and fuller crowns than other Queen Palms do.

Lantana
One of the most colorful plants around, the Lantana thrives in the hot summer months and blooms throughout the spring and fall in purple, white, pale yellow, red, gold, or pink colors. In the winter, the Lantana will drop its foliage and then re-leaf in the very early spring. The Lantana is one of the fastest growing ground covers and is drought tolerant.

Yellow Bells & Bells of Fire
Commonly called Yellow Bells, this shrub can grow 8 feet tall and wide. Yellow Bells display many yellow, trumpet-shaped flower clusters starting mid-spring all the way to winter. This shrub is drought-tolerant and is very fast growing. Yellow Bells are great for focal points, fence or borderlines, and color accents in a desert and tropical landscape. To maximize blooming cycles, be sure to prune off dead blooms occasionally.

Oleander
These trees/shrubs just love the hot summer months, which makes them an ideal flowering tree for your landscape. The Oleander tree displays a long lasting bloom that comes in clumps of red, white, and pink. The blooms are vibrant may extend into the wilder winter months. Ideally planted in groups or rows, the Oleander is a great tree for our customers who are seeking privacy hedges, area screens, and property border because of the trees ability to keep a thick coat of dark green leaves throughout the year.