No need to gamble with your landscape during the month of August. Thanks to the experts at Moon Valley Nurseries, a healthy summertime landscape doesn’t have to be a crapshoot. With average daytime temperatures in Las Vegas hovering in the triple-digit range, it’s no wonder why some of the trees and plants in our landscape are stressing out. Have no fear! We are the grower, so we know how to take care of a landscape, no matter how hot it gets outside.

During stressful times, finding ways to deal with it is always going to be welcome. This is where we come in. Keep on reading to learn about our expert recommended tips for your landscape in August.

Expert Recommended Tips for August

How to Water: The heat is intense and it kind of feels like we’re on Mars. Of course, unlike Mars, there is abundant life in our landscape, and it needs water. Deep watering yields the best results and ensures that the entire root zone is saturated.

Protect the Trunk: Trees can get sunburnt and unfortunately, we can’t apply some healing Aloe Vera gel for relief. That said, we can protect the trunk of the tree, and doing this is especially helpful for the younger trees in our landscape. With a Protective Tree Wrap, we can assist our trees so that they don’t get sunburned. We all know how windy it gets in Las Vegas. By staking our trees, we can provide some stability when the high winds are present.

How to Fertilize: With months of scorching temperatures, you may find that your trees and other plants are showing signs of nutrient deficiency. We can give them a boost with our Super Charged Moon Juice.

How to Care for Lawn: Even though we may not want to spend too much time outdoors, we still appreciate a nice-looking lawn. After all, we need a well-kept lawn to practice our putting skills. If you must cut the grass, raise the mowing height to 2.5 to 3-inches. Bermuda lawns can benefit from 1-inch of watering per week.

How to Mulch: Mulching is a great way to prevent weeds and retain moisture. When we add mulch, we can also allow the roots to keep moist and stay at a colder temperature. For the areas in your landscape with little or no mulch, apply a 3 to 4-inch layer.

What to Plant: Start planting for your fall vegetable garden. Salads never tasted so good! Plant vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, lettuce, and other cool-season vegetables and toast to healthy eating. It is also a good time to plant new perennials, shrubs, and trees so that they can have a better time establishing themselves during the milder fall season.

These are Excellent Trees to Plant in August

Liven up your neighborhood and add a burst of color to our arid environment – plant more trees! The great thing about the trees listed below is that they not only help create a beautiful landscape, they can also create shade that provides some much-needed relief during the summer.

Tipu tree (Tipuana tipu): Make your property the envy of the neighborhood planting a Tipu tree. Your neighbors are sure to be envious of the massive amount of shade that Tipuana tipu trees provide. They have a high canopy that creates an umbrella of shade. When talking about the Tipu, you cannot forget about the colorful golden bloom that covers the tree in early summer. And, part of its beauty comes from the feathery, bright bluish green foliage that makes it a standout in any yard in Las Vegas. When your neighbors ask you about this tree, tell them that Moon Valley Nurseries custom-grows them so that they will thrive in Las Vegas!

Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia): Paint your neighborhood with a splash of color! The best way to do this is to plant colorful Crape Myrtle trees. These smaller trees are the perfect fit for any size yard in Las Vegas. Since we are talking about color, we cannot forget to mention its colorful bloom with flowers that range in colors from white to red, dark purple and pink. Crape Myrtle is the perfect tree for color lovers.

Pineapple Palm (Phoenix canariensis): Sure, we live in an arid environment. However, we can bring the calming nature and look of the tropics to our landscape planting the majestic Pineapple Palm! Create a resort-style backyard and plant them near pools. Their deep green fronds are big so that they can create plenty of shade, too. We can also plant them near driveways and sitting areas where everyone is sure to enjoy the sight of one of the most elegant palm trees in existence.

Fruitless Olive (Olea europaea): Olive trees are well-known throughout the world for the beauty they bring to the landscape. In Las Vegas, we can plant fruitless Olive trees and still have all the characteristics that make these evergreens so highly regarded, minus the fruit, of course. Olea erupaea feature eye-pleasing gray-green/silver foliage and a multi-trunk structure that is begging to be highlighted with nighttime landscape lighting. Bonus for the shade they can provide, too!

Hopseed (Dodonea): Hopseed is a favorite throughout the Las Vegas area. These sun-loving shrubs are often used as a tall narrow screen or privacy hedge. These evergreens are water-wise too, and they can tolerate wind, poor soil, and heat; it’s a natural fit for yards in Las Vegas. We offer two varieties, ‘Purpurea,’ which feature colorful purple foliage and the standard Viscosa, which adds a splash of green to our arid environment.