Summertime Landscape Preparedness

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Are you ready for the summer? Is your landscape ready, too? It’s going to get hot, so we can do some things to prepare for the summer heat. Preparation means that we can have a beautiful yard throughout the hot summer season! Anyone that has experienced summertime in Vegas knows about our extreme temperatures. These extreme temperatures can be hard on desert plants.

Here are some things to consider. Our experts want you to think about these tips to prepare your landscape for what is sure to be a hot summer. Keep on reading, and be sure to Stay Cool!

Prepare Your Lawn

Lawn Care: Triple-digit temperatures will be here before you know it. Our lawns are starting to feel the heat, too. We have transitioned from winter ryegrass to Bermuda grass so that we can still walk barefoot in the grass!

Mowing: The sun is a friend of Bermuda Grass. For the grass to receive the most sun, lower the lawn mower 1 to 1.5-inches so that the sunlight can reach the grass. When you do it this way, it will help the Bermuda grass come out of its dormancy.

Watering (Grass): You should be watering the grass every 1 to 3 days. Remember to water deeply, and the morning hours is typically the best time because the temperatures are nice and crisp outside. Watering your lawn in the morning is the best time because it can help minimize evaporation and fungus. 

Fertilize (Grass): Fast-acting Moon Royale Professional Turf Fertilizer can give our summertime lawn a boost. This fertilizer is beneficial because it can help the grass handle the heat and drought better, makes it less susceptible to disease, and makes the grass more resistant to insects. Plus, a properly fertilized lawn requires less water and minimal maintenance.

Summertime Landscape Preparedness

Shade Cloth: Provide your plant's relief from the blazing sun by placing a shade cloth over the top of the plants. Place it over newly planted plants, tender cacti or succulents, too. And, if you have a vegetable garden, a shade cloth helps a lot.

Adjust Watering Schedule: This is the time of the year to adjust our watering schedule. The temperatures are rising, and they will keep rising, so will our need to water. We want to get the moisture below the surface, so we want to be sure to water each time deeply. The reason we do this is that the Las Vegas heat and wind can quickly dry out the surface of the soil. WATERING GUIDE

Check Irrigation Systems: This is an excellent time to check your irrigation system. Look for clogged drip emitters and repair any leaks.

Mulch Roots of the Plant: This is an excellent time to improve the soil. We can do this by replenishing organic mulches. When we replace the mulch around our plants, we can also reduce moisture loss and keep the roots cool during those hot summer months.

Weeds: Keep removing those weeds! And, if you are going to pull them out, be sure to do this in the morning or evening, after the temperatures have dropped. We want to remove pesky weeds because they can compete with your landscape plants for water.

Avoid Heavy Pruning: Leave those branches and leaves on the trees! After it’s going to get very hot and we want to be sure to have shade to cover parts of our home and a sweet spot to chill. Heavy pruning removes the benefits leaves and branches provide. Think of it as removing your large sun hat while the blazing sun hits your head. It doesn’t make much sense. Only prune plants when necessary.

The heat will be here before we know it. We don’t want to spend all our time indoors, so get a head start on your landscape by following these simple tasks. Some plants may not make it through the summer heat. However, that is ok. We can replant lost plants in the fall and take notes so that they have a better chance of surviving through the summer. Think about where you might want to plant your trees and other plants. Perhaps there is a better place in your landscape for your plants. Our nursery professionals will be glad to help you along, and we can do all the work for you, too.

Moon Valley Nurseries has got you covered with the best plants for our area. We have a large selection of waterwise plants and trees at our Las Vegas nurseries. From shade trees to cacti and succulents, allow our professionals to help you find the perfect trees and plants for the perfect spot in your yard.