Moon Valley Nursery - Arizona Blog

October Landscape and Gardening Tips

Written by Jessica Downs | 10/5/2018

Tips for Lawn Care and Plant Care 

Arizona is finally turning back into the state that we ‘zonies love to brag about to the rest of the country! The weather is beginning to cool down and that means it’s time to start taking care of your yard. The hot summer may have beaten your yard up a bit (or maybe even fried it up), so it needs to be brought back to good health and get ready for the winter weather! October, and the fall season, is one of the best times of the year to rebuild a landscape or start a new project. Fall is also the best time of year to plant any new trees, shrubs, and other plants you’ve had your eye on to improve your yard.

The cooler weather is a welcomed break from the blistering summertime heat, and relief for any home owner who has been avoiding the sun for months! While we can start to enjoy being outside more and working on our yard, the soil is still warm and will hold onto the heat for a while. This makes for a perfect environment to transplant any plants or trees. This planting schedule will offer maximum root growth potential; preparing it for long-term success.

Watering Tips

Any time the weather starts to change, your watering schedule needs to change too! Now is the time to adjust your schedule for the fall season, so be sure to change the timer for your landscape or your manual watering schedule accordingly. Since we have cooler nights and days, the soil can hold on to moisture longer. This means that you can use less and less water through the fall and winter. While this gives you the chance to save some money on your utility bill, you still want to water the same amount for each watering session. You just don’t need to water as often.  

  • For Low Water varieties, water 1 time and do this every 10 days (New Trees, water 1x a week).
  • For Moderate Water use varieties, water 1 time every 10 days (New Trees, water 2x a week).
  • For Topical varieties, water 1 time per week (New Trees, water 2x a week).

Click here to read more about our Watering Guide Schedule.

Weeding Tips

There are no more excuses now that summer is on its way out and taking the heat with it…It's time to remove those weeds now! October is a great time for getting rid of all those weeds that are still taking over your yard. Once they are cleared out of your lawn, we suggest using pre-emergent herbicides. Spray now to help prevent new weeds from forming during falls rains. This can also lessen the work waiting for you in the spring by helping reduce and prevent weeds through the winter.

Don't let those weeds settle into your landscape! Come visit Moon Valley Nurseries today and let us help you fight off those weeds!

Fertilizing Tips

We cannot stress enough about how important it is to make fertilizing a consistent routine for everything in your landscaping. And by everything, we mean all your trees, flowers, vegetables, shrubs, and of course - your lawn.

Using the proper fertilizer during this crucial time ensures that your landscape is regaining all necessary nutrients. Your lawn has been working hard all summer to survive and now it needs a bit of extra attention. Our Moon Juice, the best root enhancer on the market today, should be a staple in every yard. It can be used on all your trees, flowers, vegetables and any other plants all year long, especially in Arizona. 

Get things fertilized now for the second growing season. It will also get them strong and ready for the upcoming winter! Click here for all our fertilizer products and see which ones best fit your lawn care needs!

Reseeding Tips

As the summer grass starts to go dormant, and the thatch on your lawn has been removed, it’s time to reseed for the winter. You might have a whole lawn to seed or maybe just a few random areas where summer weeds took over.

Whichever situation you are in, the soil (with some help from the previously mentioned fertilizer) is at its best right now for those winter grass seeds to grow full and green.

For more information on reseeding, check out our tips and tricks for your winter grass!

Tree Care Tips

The fall season is the time to trim off any dead or damaged branches on the tree that may have occurred over the summer from heat or seasonal storms. Make sure to also cut back any excessive branches and to remove any and all tree suckers on your citrus and fruit trees.

For specific questions or concerns, please reach out to our Tree Care team and one of our I.S.A. Certified Arborists will be ready to help!

Insect Tips

While caterpillars are not technically considered pests and don’t create a huge threat, they are still easily capable of showing up and snacking on your plants, especially flowering shrubs. They mostly go after desert plants but will gladly enjoy eating any other plants they can find!

Examine your plants and keep a look out for any signs of caterpillars so you can treat them before they start causing damage! Moon Valley recommends the Monterey Bt Liquid Concentrate, a fast-acting insecticide spray to control any caterpillar infestations.

Best Trees to Plant in October

Tipu Tree (Tipuana tipu)

The Tipu tree offers massive shade, ridiculous growth rate, low water usage, and bright yellow pea shaped flowers. These amazing features have made this a popular tree for homeowners across Arizona. When you know you want shade, the Tipu is the perfect choice.

This semi-evergreen grows extremely fast and spread out with age, producing a layered umbrella-like canopy. Its growth habit and massive canopy of shade makes it an ideal tree to cool your home, shade your patio, or a natural way to protect other plants in your yard from the summer sun.

 

 

Crape Myrtle Tree (Lagerstroemia)

The Crape Myrtle tree has something to offer for all year round but stands out in late spring to summer when it begins producing stunning blooms of purple, pink, red, and white flowers. Those colors create an eye-pleasing look when planted in clusters or accent locations.

The Crape Myrtle is known for its long and constant bloom cycle and fits well in just about any landscape. In the fall, the Crape Myrtle’s foliage turns to a showy bright orange, getting into the spirit of fall festivities!

 

 

 

Majestic Ash Tree (Fraxinus uhdei ‘Majestic’)

The Majestic Ash tree is a beautiful tree that adds value to your landscape just by being there! What makes this one of the best trees to plant is not just how good it looks but how useful it is for any yard.

The Majestic Ash grows upright with thick and shiny green foliage. They can be planted as a single tree for a focal point or as multiple trees in a row, which would create a wall and allow more shade AND privacy in your yard. Our Majestic Ash trees handle full sun, difficult soil, and becomes more water wise once it is established.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Piru Queen Palm (Arecastrum romanzoffianum)

The Piru Queen Palm is the epitome of what you picture when you think of a palm tree. An excellent palm for the southwest and to use as a focal point in any size yard! Moon Valley Nurseries grows these palms ourselves to make sure we are growing palms with thicker, harder trunks, and greener fronds and fuller crowns.

The Queen Palm is a perfect choice for a look that is sure to add a tropical feel to any landscape. These beauties are extremely well-suited for the Arizona climate and they are custom grown to be further resistant to heat or cold.

 

 

Indian Laurel Columns (Ficus nitida columns)

Looking for you own Hollywood Hedges? Nothing makes a backyard feel more like a fancy resort than to create a private escape from the outside world. The Indian Laurel Columns are the best choice to help you accomplish this goal! These trees grow thick from the bottom to the top and can be planted in rows to create a dense, lush privacy screen separating your backyard from any nosy neighbors, loud streets or other unwanted views.

The Hollywood Hedge has become a favorite for everyone looking to create the ultimate privacy from the rest of the world and create a unique space that can make you feel far away from the city.