May is still a great time to plant shade trees if you're planning on having some shade relief this summer, citrus if you'd like a bountiful harvest this fall, and palms in you're hoping for a tropical backyard this summer when you're hosting that epic pool party. If you've been putting the landscape off all year, now is the ideal time to plant. Don't wait until it's too hot. Do it now so your new tree has time to establish a root system.
As always with our monthly landscape and garden tips, our nursery pros have a few recommendations for you and a few trees, palms, and shrubs you should plant. Enjoy!
- Watering:
The temperature is starting to rise and it's imperative that you keep a close eye on your lawn and how your trees, shrubs, and grass is responding to the heat. Always remember to deep water. Small and short applications are ineffective. Long and slow applications are best as you want the water to penetrate deep into the soil. Not only does this help the tree right away, but it also helps in the long term development of the tree and it can make a tree less susceptible to drought. For more information on deep watering practices download our water guide help you get a better idea on how to just take care of your landscape.
- Mulch:
A super easy way to keep the soil moist is to apply a layer of mulch around your 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.
- Control Your Weeds:
Spring weeds should be giving away to summer weeds and there is a way to take care of them before they set. No one wants to pull weeds in triple digits. Moon Valley Nurseries stocks all of the things you will need for your weed prevention plan at our locations.
- Fertilizers:
Give your landscape a much-needed boost before the triple digits set in. All of our fertilizers have been specifically created for our native soils. We have fertilizers for everything on your landscape. From palms, to fruit and citrus, to flowering trees. In addition, we also have fertilizers that can assist in material on your landscape that is still recovering from the winter or any stress. These can be purchased at all Moon Valley Nurseries locations or online.
Crape Myrtle
The Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) is our favorite and it is the #1 selling flowering tree at Big Tex Tree Nurseries due to its ability to offer something for every season. The spring season is when this tree really shines with its large clusters of flowers (think football size) that cover this entire tree. The blooms are long and can last until late summer. At Big Tex Tree Nurseries, we offer this tree as a single-trunk or multi-trunk. In addition, the Crape Myrtle trees grown at Big Tex Tree Nurseries are superior thanks to mildew resistance, which you will not find anywhere else. Back to the "something for every season", the Crape Myrtle can also be used as a shade tree in the summer and in the fall the foliage turns a showy bright.
Desert Museum Palo Verde
If you're looking for shade, beauty, and color the Museum Palo Verde is the best option that offers all three. This beautiful tree is a hybrid of different older Palo Verde species that brings our the best qualities in each. This unique combination results in a tree with fuller foliage, large and prolific yellow flowers, and a thornless trunk that has an eye-catching blue-green color that provides a stark contrast to just about any landscape. The shade is layered, which at various times throughout the day, the sunlight will penetrate through. This 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. The bottom line is this: you will love this tree and it will turn heads in the neighborhood.
Date Palm
Resort Style Date Palms are the ultimate in palms for your landscape design! There are many good reasons why Date Palms are found at most upscale resorts and shopping centers...they look absolutely fantastic, they're extremely hardy to cold, heat and drought and they provide a cool umbrella of shade. For formal plantings, place Resort Style Date Palms in rows of same height specimens. For semi-formal or natural effect, plant in groups of 3 or 5 of varying height.
Live Oak
Southern Live Oak, Quercus virginiana, is the "mighty oak of the South" that looks right at home planted in Southwestern landscapes. It is native to the coastal plains of the southeastern U.S and grows at a moderate rate. It is a large evergreen shade tree noted for its beauty and extreme drought tolerance. In fact, the Southern Live Oak was the lone survivor during the recent great Texas drought! Once established it will require low water, just let nature do the rest. This beauty will thrive in your landscape with full sun and little to no special care required.
Magnolia
Magnolia trees (Magnolia grandiflora) are a popular choice our customers at Big Tex Tree Nurseries. Many are drawn to the magnolia's softball-sized and fragrant white flowers, which are truly breathtaking. The flowers bloom throughout the summer and fall and they attract many of our pollinating friends. Now, the flowers aren't the only thing that makes the Magnolia a popular tree for our region. Many of our customers love the attractive glossy leaves and the Magnolia's ability to produce a thick canopy for summer shade relief. Magnolia are are super easy to grow and they can handle even the hottest of summer days.
Water Oak
Water Oak trees fit right in with the Western United States. This hardy native North American shade tree grows at an astonishing rate of upwards of 2 feet a year! It thrives in diverse soil conditions and in many different landscape zones. With its ability to grow quickly, this tree is known for its abundant amounts of shade and for being a tree that can provide a great amount of privacy.
Chinquapin Oak
Chinquapin Oak tree also called Yellow Oak is a member of the white oak family of trees and is a medium sized grower that offers great shade Spring through Summer. These trees are well adapted to many soils, growing in harsh limestone conditions to clay soil types, once established the Chinquapin Oak is very durable. These trees prefer to be planted in full sunlight where they will receive at least 6 hours of full sun. They have a simple leave that is oval or oblong in shape growing to about 6" long by 2" wide and is a deep green color contrasted by a dark brown trunk. The wood is a heavy strong wood that withstands windy conditions well and the trimmed wood can be used for BBQ as well.
Mexican Oak (Monterrey Oak & White Oak)
The Monterrey Oak Tree is a south Texas native that is extremely drought tolerant and do very well in many soil types. Also known as the Mexican White Oak, this oak is rapidly becoming a popular option for landscapers and homeowners looking for maximum shade coverage in their yard. In early spring Monterrey Oaks produce beautiful reddish-peach leaves that transition to a rich green. As it grows and matures, the Monterrey Oak's canopy will begin to spread and become more rounded.
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