Archive for “Outdoors” Category

FREE MONTHLY LANDSCAPE WATERING ADVICE SENT RIGHT TO YOUR PHONE

May 7, 2018

Spring is almost over, and summer is on the horizon! Which means it’s time to adjust your landscape watering schedule. But did you know that your irrigation should be adjusted monthly? It’s easy to set it and forget it — which could mean wasting water and money. To make life simple, the Arizona Municipal Water User’s Association (AMWUA) recently launched …

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CELEBRATE AZ WATER WITH US ON THE SALT RIVER

April 29, 2018

The Salt River originates from the confluence of two tributaries (White and Black Rivers) in part of what is known as Arizona’s high country. The river flows about 100 miles through the middle of the state from east to west. The tributaries are created by a network of smaller headwater springs that are fed by snowmelt and flow through remote rugged …

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Keep the Splash In Your Pool: Is Your Pool Leaking?

April 24, 2018

Summer is almost here, the temperatures are heating up, and that means it’s almost swim season. So now is the time to get your pool in tip top shape, which includes determining if your pool is leaking. In our dry, Arizona desert climate, the typical swimming pool can evaporate its equivalent water volume in one year — up to 25,000 …

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Plant of the Month – Yellow Bells, Orange Bells, & Much More!

March 30, 2018

Yellow Bells provide a burst of summer color to desert xeriscape gardens. Spectacular clusters of bright yellow, bell-shaped flowers attract hummingbirds and cover these large shrubs or small trees from April through November. Pencil-like seed pods that develop in the fall provide food for over-wintering songbirds. The bright green foliage offers a cooling effect during the hot summer months. Yellow Bells …

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Celebrate AZ Water – Help Protect Arizona Streams with Arizona Water Watch!

January 30, 2018

Arizona is a beautiful state with many gorgeous waterbodies. As a desert state, water is one of Arizona’s most precious resources that people and animals rely on to live and is vital to our recreational enjoyment as well. Scientists at the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) encourage residents to help protect these waterbodies and recently developed a tool to …

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CELEBRATE AZ WATER: PLAN A DAY AT THE LAKE WITH SRP’S WATERSHED CONNECTION WEBSITE

December 15, 2017

Before you begin your next Arizona adventure check out WatershedConnection.com to see hydrology and weather data about your favorite outdoor places. Their new website provides near real-time data for stream flows, lake levels, boat ramp elevations, and other data to help you plan your next trip. “Anglers, boaters, and other outdoor enthusiasts have told us that the data is useful …

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Verde River Arizona

CELEBRATE AZ WATER WITH US AT LAKE HAVASU

November 28, 2017

Lake Havasu was created in 1938 after the completion of Parker Dam on the Colorado River through the federal Bureau of Reclamation. Parker Dam stands 320 feet tall and the majority of its concrete structure is submerged underwater. This feature makes it the deepest dam in the world. Hydroelectricity generation on-site powers towns across Arizona, Nevada and California. Additionally, the …

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10 REASONS WHY ARTIFICIAL TURF MAY NOT BE WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR

November 8, 2017

It seems like the perfect solution. Replace thirsty lawns with something that plays the part yet is perfectly (un)dead and therefore requires no water, no maintenance, and no sweat. But the story of artificial turf is not as simple as it sounds, and most of that has to do with the “no sweat” part of it. Let me explain. We …

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TOP TEN REASONS TO CONVERT TO XERISCAPE!

October 26, 2017

Maintaining an attractive and healthy lawn is not easy in our desert climate. While bermudagrass (our summer-active turf) is drought and heat tolerant, it still requires a great deal of time, resources and energy to keep it looking good. If a year-round green lawn is desired, winter ryegrass needs to be seeded each fall, creating more work and requiring more …

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HOW DO I SELECT A LANDSCAPE PROFESSIONAL?

Our landscapes cradle the world between the wild and the civilized. If you are lucky enough to own or rent a little piece of land, you have a chance to create your own private paradise that marries nature with individuality. But how do you get started? And what if you need help? How do you select a landscape professional? How …

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Rio-Verde-Community-Center-Xeriscape

Plant of the Month – Desert Lavender

October 20, 2017

Description The gray leaves of Desert lavender, Hyptis emoryi, are covered with fine hairs and are soft to the touch. A pleasant lavender scent is released following rains or if you brush against the foliage. Individual leaves are 1-inch-long by ¾ inch wide, broader at the base than the tip. The edges have rounded teeth. The branches grow upright to …

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Desert lavender surrounds a bench

FALL PLANTING IN THE ARIZONA DESERT

October 3, 2017

The fall planting season has arrived! Temperatures are cooler, and it’s a great time to replace plants you may have lost during the hot summer. Why is fall planting so good for plants? Soil temperatures are still warm, encouraging root growth and development and allowing plants to get much better established before next summer’s heat sets in. Also, with cooler …

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