When it comes to water conservation, we believe it starts at home… with our children. It is so easy to teach children from the very beginning the importance of conserving one of the Earth’s most valuable resources. Together, we can build a foundation of knowledge so our children all grow up to be stewards of the Earth. Help your kids …
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On November 1, the morning was crisp and the volunteers were full of energy. Over 40 community members arrived at 7:30 a.m. to learn about green infrastructure and a relatively new idea called low impact development. By lunchtime a 20-foot wide and 200-foot long area in front of Mesa Urban Garden and neighboring restaurant, República Empanada, had over fifty native …
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In this arid land, when it rains, it really does pour. Residents who hope to take advantage of this free, yet ephemeral water have begun a revival in the ancient practice of rainwater harvesting, which involves capturing and storing rainwater near where it falls. It’s no surprise that people are interested: harvesting rainwater can save energy and water, reduce the …
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Fall is here! And it’s a great time to conduct an outdoor water use checkup, which could help you save water and money. Here are some tips to help you get started: Watering As temperatures begin to drop, you’ll need to water your landscaping less frequently. Make sure you water thoroughly and deeply at each watering. This way, roots are …
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Fall is a fantastic time to plant because soil temperatures are still warm, encouraging root growth and development while allowing plants to get better established before next summer’s heat sets in. Also, with cooler temperatures, plants need less water and it is a much more forgiving time of year to put new plants in the ground. It’s also the time …
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The cool season brings with it the renewal of the mind and body—gone are the long, hot summer days, at least for the foreseeable future. So what better time to get out into your yard and examine the state of your irrigation system? As Water Conservation Specialists, we often see overwatering of the landscape in the fall months. Plants simply …
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I hear the whirring of the lawn mowers and see the dust in the air. It’s overseeding season! It’s a familiar scene in neighborhoods across the Valley every fall… the sound of a roaring lawn mower trailed by a cloud of dust. Immersed in the dusty fog is a homeowner or landscaper engaged in the seasonal ritual of scalping a …
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Back when George H. W. Bush was president, the U.S. Congress passed a law that has helped the country conserve its water supply as we face drought and climate change. There was nothing glamorous about the law, but its impact was dramatic. The law, written and championed by Massachusetts engineer Amy Vickers, changed the amount of water that could be …
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Many valley cities are offering you cash! Cash for your grass that is! The purpose of a grass-to-Xeriscape program is to help customers reduce their landscape water use by half or more by replacing their water-thirsty lawns with landscape plants more suitable for our Sonoran Desert climate. What does Xeriscape mean? Xeriscape (zeer-a-scape) is a term that defines a creative approach to landscaping that …
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Southwest Horticulture Annual Day of Education Summertime in the desert gets tough without a little shade, or in this case, SHADE, the Southwest Horticulture Annual Day of Education. Presented by the Arizona Nursery Association (ANA), this award-winning one-day educational seminar is designed for landscape architects, designers, arborists, small business owners, property managers, nursery employees and other green industry professionals. This …
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Join the next session of Smartscape classes for landscape professionals and receive expert instruction on how to better serve your clients. The Smartscape program is a comprehensive, research‐based training program that instructs landscape professionals in the fundamentals of design, installation, irrigation, and maintenance of low‐water‐use landscapes. The need for efficient water use, the regulatory environment, methods of water conservation in …
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The second annual Water – Use It Wisely photo contest is a wrap, and we have a winner! After reviewing over 1,000 incredible images celebrating water throughout Arizona, Dave C’s photo of a post-rain scene in Boulder Canyon was a drop above the rest. “The celebration of water in a climate like ours can be very different for each person. …
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