Many homeowners prefer a lawn close to the house that may provide a recreational or play area for children or pets, a relaxing place for lawn chairs and family gatherings and to create a cooling effect. Lawns can be functional and their root mass provides erosion control and helps to filter, capture and break down pollutants. In fact, a practical …
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July is not only Smart Irrigation Month, but it’s also our summer monsoon season. There’s no better time to talk about rainwater harvesting. Here are our best reasons to take advantage of this great resource. 1. Rain is free Wouldn’t it be great if water just fell out of the sky? Okay, I’m kidding… it’s hard to imagine that right …
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Scottsdale Xeriscape Garden shows that saving water can be beautiful. It’s a common mispronunciation, but it’s also a telling Freudian slip: saying “zeroscape” instead of “xeriscape” (pronounced ZEER-escape). To xeriscape is to design a garden that conserves water through the use of drought-tolerant plants grouped according to water needs, water-collection systems, mulch, non-wasteful irrigation, and other commonsense yet once-radical gardening …
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What can 650 college students, 100 veterans, and 150 community leaders accomplish in just three hours? They can turn a vacant lot into a neighborhood educational venue. In March, former President Bill Clinton and Chelsea Clinton brought together students from across the country and around the world to Arizona State University to participate in the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI …
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“It gives me a sense of accomplishment!” That’s what one Master Gardener told me after I asked. I wondered about this when I offered composting classes to the public and always observed a great turnout of people with passion and enthusiasm for the topic. There is definitely great satisfaction in taking green waste and kitchen scraps and watching the magical process …
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Winter weather watchers are seeing all kinds of interesting conditions across the country right now, including a lot of snow in the Midwest and Northeast. But here in the desert Southwest, the forecast has been dry and parched! And yet, January is typically part of our winter rainy season with an average of one inch of rain throughout the month. …
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We live in a very special place where people enjoy the outdoors nearly year-round. The plants that thrive in this unique climate are the key that unlocks the door to outdoor living. Creating an ideal outdoor space enhances not only your life, but also the beauty of your community and, ultimately, the sustainability of our world. With up to 70% of …
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Local gardens will be on display this weekend at Tour de Birds 2013. This self-guided tour of birds and gardens will feature nine habitats located around the East Valley. The tour will take place on Nov. 9th from 9am to 4pm and will feature a variety of native plants to suit all gardens. Planting native plants can provide many other …
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Have you driven by the intersection of Central Avenue and Indian School Road and wondered what is behind the art hanging on the fence? There is a new community venture sponsored by Mayor Greg Stanton and Keep Phoenix Beautiful that has brought public, private businesses and government agencies together as partners to show neighborhoods ways they can turn blighted vacant lots into …
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From leafy greens to desert-adapted trees, October is an ideal time to plant in the low desert because the daily air temperatures are more moderate, yet the soil is still warm. This gives plants, especially trees, some time to get established before the frost hits. October is also a good time to scale back on your irrigation frequency, especially for …
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Water – Use It Wisely offers one of my favorite tips: water-saving tip #7 Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Instead, compost vegetable food waste and save gallons every time. Composting is not only a great way to recycle your kitchen scraps, it also makes better use of your green yard waste. The finished mulch can be added to vegetable or …
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If you want to create a healthy, attractive landscape and one that saves water to boot, then you can’t go wrong with Xeriscape. This concept of landscape design follows seven horticultural principles, including good planning, low water use plants, appropriate turf areas, efficient irrigation, soil improvements, use of mulches and lastly, proper maintenance. The way you maintain your landscape can …
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