April is Water Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness about the importance of water conservation and how to select and water landscape plants correctly. But another exciting event to celebrate in April is Arbor Day, a special day set aside the last Friday in April to help focus our attention on the importance of trees in our environment.
Did you know one tree can filter over 26 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere annually, equaling 11,000 miles of car emissions, besides providing cooling shade, edible fruits, attractive flowers or habitats for wildlife? With over 100 days of 100 degree plus temperatures, we all appreciate the shade trees provide to us.
Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert will help you select a tree appropriate to your landscape with information such as size, water requirement, and growth rate. You can also find great tree photos on our Low Water Plants Pinterest Board. Once you’ve selected your tree, planting it correctly will give it the best start possible. Detailed illustrations are included in Xeriscape: Landscaping with Style in the Arizona Desert. Of course, watering your tree is critical and the easy-to-read tables in Landscape Watering by the Numbers will show you how much and how often to irrigate. The booklets and additional landscape information is available from your local water provider or on our resources page.
Planting low-water-use trees and using these guides is just one of the many ways you can have a water-efficient landscape.
Cathy Rymer is a water conservation coordinator with the City of Chandler, AZ, one of fifteen Water – Use It Wisely partners to offer water-saving advice and programs.