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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Transform Your Landscape from Drab to Fab with Water – Use It Wisely’s 10-Part Video Series Installing a new landscape, or renovating an existing landscape, can be daunting; however, it doesn’t have to be intimidating. With the help of a new video series capturing the transformation of an Avondale backyard from a barren lot to a colorful Xeriscape, you too …
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SRP and government officials recently celebrated the centennial anniversary of a partnership between the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and SRP. Among the guests at the Washington, D.C., reception hosted by SRP were Sen. Jeff Flake and Reps. Trent Franks, Raúl Grijalva, David Schweikert, Paul Gosar, Martha McSally, Ruben Gallego, Andy Biggs and Tom O’Halleran. The 1917 agreement between SRP and …
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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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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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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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It’s one of the great debates. Like Yankees vs. Red Socks, Democrats vs. Republicans, cat lovers vs. dog lovers, there are those who overseed their grass vs. those who don’t. Why the great debate? Well, it’s hard to say exactly how it all started, but it likely has something to do with American’s love of lush green lawns and doing whatever it …
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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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Tamara C. shared this photo overlooking Roosevelt Lake and bridge from a rocky shoreline. ABOUT THE LAKE Roosevelt Lake was created in 1911 after the completion of Theodore Roosevelt Dam on the Salt River as part of the Salt River Project. The dam enabled early settlers to grow citrus, cotton, and even farm animals. The dam continues to provide a means of …
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Lisa Osborne and her husband bought their City of Avondale home in 2008. They planted two citrus trees in the backyard that sat in a field of gravel for years and proceeded to turn brown. Until last November, the backyard had not changed. The economic downturn and family responsibilities left the yard to become what Lisa called the dog’s den, …
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Our heavy clay soils are very fertile, but have very small pore spaces and are slow to accept water. Infiltration rates are well below one-tenth an inch per hour across most of the metro Phoenix area. On slopes or compacted, heavy clay soils, water is generally applied faster than it can soak into the soil, resulting in water being wasted as …
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Description Desert Milkweed, Asclepias subulata, has slender gray-green stems that grow vertically to 4 feet from a woody base. The plant’s spread can reach 2 feet or more. Leaves 2 inches long by 1/8-inch-wide appear on new growth but soon drop. The white milky sap that oozes from cut stems contains rubber. From spring through fall, flat-topped clusters of pale …
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