Landscaping Maintenance Phoenix 

Landscaping maintenance Phoenix  services residential and commercial in the area. We provide a full professional clean_ups,lawn cut that includes mowing, trimming, edging, and blowing. This weekly service keeps your yard looking well groomed all year long. Forget spending your Saturday mornings trying to start that old mower and then the rest of the day cutting the lawn.

You should be spending time with your family and Your Lucky Tree can make that happen. Our reliable service comes to your house the same day each week and is in and out in no time, leaving you and your family the time to enjoy your beautiful lawn.

Landscaping Maintenance Tips and Tricks

Remember, you landscape is not a pretty picture that, once painted, remains in place forever. It is a constantly growing and changing collection of living things. It is, in many ways, an organism unto itself. In order to nurture it effectively, you will need to revisit it frequently. That is what maintenance is really all about. Great landscaping does not stem exclusively from those days of planning and planting. Your property is a growing, living thing. You can set something beautiful into motion, but in order to get the most out of your landscaping plans, you will need to conduct regular maintenance. You will need to address the yard’s needs and to be proactive in order to prevent the development of problems that could completely derail your plans.

Our lawn is a critical part of our overall landscape, in most cases. Grass frequently forms the basis from which the rest of our landscaping efforts emerge. A good looking, healthy lawn is a necessity for those seeking landscaping success. The lawn in the canvas upon which landscapers paint.

Understanding the importance of great grass and the need for regular landscaping maintenance let us look at three things you can do to keep your property attractive and in line with your landscaping vision.

FALL FERTILIZATION

Fertilization is a perfect example of maintenance for landscapes. It is one of those regular things that you simply cannot afford to neglect. Every year, as the end of autumn approaches, you should apply a final dose of fertilizer to your grass. The lawn will absorb those nutrients and they will help to keep it strong, healthy throughout the winter, and ready to explode into growth when things warm up again.

WINTER CLEANING

If your lawn is smothered in any location, it can do a great deal of harm. Before the really cold weather sits in, walk your property and carefully remove any debris from the lawn. Things like tree branches, logs, your children’s toys or that shovel you have been meaning to put back into the garage can do serious damage if left in place through the winter. Smothered grass is less disease resilient and may even die completely. You certainly do not want to usher in spring with a brown ring in the middle of the yard!

AERATION (very Important )

Aerate the grassy area before the year’s first freeze. As winter comes, thatch will accumulate and your lawn can be “choked off.” A serious aeration and that aforementioned fall fertilization will prepare your lawn to last out the cold and will position in for maximum spring performance. You can rent an aerator at any hardware store, if you do not own your own. Some people claim to get more than satisfactory results from manual aeration strategies, including special slip-on shoe cleats. Give your lawn a chance to breathe through the winter and it will thank you in the spring.

• Maintaining Proper Root Zone Moisture (watering)
• Emphasize plants that can survive on natural precipitation.
• Site plants appropriately and take advantage of site opportunities.
• Group plants together by moisture needs.
• Mulch to conserve moisture.
• Probe and use indicator species to determine when to water.
• Remember landscape beds usually have different moisture requirements than turf.

Managing Landscape Plant Growth (mowing, trimming, pruning, etc.)

· Try to use plants that require less trimming and pruning.
· Minimize shearing, hedging and rounding. Try to retain natural shapes.
· Learn how to prune/trim properly.
· Don’t limb up evergreens except as last resort.
· Don’t top trees.
· Some perennials can be cut back to extend bloom time.
· Leave most grasses and perennials up over the winter.

Managing Soil Fertility

· Do soil tests before planting – understand pH level.
· Use plants that the existing soil will support.
· Do any major soil work before planting.
· Maintain a good soil organic level – mulching, composting, etc.
· When possible, return plant residues to the soil.
· Fertilizing is usually unnecessary for properly selected landscape plants.

Controlling Weeds

· Minimize areas of open ground where weeds can grow.
· Use mulch to cover open areas.
· Don’t let weeds go to seed.
· Pull, hoe or dig out weeds when possible.
· Visit the landscape often to keep weeds from getting out of control.
· Minimize use of weed fabrics – don’t use plastic sheeting.
· Know the weed and the best option for removal.
· Be diligent with woody weeds – remove as much of root as possible.
· A few of the most common weeds include henbit, dandelions, crabgrass, thistles, and bindweed.

Using Herbicides

· Pre-emergent herbicides can be used to help reduce weed germination. Use sparingly and only when a significant weed crop is anticipated. Don’t use every year since they can build up in the soil and inhibit growth of some landscape plants.
· Use post-emergent herbicides only as a last resort and follow all label instructions.
· Avoid general spraying of herbicides in the spring when trees are leafing out and have succulent new growth. Many trees are often damaged when dandelions are sprayed.
· Spot spray whenever possible.
· Glyphosate products such as Round-Up are the safest post-emergent herbicides to use around landscape plantings.
· Don’t use ground sterilants such as Tordon.

Mulching

· Mulch helps maintain soil moisture, reduces weed competition, improves soil fertility, and reduces mowing and weed trimmer damage.
· Organic mulches are best – wood chips, bark trimmings, pine needles, tree leaves, etc.
· Apply only 2-3” deep – avoid piling at base of trees.
· Establish five to six foot (minimum) mulch rings around trees. Consider mulching to the dripline and expanding as the tree grows. Area under tree canopy can be planted to groundcovers and other plants.
· Mulch shrubs and other plantings in larger beds. Incorporate nearby trees if possible.
· Mulching should be an ongoing effort – 2-3” every 2-3 years.
· Planting large, open areas in landscape beds with groundcovers will reduce the amount of remulching needed.
· Grass clippings are good – especially around herbaceous plantings. No more than 1-2” deep.
· Don’t use rock or ground rubber as mulch.

Controlling Insect Pests and Diseases

· Many pests and diseases are benign or are often secondary to other problems (poor plant selection, site issues, weather events, mower blight, etc).
· Wise plant selection can help eliminate most pest/disease problems.
· Diagnose properly and seek the least invasive treatment option.
· Hire professionals if needed.
· Minimize use of insecticides – remember the beneficial insects.
· Animal problems (deer, rabbits, ground squirrels, etc.)? Good luck!

Managing Turfgrass

· Try to resist the desire for perfectly green, weed free turf. Such turf is expensive and the efforts to achieve it can cause significant problems in the rest of the landscape.
· Use turf species that require the fewest inputs to maintain.
· Limit higher maintenance turf areas to where there is the most activity.
· Keep mowers and trimmers away from trees/shrubs.
· When possible, water lawn separately from trees and landscape plantings.
· Spray for perennial lawn weeds in fall (if need be).
· Mow high and carefully.

Smart Maintenance

The best way to reduce maintenance requirements is through good design, wise plant selection and proper planting. A few things to consider:
1. Good design pays for itself.
2. Plant in mass and in groupings – avoid scattering of plants.
3. Separate trees, shrubs and other landscape plantings from high maintenance turfgrass.
4. Use plants adapted to the planting site.
5. Limit the use of cloned plants, fussy plants and over-planted types.

Random Thoughts

· Work with nature – not against it.
· Be willing to get the hands dirty. Pulling a few weeds is not demeaning.
· All landscape plantings require at least some maintenance.
· Visit the landscape regularly and often. A few minutes of regular maintenance can prevent much bigger and more frustrating problems.
· Let the landscape reflect a sense of place – the spirit of Nebraska!
· Don’t expect perfection – be willing to put up with some rough edges.

Great gardens start with great soil!

1- The most important component for successful gardening is proper soil preparation. Most of our soils are heavy clay, alkaline and low in organic matter. As a general rule, work into the top 12” of soil, up to 1 cubic yard of topsoil or compost for every 100 square feet. If we provide healthy soil then the result is usually healthy, pest-free plants.
2- Good, organic mulch is an essential component for gardening in the Great Plains. Blanketing the soil with 2-3” of mulch improves plant growth and flowering by conserving valuable moisture, suppressing weed growth and helping capture rainfall by preventing rapid run-off.
3- Prepare new planting beds in the fall rather than the spring to take advantage of cool, dry weather. The amended soil will have a chance to settle over the winter and you will have time to design your new space. When spring arrives you are ready for planting and can then take advantage of timely rains.
4- Weeds are best eradicated before planting by using the least toxic, shortest-lived herbicides, as sparingly as possible. Fight the perennial weeds prior to planting, before they can cause tremendous trouble later. You can keep annual weeds to a minimum by hand-weeding and prevent more weeds by simply keeping seed from maturing by mowing or a weed whip.
5- The best way to handle insects is to do nothing at all and let nature take its course. 1% of all garden insects are pests. Plant a diverse mix of plants in your landscape rather than large block plantings of a single species. If plants are insect or disease magnets then simply replace them with plants that are adapted to our climate. Usually pest problems are a result of plants not getting the site conditions they require to grow their best.
6- It is beneficial to water your garden infrequently after it is established, otherwise the plants that survive will be those that require extra water and the ones that can live on simply rainfall rotted because they got too wet. As a general rule supply up to 1” of water a week to your beds unless it receives a soaking rain of 1” or more. In a typical 5 month growing season your landscape will only need to be watered a half dozen times.
7- Prevention is the key component when maintaining your landscape. Plan on walking through your garden at least once a week to pull weeds, dead head spent flowers or to monitor plant condition. A single weed can mature in a few weeks, often scattering hundreds of seeds for next year’s crop.
8- You can avoid yearly pruning and many pest problems by proper plant selection and placement. Problems occur when plants are forced to grow in conditions they were not adapted to grow in.
9- When planting a prairie style garden or any perennial border include at least 50% grasses in the design. Grasses help support the forbs from flopping, they frame the flowers and provide competition for aggressive plants.
10- In eastern Nebraska if we don’t plant it then Mother Nature will. Newly planted shrubs and trees are often placed in large mulch beds where weeds can become a problem. Consider using ornamental ground

These are only a few of literally thousands of potential landscaping maintenance tasks you can perform. These three means of improving your lawn’s health, however, do reveal why maintenance activity is necessary. If you simply “let things go,” you run the risk of undoing all of your hard work and encountering disappointing results. Last year’s landscaping accomplishment can become next year’s embarrassment if maintenance is not taken seriously.

LAWN AREAS

1) Grass cut at proper height
2) Sprayed or trimmed around signs, poles
3) Weed control

• Hand Pull
• Spray Round-up
• Pre-emerge (Chemical Treatments)

4) Edged
5) Bare areas
6) Disease or insects present

PLANTS WORK

1) Pruned properly
2) Beds weeded or sprayed
3) Strawed
4) Beds edged
5) Disease or insects present
6) Debris
7) Dead or missing plant material

WALKS, DRIVEWAYS

1) Blown
2) Debris
3) Weed control

FLORICULTURE

1) General Appearance Control
2) Dead or missing plant material
3) Weed control

1) Programmed correctly
2) Check-up Leaks and repair
3) Malfunctioning sprinkler heads (repair)

SOIL

1. Soil ph testing
2. Soils repair
3. Soil aeration

To find out more information on our Phoenix landscaping serviceservices, please call us at (623)792-0017

Checklist Landscape Maintenance

Planting areas

• Some plants require constant attention, while others are relatively maintenance-free. Check to see the condition of plants during spring.
• Covering ground with organic mulch will help soil retain moisture, and keep weeds at bay.
• After the first hard freeze, cut back plant branches and cover them with mulch.
• Many flowers do better when you dead-head them (i.e., pinch off spent blooms), which encourages new growth.

Insect control

• Sometimes a plant can be washed clean with a strong stream of water. Many garden centers sell insects such as ladybugs to get rid of bugs and worms.
• Chemicals are also an option; however, use extreme caution when applying them.
• Consider using household “natural” chemicals to control insects. For example, placing a shallow plate filled with beer in your slug-infested garden usually will attract and kill these pests.

Weeding

• Removing the entire weed by its roots is the surest way to get rid of it.
• Herbicides do work, but use caution when applying. They will not only kill the weed, but also other nearby plants.
• Keep weeds to a minimum by covering the soil with an inch or two of mulch.

Weed prevention

• An inch-thick layer of mulch will keep your planting beds relatively weed-free.
• Grass is a plant that grows thick and bushy when healthy and will usually choke out any other weeds.
• Some chemical fertilizers come with a “pre-emergent,” which kills the seeds in the spring when the plants are dormant.

Mowing

• Don’t cut grass too frequently or too short. Longer grass is healthier and retains water better.
• Many mowers come with a mulching option that cuts grass into tiny bits and returns it to the lawn. This returns important nutrients to the soil, and reduces the need for fertilizer.

Leaf removal

• Remove all leaves from grassy areas. The layer of leaves can restrict the amount of light reaching the lawn and trap water near the roots.

Fertilizing

• Depending on your climate, fertilize your lawn and growing beds two to five times per growing season. Both chemical and organic options are available.

Hedge and tree trimming

• Shrubs and trees require seasonal pruning. Prune away dead branches as well as live branches that are getting out of control.
• Many hedges need to be re-shaped several times during the summer, but never prune or trim during the fall. This will stimulate growth during a time when plants should be in their dormant phase.

Sprinkler maintenance

• Winterize your sprinkler system during the fall by draining or “blowing out” the water from the pipes and turning off the timer.
• In the spring, you’ll need to re-start the system by turning on the timer and the master valve.

Spring clean-up

• Rake out the leftover leaves and trash that has built up over the cold months.
• Consider applying a fresh layer of mulch to protect fresh shoots from frost. Over time, mulch will work its way into the soil and revitalize it. Choose mulch made of small organic pieces like “bark fines” or recycled cocoa shells. Mulch made from larger wood pieces such as cedar strips or aspen will take longer to break down.

Thatching

• DeThatch is a layer of dead grass that builds up over time just above the soil surface and needs to be removed.
• Aerate regularly and de-thatch in the spring while the lawn is still dormant.

Core aeration

• Aerate your lawn at least twice a year to allow air and water to cycle in and out of the soil

Your Lucky Tree Lawn Care offers

We offer a variety of landscaping services for our clients. Our lawn care maintenance services include seasonal yard clean up, lawn care, and landscaping/interlock upkeep. Personalized schedules and maintenance plans can be designed to fit your individual needs. You and your neighbors will notice the difference Your Lucky Tree Lawn Care landscaping makes.

Lawn treatment

Makes a big difference in the way your lawn will look. Treat your lawn with Scott’s Turf Builder and watch your weeds go away, your grass thicken up and becomes greener. Having your soil tested will let you know what kind of nutrients it needs.

One can have green grass all year long in Phoenix, even though the winter and summer climates are very different. The way this is done is by growing Bermuda grass in summer and Rye grass in winter. Although grass consumes relatively large amounts of water, an accurate understanding of how much water the grass really needs can minimize waste

If you’ve already had Bermuda grass in the summer, you don’t have to replant it at all. It didn’t die last winter, it just became dormant waiting for warmer temperatures. Around May it will start to grow again. In May it starts to get hot outside, so make sure your lawn is getting enough water to grow.winter grass installing Phoenix Arizona

Winter rye grass is usually planted in October. A general rule is that when the temperatures at night are consistently around the 60°F range, you are ready to plant.

Rye grass will start to die in early May when our temperatures get to around 100°F. Stop watering the grass for a couple of weeks to let it die out, and then begin watering again to awaken your dormant Bermuda summer grass.

There are basically two reasons that people will have only summer grass. First, planting winter rye grass takes some effort. It isn’t terribly difficult, but you do have to do it! Second, having a lawn uses quite a bit of water. Some people conserve by not planting an additional lawn in the winter.
Tip: If you are a golfer, you now know what it means when golf courses tell you that they are overseeding. You can expect a pretty choppy golf course, where the grass is thin. Toward the end of the overseeding schedule, you may find that the grass is long and the rough is longer, because the golf courses don’t want to trim the grass too early.

BERMUDA Grass Life Cycle

Bermuda is grown in the Phoenix area in summer. It can take the desert’s hottest weather as long as it has sufficient water. During winter it is dormant, meaning that it is yellow and appears dead. However, below the surface it is alive and waiting for warmer weather. Bermuda usually starts to slow down and go dormant in September and starts growing again in May. This life cycle makes it so Bermuda does not have to be replanted each year. Therefore, if a winter lawn is desired, it can be planted over the dormant Bermuda. When high afternoon temperatures start to kill the winter lawn, in May, the Bermuda grass takes over again.

Bermuda grasses ability to spread out can be both a blessing and a curse. On one hand it will quickly fill in any damaged areas in the lawn, but on the other hand it can move into flower beds and other parts of the yard where it is not desired. The best defense against this behavior is to border the lawn with a solid concrete/concrete brick border and to have a dirt or rock buffer zone outside the border that is not watered.

Choosing A Bermuda Grass Type

Deciding to plant Bermuda will involve making the decision of which variety to plant. Bermuda is divided to into two main categories, common and hybrids. Common Bermuda grass is planted using seed while most hybrid varieties are propagated using sod or sprigs. Planting seed is less costly than putting in sod but hybrids do have some notable advantages, the most important of which are that they do not produce pollen, and can have a more desirable texture.

Landscaping Services Phoenix

Installing and maintaining a desert landscape- landscaping Phoenix, Arizona – with a balanced design, intriguing scents and textures, and year-round color may seem like a daunting and pricey task. However, with a little research, lots of commitment, and a pinch of patience, you can install and maintain a low-water-use landscape that is not only aesthetically pleasing, but time- and money-saving.Familiarize yourself with how much water your individual plants need and save landscape water!

Why choose low water-use landscaping?
There are numerous advantages of low-water-use landscaping, including:

• Using less water on landscaping saves money
• Plants can handle Arizona’s alkaline soils without the need for extra fertilizer
• A variety of plant colors, forms and textures to choose from
• Plants grow stronger and look healthier than their high-water-use counter parts

Before purchasing plants for your landscape, be sure to choose the right plant for the right place. Consider the following:

• Sun exposure and shade
• Match mature size of plant to space available
• Group plants with similar water needs
• Plant characteristics, i.e. thorns near sidewalks
• Bloom time for year-round color

Your lucky Tree is landscaping Phoenix Az. We have This services :

• Irrigation Installations and Maintenance

• Sprinkler and Drip System Repairs

• Tree, Shrub and Palm Trimming

• Mowing and Winter Lawn Installations

• Tree Removal

• Removal Of All Types Of Debris

• Hauling and Junk Removal

• Rock Delivery and Installations

• Sod, Fertilization and Seeding

• Provide Fertilizer For Winter Lawns

• Provide Fertilizer For Summer Grass

• Pressure Washing

Make a list of your desired plants and call your local nurseries to be sure they have the plants in stock.  Remember that some plants may be seasonally stocked, and do not be afraid to ask the nursery to order the plants for you.

A great resource is Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert, a free publication produced by the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association (AMWUA) and available at most nurseries and our Water Conservation office.  Call (480) 782-3580 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (480) 782-3580      end_of_the_skype_highlighting for a free copy.  This brochure contains more than 200 low water-use plants with sections devoted to trees, shrubs, groundcovers, vines, grasses, cacti, succulents and annual and perennial wildflowers.  Colorful photographs accompany almost every plant, while an informational chart compares characteristics like drought and heat tolerance, leaf structure, bloom color and mature size.

Choosing Plants:
Remember these tips on plant selection:

• Bigger is not always better. Plants in smaller containers will rapidly catch up to their larger, more expensive counterparts.
• Select plants that have fleshy white roots. Make sure there are no circling roots or roots coming out of the bottom of the container.
• Be sure there is nothing growing on the surface of the soil, such as weeds or mold.
• Inspect the stems or trunk for any injuries.
• Take an overall look at the plant and make sure the leaves do not look discolored or drought stressed.