A lot of us have lawn pride. Growing the greenest grass and plants gives us a sense of hard work and accomplishment. Getting there, however, usually takes some friendly advice from the pros. The following are some simple tips to get you the best yard on the block.

Wanna go Gravel?

If you’re looking for a low maintenance and environmentally friendly option, a gravel yard is the way to go. While it’s not a no maintenance option, it is a great low maintenance option. Local landscapers will tell you that gravel lawn care in Phoenix makes up a large majority of their business. Gravel yards need lots of raking and blowing to keep debris out and surprisingly, still need weed maintenance such as a pre-emergent. Local landscapers also make sure to keep your gravel looking full by adding rock to bare areas.

Add Desert Plants

There’s a lot to love about desert landscaping including unique and colorful plants like the Firestick plant in Arizona. This beautiful green stick plant turns a fiery orange red when the temperatures drop. It’s also a perfect low maintenance plant that doesn’t shed leaves or have thorns. It is a very poisonous plant however, so make sure to not consume it and keep it out of reach from animals or children.

Maintain your Desert Trees

Desert trees need trimming too. The Palo Verde, for example, needs to be trimmed a certain way to alleviate heavy branches and overgrowth. If your Palo Verde is still young, allow the tree to fill in before doing any heavy pruning. Mature trees, on the other hand, need to be thinned out and trimmed back. There are many resources online about how to trim Palo Verde trees, so make sure to refer to the pros!

Wanna go Grass?

If gravel doesn’t satisfy your yard needs, green grass might. But growing luscious green grass requires certain preparations and future planning in the desert. The first thing to consider is your soil. There are several tips on how to keep grass green in Arizona and which soil varieties will produce the best grass in desert climates. Another thing to consider is the kind of fertilizer you use. The best product to use is organic fertilizer because it’s natural and releases nutrients slowly over time. More tips are available when you ask your local landscapers.

Try Bermuda

Bermuda grass is a great choice for desert landscapes because it’s highly resilient to heat and drought. Not sure when to plant Bermuda grass in Arizona? Experts say the best time is to start in Spring when the night time temperatures are consistently below 70 degrees. Make sure to utilize fertilizer and heavy watering.

Best Time to Water

Making the most of your watering time is essential, especially in the desert. The best time to water grass in Arizona is in the morning before the heat of the day. This time period is the most beneficial because it has a chance to soak into the soil before it evaporates. Watering early in the morning also prevents the water from getting too hot and damaging the roots of your plants.

Wintering Water Schedule

If you do have a grass lawn, your watering habits will change from summer to winter. In the winter for example, grass requires less water. Starting around November, you’ll want to start a winter watering schedule for Phoenix. If you’re used to watering your grass daily, you’ll want to implement a new schedule which includes 10-20 min sessions, 3 times a week.

DIY Pre-emergent

Use the best products for the best looking yard! Pro landscapers suggest using pre-emergent to reduce weeds. But there’s no need to spend a lot of money on commercial grade products, there are several DIY pre-emergent videos available to help you make it yourself. The most helpful videos will also include what to wear to protect yourself when working with chemicals.

Add a Pop of Color

Getting color in the desert isn’t always easy but there are beautiful flowering plants that do well in the sun and heat. The hibiscus plant, for example, does really well in full sun and has large beautiful flowers that come in a variety of colors. They do require a lot of water at first but once the plant is established, they are easier to maintain. You might not have realized it but hibiscus in Arizona is a great choice!

Plant Roses

If you’re looking for another flowering plant besides hibiscus, roses are another colorful and low maintenance option. Roses grow really well in Arizona and only need about an inch of water per week. They do require pruning annually and it’s important to know when to prune roses in Arizona. If you’re in the Southwest, the best time to trim back your rose bushes is in January. You’ll need to cut back about 50% of the bush including the leaves and then seal the stems with a special sealant. Once a rose bush is properly trimmed it will grow back larger than before and with more beautiful blooms!

There are plenty of helpful tips on how to do landscaping yourself, especially if you’re looking to save money and learn some new skills. Before you get started, look up the schedule for bulk trash pickup in Phoenix for disposal of yard clippings. If you want to hire professionals, on the other hand, you should shop around to get the average cost of landscaping maintenance in Phoenix to ensure the best deal.