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Dog Days of August And September In Your Landscape Attention!!
DOG DAYS OF AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER IN YOUR LANDSCAPE
By Randy Zellers SDL, Director of Operations
Hopefully, we have made it through part of the summer and are preparing for the cooler temperatures of fall. August will traditionally bring much needed relief with some monsoon rains to bring free nitrogen to our soils from the ion enriched rainfall. Plants and people need to take it easy during this time of year and minimize as much stress as possible. High temperatures with high humidity during this period make working in your landscape a chore. Get work completed early in the morning prior to triple digit temperatures.
TREES
August is a good time to evaluate your trees and lighten the branching prior to monsoon winds. Prune back elongated limbs to minimize the pressure created at the point of connection to the trunk. The old thought of pruning trees for monsoon season was to open the canopies to allow wind to pass through the tree. Newer research has found that doing just the opposite is more effective. Reducing elongated branches will strengthen the bark connection and withstand strong winds much better and allow trees to grow more naturally. Over pruning is as bad for the tree as under pruning so evaluate each species and make the proper choices for overall tree health. Eliminate cross branching and dead wood is a good idea to lessen the chance of downed limbs during windstorms.
SHRUBS
Minimize pruning of shrubs in August and September unless you are clearing sidewalks or driveway areas. Plants under triple digit heat stress are vulnerable after pruning so be lenient on your trimming this time of year. If plants are located with proper spacing, there is little need to prune now and you would be better served to wait until temperatures in the fall cool down.
WATER MANAGEMENT
Managing water this time of year is tricky. Watch the weather forecasts for supplemental rains and shut your irrigation system down for a period after each rain. For every .25” of rain, you could shut your system down for 2 to 3 days to save water. Natural rainfall contains high concentrates of nitrogen which is beneficial to your plants, trees, and turf. The greening effect for your Bermuda turf is quite dramatic after rainfall in the summer. Do not fertilize your turf after August as it is time to prepare for overseed with Rye come October. Bermuda turf will look its’ best during the months of August and September due to the high humidity and some rainfall to supplement your irrigation system.
ANNUAL FLOWERS
Be sure to remove spent blooms from your annual flowers each week. This will encourage new blooms and keep your flowers looking good until the next changeout in October. Water every other day to a depth of a couple of inches for best results.
The late summer is a time to plan your fall landscape with flowers and rye conversions. Take the time to evaluate your landscape and prepare for the next beautiful season in Arizona where temperatures will cool down and the days become shorter. The use of SRCA facilities and amenities are voluntary and at your own risk. Scottsdale Ranch Community Association cannot ensure that all areas are free of COVID–19 or other pathogens. The Association is not the guarantor of your personal safety if renting the community center, recreational boat rentals, or attending any groups, clubs or SRCA events.
For up-to-date information please visit our website at www.scottsdaleranch.org or sign up to receive our weekly email blasts.
BACK IN TOWN FOR THE SEASON??
CITY OF SCOTTSDALE COLLECTION SERVICES
It is important for the SRCA office to have your current contact information. If you would like to change your primary mailing address from your summer address to your Scottsdale Ranch address, you may do so via the SRCA portal, the front page of the SRCA website or contact Ricki Stamos via email at rstamos@scottsdaleranch. org, to have your contact information updated in our property management software. By doing this, you will be able to continue to receive important letters, mailers, invoices and the SRCA bi-monthly magazines over the coming months.
Upcoming Weeks of Brush Collection:
August 2nd & 30th (going into the first week of September) This Information can also be found on the City of Scottsdale’s website at www.scottsdaleaz.gov.
The earliest items can be placed out is the Wednesday prior to the week of pickup and must be placed out no later than 5:00 am on Monday the week of the scheduled pick up. Residents, please be considerate of your neighbors - do not put your items out before the designated dates. Please be patient as the City has all week to pick-up in our area.
NOTICES FROM THE CITY OF SCOTTSDALE:
Please separate your brush and bulk pickup into two piles – one for green waste and one for everything else. The piles will be picked up by separate trucks during your designated brush and bulk pickup week.
