Brand New Year

By Randy Zellers SDL, Director of Operations

Spring is around the corner and is the perfect time to reflect on what went well and what may be improved in your landscape. The night-time temperatures are slowly rising, and the danger of overnight frost has passed by mid-February. The day-time weather is gradually getting warmer and spring blooming plants are starting to show their true colors. Enjoy this time before summer hits us with both fists!

Plants that were dinged by frost can be trimmed back to live wood. Many species like Lantana, Hibiscus, Bougainvillea, Orange Jubilee and Yellow Bells have been hit by frost and can be rejuvenated by mid-February. New growth will begin to emerge once the temperatures gradually increase. Slowly increase water to these plants and fertilize with a balanced fertilizer of nitrogen, phosphorous and potash for improved growth and blooms. A blend of 18-6-6 or Miracle Grow, which is easily found in stores, will provide good results for most plants. Nitrogen, the first number in the blend, will help with leaf development, phosphorous, the second number in the blend, will help with root production and potash, the third number in the blend, is an all-around benefit to the plant.

Turf areas will begin to transition to its’ Bermuda base or if you did not overseed this year, Bermuda will begin to emerge from dormancy. Slowly increase water to turf areas and mow a little lower each week to encourage more sunlight to reach Bermuda and warm the soil. Eventually, Bermuda should be mowed at 1”-1.5” for best results. Fertilize with a balanced fertilizer every 4 to 6 weeks and adjust run times on the irrigation system based on temperatures and rain predicted in the forecast. This past year was one of the hottest and driest years in recorded history for Arizona. It put a strain on plants and trees and increased your water bills to help your landscape survive. Be sure to go through your irrigation system to ensure it is functioning efficiently and delivering water to the intended target. Water is a finite resource that will need to be strictly managed for our landscapes to remain healthy and functional.

Gradually inserting low water use or desert adapted plants into your landscape will help control water usage as well. Many species introduced from Australia have adapted well to Arizona and add color to your landscapes. More and more local nurseries are carrying these plants in their inventory and will be a welcome addition to your gardens and planter beds.

Hopefully, this winter has been mild enough not to cause major damages to your plants. We look forward to spring, baseball and family visiting while our beautiful weather reminds us why we live here. 2021 cannot be worse than 2020 was, so let us all be thankful we made it through and look forward to better times in 2021 in your landscape and life.

February 14th & March 14th SCOTTSDALE RANCH IS AREA 3

This Information can 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. Placing items out before this time can

result in hefty fines being assessed to your account.

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.

*Please refrain from placing trash containers or bulk trash where it blocks the sidewalk and would prevent pedestrians or wheelchair bound residents from passing along the sidewalk.

TRASH AND RECYCLING COLLECTION DAYS!!!

Trash and recycling collection days changed

for most residents. The primary reason for this day of service change is to improve efficiency and make it easier to process recyclables. Current trash and recycling routes have not changed in over 20 years and have become unbalanced due to the growth of the city.

Operating more efficiently means the city can balance the size of collection routes to provide more consistent service, preserve the longevity of collection vehicles by carrying the right sized loads and not overload our processing center. These changes will not affect planned solid waste rate increases and should help stabilize future rates.

The new collection schedule is based on the number of homes on a route and the amount/weight of solid waste and recycling collected.

Residents who do not have a change in collection days may see a difference in collection times due to the changes in routes. Trash and recycling containers should be placed on the street with wheels against the curb by 5:00 a.m. on collection days.

Tuesday: Trash Thursday: Recycling

For questions, please visit the City of Scottsdale’s website at ScottsdaleAZ.gov, search “Collection Day” or by calling the City of Scottsdale at 480-312-5680.