Home & Landscape
JUNE AND JULY IN THE DESERT By Randy Zellers SDL, Director of Operations
Brace yourself, the next two months are going to be hot and hotter. There are several things to look for in the landscapes to make it through June and July unscathed. The first rule is to accomplish your hardest tasks in the morning hours before we get to triple digits in the afternoon. Plan your day accordingly and items will go much smoother when working outside. Less is more in your landscape these next two months as plants and trees are just as stressed as humans due to the heat. JUNE This month is generally the driest with very little, if any, rainfall in the Valley. Make sure your irrigation system is functioning properly to provide water to your landscape as Mother Nature waits another month to hit us with monsoon season in July. The month of June is very low in humidity as well, which causes plants, trees and turf to dry out more quickly than during the monsoon season of July, August and into September. Run your irrigation system three days per week on Monday-Wednesday-Friday at an early start time in the morning. Monitor your plants’ reaction and adjust for any supplemental that may be needed over the weekend. This should be sufficient until monsoon storms grace us with rain in July and August. With our monsoon season just around the corner, this is a good time to evaluate your trees’ canopies to be sure they can withstand the high winds of the monsoons. Monsoon means high winds and not necessarily rainfall. The rain part is a bonus should we get some during the season. Check your trees for dead wood, crossing or elongated branches and overall canopy strength to see if they will need some structural integrity pruning prior to the high winds of the season. The old style of pruning was to open the canopy to allow winds to pass through. The new ISA (International Society of Arborists) suggests reducing elongated branching to gain stability for the tree during a high wind event. JULY Traditionally, the monsoon season starts in mid-July when the dew point hits the magic number. We should be able to count on an inch or two of rain and hopefully, a slow and steady soaker rather than a downpour that runs off into our washes. In the event of rainfall, for every .25”, you can shut your irrigation system down for three days minimum and see how your landscape reacts. Adjust accordingly based on rain and humidity in July. Three days a week should be sufficient due to the added humidity in the air. Plants won’t experience evapotranspiration as quickly with the additional moisture and won’t dry out as quickly. People tend to overwater during the summer because of the high temperatures but realize there are other factors in play that help reduce watering times and days. If you didn’t prune your trees in June, reevaluate the need this month. Trees are the biggest investment you have in the landscape because of the replacement costs of like size and species should some damage occur during monsoon season. Pay particular attention to trees near roof lines, sidewalks and streets and imagine the damages to homes, vehicles or passersby if a branch or entire tree would come down in high winds. It is always better to be safe than sorry when dealing with unpredictable Mother Nature. Be safe and rest assured, cooler weather is around the corner if we can make it through June and July. 8 June/July 2022
CITY OF SCOTTSDALE COLLECTION SERVICES June 13th & July 18th 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.
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.
