Protecting Plants From Freezing in Phoenix AZ...

It's finally the time of year when you might see frost in Arizona. When temperatures drop to 32 degrees or cooler, you'll need to protect plants around your property. Here are a few simple tips to help prevent frost damage in Arizona and keep your plants healthy:

Landscape plants
Use bedsheets or frost cloth to cover frost-tender plants such as bougainvillea, celosia, ficus, hibiscus, Mexican fan palm, red bird of paradise and sweet acacia.

Fruits and vegetables
Cover with a bedsheet or frost cloth.

Herbs
Bring container plants closer to the house or cover plants with a sheet or frost cloth. Frost-tender herbs to cover when frost is in the forecast: anise, basil, bay trees, scented geraniums, lavender, lemon balm, lemon grass, lemon verbena, marjoram, nasturtiums, Cuban oregano, oregano, rosemary, thyme, peppers and chiles.

Fruit and nut trees
Cover the tree overnight with a sheet or blanket that reaches to the ground. Uncover after sunrise.
Loosely wrap the trunks of young citrus and other cold-tender trees. These wrappings - towel, blanket, cardboard or frost cloth - may be left on during the frost season.

Cactus
Use foam or plastic cups or cardboard boxes to protect the tips of columnar cactus or bloom stalks on agaves and aloes.

IMPORTANT! Plants damaged from frost? Do not prune damaged areas until the plant begins growing in the spring.

If you have a commercial property in Arizona that needs landscape maintenance, contact ProQualLandscaping.com to schedule an appointment and learn how to protect your valuable lanscape assets with the care of an Arizona Certified Arborist and landscape professional.

Frost Damaged Plants in Arizona...

As I’m sure you’re aware, the cold weather is upon. Bitter nighttime temperatures have everyone huddling around heaters, outdoor fireplaces, or staying inside to keep warm. In the outlying areas of the Valley, some even have had to scrape frost from their windshields before heading off to work.

With an Arizona freeze, also comes the unsightly frost damage to many of our native desert plants. No longer do we see the bright Yellows, Reds, Greens, and Oranges, of our landscapes. Instead, we see browned out remnants of our once beautiful plants. While this is an ugly occurrence, frost damage is a normal process for our Arizona plants and landscapes.

Below are a few pictures of plants typically hit the hardest by Arizona frost:

Bougainvillea - Cape Honeysuckle - Gold Mound Lantana

 

Frost damaged Ficus in Phoenix Arizona

Arizona trees are no exception to the frosts ability to strike. At the left is a picture of a large ficus tree in Phoenix damaged by our nighttime freeze.

While there is a sense of cleanliness to trimming off this burnt, deathly looking material from the plants, it is NOT recommended. The dead plant material, surrounding the inner portion of the plant, acts as a blanket keeping the plant warm throughout the remaining threats of frost.

If trimming must be done, a light trimming of the outer 20% of the plant may be done to keep the plant in an aesthetically pleasing shape. Cutting more than this recommended 20% may cause injury to the interior, not yet frozen or damaged, portion of the plants energy system.

Once the threat of frost in Arizona has passed (typically around February 14th), pruning back plants can be done with relative success. This will be the time to trim off any frost damaged portions of our plants like Lantanas, Bougainvilleas, Oleanders, Honeysuckles, or Natal Plums. It is important to remember that once the plant has been trimmed back, the built up bio-matter trapped around the base of the plant must be removed as well. This bio-mass of decomposing plant material limits the amount of oxygen the plant uses for respiration. Removing it will help with nutrient uptake, the natural cooling process of the leaves, and strength of the roots. Be careful not to damage the base of the plant when removing the decomposing material as the outer layer of the plant in this area is very sensitive.

After frost pruning has been completed, a light application of a balanced slow-release fertilizer is recommended. 6-20-20 is what we use. This can be purchased at your local nursery, as they can help explain the proper rates at which to apply the product.

With a little patience and timely Arizona landscape management practices, the beauty will soon return to our Native Arizona plants. The smell of spring will be enhanced by the fragrance from our flowers and trees as they recover, naturally, from the long and cold winter months. Soon, spring will be here…

Have a great and safe New Year!

Scott Cosgrove  ISA Certified Arborist in Arizona, CLP, CDLP, ACPA, CTM
ProQual Landscaping

Arizona HOA and Condo Landscape Maintenance...

ProQual Landscaping will work with your organization to develop a landscape maintenance plan that will accomplish your vision, protect your valuable landscape assets and meet you budgets.

Lawn Maintenance
 
Seasonal Color Displays

Trees and Shrubs

Mulch
Fertilization
Landscape Design

Interlocking Paver installation

Retaining Walls
Water Conservation
Xeriscape planning


Commercial Landscaping Services in Phoenix Arizona and surrounding cites:
• Lawn maintenance
• Licensed pesticide applications
• Turf care programs: Nutrient management /weed controls
• Enhancement programs: Flower rotations /seasonal color
• Tree/shrub care: Nutrient management / IPM programs
• Monthly site reports: Prepared by our staff and e-mailed to you
• Snow & Ice Management: Timely service to get you back to work and play

We gladly engage RFP's
For more information please contact us or call 480-456-0608

Arizona Storm Damage Trees and Landscaping

Repair or Replace Trees in Arizona

Arizona its fair share of both summer monsoon and winter storms that damage trees.  Once power is restored after a storm and the clean up process starts, land and homeowners can begin to assess damage to their Arizona landscape trees. In the case of simple ornamental trees, cleanup and tree trimming doesn't have to be done immediately unless life or property are threatened.

Arizona landscape storm damage to trees can range from relatively minor damage with only the smallest branches being injured to splitting of the trunk and uprooting of the tree.  While minor injuries seldom result in permanent damage to the tree severe injuries can increase a tree's susceptibility to insect and disease attack ultimately killing the tree. Damage to landscape trees should therefore be properly treated and repaired by a Certified Arborist to maintain the health of the tree. All serious tree damage should be treated by a tree specialist. A tree specialist should treat other more serious damage especially if extensive bracing, cabling of removal of large branches is required.  Never try to remove branches or trees from utility lines.  Let the Arizona tree care professionals at ProQual Landscaping do it.

Whether repairing a storm damaged tree or replacing the tree, please consult a tree care specialist before making your decision. This could save you thousands of dollars in the end. If you would rather remove the storm damaged tree, the professionals at ProQual have the equipment to quickly remove the tree and haul off the debris. Don't let just anyone with a chainsaw and a truck remove your landscape trees... ProQual does it right!

Rye Grass Lawn Care in Arizona...

Ever wonder how some properties just seem to have that perfect winter lawn in Phoenix? Once you have over seeded with Rye Grass for you winter lawn there are a few maintenance items to consider. 

We found some great information for Arizona Rye Grass lawn care and wanted to share them with everyone...

Rye Grass comes in to major types – annual and perennial. Annual grass survives for only one growing season whereas the perennial Rye will thrive for years. These grasses were introduced to the United States from Europe where they have been grown for centuries. Rye grass, no matter if it is annual or perennial is a cool season grass that will do well anywhere outside the southern tier of the United States.

Rye grasses are often mixed with other types of grasses although they provide wonderful ground cover and a lush lawn by themselves particularly in cooler climates. In the south Rye grass can be used to green up a lawn comprised of grasses more suitable for their warmer climate. Rye grass germinates quickly and seeding is relatively simple as no soil preparation is necessary as long as the seed has contact with the soil and is spread uniformly throughout the area to be seeded. Seed spread just prior to expected rain will deliver results quickly and one can expect to see little “grasslings” sprouting after just a few days.

Read entire article here.

Arizona Rye Grass Winter Lawn

AMA Maintenance Mania 2010...

The Arizona Muliti-housing Association will be holding their annual Maintenance Mania Event at Corona Ranch on November 18th 2010. ProQual Landscaping will be there in full supports. Stop by and visit us to get our new "Extreme Landscaping" t-shirt.

Come learn more about property maintenance and landscape management in Arizona... We hope to see you all there!

AMA member can sign up for Maintenance Mania here: AMA Maintenance Mania registration

Visit Arizona's premier commercial landscape company here: ProQual Landscaping

Winter Water Conservation for Arizona Landscaping...

Phoenix Arizona is a beautiful place to live and we are so lucky to enjoy so much green landscaping year round here. Our dry climate does make water use a major concern for property owners in the valley though. Here are some quick tips for more effective use of water in Phoenix area landscape maintenance.

Be prudent in the size of your lawn areas. Consult your Arizona landscaping professional for an overall landscape and/or xeriscape design that suits your property best.

Water in early morning, finishing at least an hour before the sun comes up, to minimize loss to evaporation.

Do not overwater. Watering the lawn every day not only wastes water but makes the grass less healthy. Strive to train the grass to use as little water as possible. Watering the grass more deeply and less frequently will encourage it to grow deeper roots.

Have your landscape crew set their mowers at a higher cutting level. Taller grass shields its base from evaporation and therefore requires less watering. Two inches is a good cutting height.

Do not water as much after rain. In fact, in rainier winters, Ryegrass can go months without needing to be watered.

November Arizona Landscape Reminder...

Fall leaves in Arizona

It's cooling down quickly around the valley and Phoenix Arizona landscaping needs winter attention too!

Don't forget to consider the following items in your Arizona landscaping care and maintenance program.



November

• Prune back perennials
• Protect susceptible evergreen plants from winter injury with antidesiccant
• Continue mowing until grass stops growing
• Plant winter lawn if you haven't already
• Ask your arborist about deep root fertilization and other tree services
• Plant and transplant shrubs where needed
• Apply winterizer to ensure a healthier, thick lawn next spring
• Mulch evergreens before ground freezes

Planting Rye Grass In Arizona...

We want to thank all of our Arizona landscape customers for allowing us to prepare and plant their properties with Rye Grass this season. It is getting cold already and so we're glad we were ahead of the game this year. There is a fairly narrow window for rye grass planting in Arizona... it has to be late enough in the year to avoid sun-burn but early enough that the cold wether doesn't slow down the germination process too much. Mid October is the perfect time to plant rye grass in the Phoenix and surrounding areas. We would love to help manage your landscape schedule just give us a call at: 480-456-0608

We are lucky in Arizona to be able to enjoy green grass year round! Please contact ProQual Landscaping with any and all of your commercial landscaping needs.

AACM Tradeshow... Man We Love Our Job!

ProQual Landscaping wants to thank the AACM (Arizona Association of Community Managers) for a great time at last months trade show. Everyone had a great time with the "Rock'n Through the Decades" show theme! We chose a "School of Rock" them for our booth complete with a life-size Jack Black cut-out. Everyone seemed to really enjoy the games in our booth and there was never a dull moment.

Proqual is a proud member and looks forward to next year's AACM Tradeshow. I'm sure it will be just as much fun. But more important than all the fun... we had a great opportunity to meet with key decision makers and industry leaders to help advance our business opportunities in the AACM family.

THANKS AGAIN...!