Water in early-morning hours before sunrise to lessen water lost to evaporation and daytime winds.  Mid-day watering is prohibited from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. from May 1 until Oct. 1.  Night water encourages fungal diseases.

Apply mulch to the ground around heat sensitive plants to keep the roots cooler and prevent evaporation.

Irrigation materials and methods can vary greatly, so make sure to consult with your landscape professional for proper irrigation frequency and cycle lengths.

Control insect pests like roaches, ants, black widows, earwigs and sow (roly-poly) bugs with chemical or pyrethrin based insecticides.  When using any pesticide, read complete instructions and follow package directions exactly!

Prevent and control Spider Mites on evergreens like cypress, juniper and pines by using a high pressure hose to wash the foliage every 2-3 weeks.  Symptoms include a dusty, off color or rust colored appearance and fine webbing on the foliage.  Apply a miticide like malathion or acephate if infestation becomes severe, make sure to read complete instructions and follow package directions exactly!

For a nonpesticide alternative to getting rid of aphids and other pests, spray plants with a strong blast of water from your hose.  You’ll knock bugs off and damage or drown many of them.  Or, buy beneficial “predator” bugs like ladybugs at nurseries and set them loose to attack aphids and let nature run its course.

Kill unwanted Bermuda grass that has appeared this summer.  It’s your last chance to control before the dormant period sets in.  Once dormant, Bermuda is unaffected by herbicides.

Lawn Tips

Avoid mowing your lawn too low during times of intense heat or drought.  Give your lawn a break by letting it grow just a little longer.  Whenever you mow, never cut more than one-third the height of the grass blade to help your lawn stay healthy.  Recommended mowing heights are 2 1/2″ to 3″ for Tall Fescue and 3/4″ to 1 1/2″ for Bermuda.  Make sure your mower blades are sharpened periodically.  Dull blades actually damage the grass.

The most hated of weeds should be tackled in early fall for a better lawn next spring.  They are germinating now and are easier to kill.  Use a broadleaf weed killer, make sure to read complete instructions and follow package directions exactly!

An extremely dry lawn becomes hydrophobic, or water-repelling. Add a tablespoon of liquid soap to a gallon of water and drench the dried area.  This breaks down the surface tension of the grass, making it hydrophilic, or water-loving.  Then give it a good soaking.

Hand water brown spots and check your irrigation system.  Lawns usually develop brown spots because of faults in the sprinkler system, such as mixed types of sprinkler heads, blocked spray patterns and improper spacing between sprinklers.

Be careful when applying herbicide to lawns during the hot days of summer.  Make plans now to renovate the lawn.  Early fall is the ideal time for core aeration and overseeding.

Plant and Tree Tips

More is not always better!  Resist the temptation to water everything to death in the heat.  Just because a plant “looks dry” does not mean it needs more water.  If the soil is too often watered, the plant cannot breathe, and cannot take up the water in its soil.

Leaves usually are stressed for one of two reasons: improper watering or improper fertilization. Since both over watering and under watering can damage plant leaves, the best solution is to water deeply and infrequently. This allows oxygen in the soil, washes salts away and encourages deep rooting.

While drip irrigation is permitted any day of the week during summer, experts agree that running it a maximum of three days a week during warmer months is much better for plants than daily watering.  The length of watering time for plants on drip systems varies depending on the type of emitter, plant types and soil conditions.

For most trees and shrubs older than three years, water deeply once every seven to 10 days (Run your drip system one to three hours to soak the root zone). Newer plants may need water twice as often until established.  Add a layer of surface mulch 2- to 4-inches thick to conserve water between waterings and cool and enrich the soil.

Make sure you have the right fertilizer both for your specific plants and for the time of year.  Some fertilizers release much faster in hot weather, increasing the potential for damage. Follow package directions exactly and err on the conservative side. Then, irrigate well to move nutrients to the soil.

Restrain yourself from pruning trees and shrubs right now.  Wait until deciduous plants begin to lose their leaves, which signals dormancy.  Pruning will encourage new growth which will not harden-off before the cold of winter arrives.

Give fruit trees a final feeding with low nitrogen, high phosphorus fertilizer to stimulate fruit buds for next spring.  Feed shrubs and trees with complete, organic-based fertilizers to help them recover from summer stress and get ready for the winter.

Continue to care for the roses.  Keep black spot in check with chemical spray.  Remove spent blooms and you can extend flowering well into fall.  Clean and feed roses to bring them from the summer blahs to the fall color show.  Prune dead wood, spindly twigs and lightly shape the bush.  Remove and discard all old leaves and other debris to prevent insect and disease problems.

Fall is the ideal time to transplant shrubs/trees.  Do not transplant until the leaves have dropped on deciduous plants.  Be sure to use a starter fertilizer high in phosphorous for root development.

Keep a record of what plants did well and those that did not do well.  File it in a place you will remember so you can find the info next spring.

Article Credit:  Excerpts and selected information provided by Southern Nevada Water Authority

The professionals at Distinctive Exteriors believe that a great landscaping project begins with proper planning.  We pride ourselves on creating aesthetic and functional landscapes that are customized to fit the specific needs and style of the client.

Getting Started – “The Process”

Set Your Goals

Do you have goals for your project?  Do you have a budget?  These elements are vital, so that you create balance between time / financial investment and achieving your goals.

Any landscape or exterior project can seem like an overwhelmingly large task to undertake, simply because it’s a lot more involved than you might have time for.  This is where Distinctive Exteriors can help.  Allow us to walk you through the entire landscape process from start to finish.  Call now at (702) 385-4555 to begin the process.

Consultation

The best way to begin the process is a little homework of your own.  We ask each client to write up a “wish list”, this includes both the things you would love to see in your design and also things you would not like to see.  Write down everything that you can think of, it doesn’t matter how ambitious it seems, what you think it may cost, or even if ideas seem out of place. This doesn’t need to be all in written form, they can also be pictures and physical product samples.

Our designers will meet with you to discuss your wish list, a budget, inspect the site and photo document the existing conditions.  We will also discuss the ideas on your wish list, some of our basic design ideas, and what ideas might give you the best value for your dollar.  We try to create an understanding of your expectations in relation to your wish list and budgets, creating an optimum balance between the two.  At this point we will move to the Design phase of your project.

Design, Estimating and Contracts

If you have provided us with an overall budget we will then begin a conceptual design based on the consultation.  This process can take anywhere from a couple of days to weeks for more complex design projects.  We always believe that great design is something that cannot be rushed or ignored, so we always ask for your patience.  Once the final concept plan is developed we will produce a contract price based on the ideas presented in the design and scope of work

Contract Agreement and Final Planning

Once we develop and agree upon a final contract price our designer will produce a final construction plan for your approval.  At this stage it is vital for us that our clients fully understand the plans and scope of work.  Once we can agree and sign off on a final plan we will move to the construction phase.

Construction

We believe that communication is the key to any project, especially during the construction phase.  Our team is constantly proactive with our communication to each client throughout the construction process.  We take great care to ensure that each step in the construction phase is done with pride and done with the highest of standards.

Once your landscaping project is complete, an official walk through is arranged. Plant material care, lawn care, irrigation, hardscape care, water feature management, lighting care and all other items are thoroughly discussed to ensure your project is maintained and cared for with knowledge and confidence.  We are also happy to address any questions or concerns that need discussion.

Distinctive Exteriors is “your one source for outdoor living” specializing in all your exterior needs.  Please call us today at (702) 385-4555 for a complete no obligation consultation.