For many homeowners, allowing the lawn to go dormant over the winter can be a tough choice. However, if you’re one of these homeowners, you’ll be glad to know that your lawn is nearly ready to resume its lush, green color. Unfortunately, grass can’t bounce back on its own. Here’s a brief guide to breathing new life into your lawn after dormancy:    

 

·         Ryegrass/bermudagrass

Many Arizona homeowners choose to have a green lawn all year long, which they accomplish by planting rye grass in the fall and Bermuda grass in the spring. If this describes your lawn, you’re just about ready to make the transition from ryegrass to Bermuda grass. In early April, you should stop watering your lawn for at least two weeks. Once the ryegrass has turned brown, you can resume watering—the underlying Bermuda grass should be ready to take over.   

·         Aeration

Over the winter, the soil of your lawn will likely have been compacted beneath a layer of thatch. Since thatch can prevent your lawn from getting the nutrients it needs, you should consider thinning the soil with a core aerator. Water, oxygen and grass seed will then have a much easier time penetrating the soil.

·         Fertilizing

Once your grass begins to turn green, most likely around mid-May, you should apply a layer of nitrogen fertilizer. This will give your lawn the boost it needs to survive well into the summer.

·         Watering

Since most Arizona grass is hardy, drought-resistant Bermuda grass, you don’t need to water it as much as other grasses. In the spring, a 20-30 minute watering session once a week should be enough, while once every couple days is plenty for the hot days of summer.

If you have any questions about how to bring your landscape back to life this spring, come by Moon Valley Nurseries. While you’re here, you might as well take a look at our fine selection of trees and flowers. Moon Valley Nurseries has 7 tree nurseries in the Phoenix area, so you’re bound to find a few items that go very well with your landscape. For more information, call our landscape design experts today at (602) 938-6666.  

4 Fast-Growing Trees to Quickly Transform Your Landscape

Adding trees to your yard is a great way to provide shade and create a more interesting landscape. At Moon Valley Nursery, we provide many different fast-growing trees that allow you to create a significant amount of shade in your yard after only a few years. Check out this information about a few of the fast-growing tree species that we provide:

1. Tipu Tree
For a tree that provides plenty of shade soon after planting, try a tipu tree. This semi-evergreen tree can easily reach a height of 25 feet after only a few years. Ultimately, tipu trees can grow to be over 50 feet tall. Tipu trees produce elegant displays of yellow flowers that bloom throughout the spring and summer.

2. Blue Leaf Wattle
The Acacia salinga, or blue leaf wattle, is an evergreen tree that has unique blue-tinted leaves and produces yellow blooms during the spring. This tree can tolerate high heat and full sun, making it ideal for desert landscaping. The blue leaf wattle is extremely fast growing, reaching a height of 15 feet within two years of germination.

3. Desert Museum Palo Verde
The Desert Museum palo verde is a hybridized plant that was first identified at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in southern Arizona. This semi-deciduous tree produces yellow blooms that remain on the tree throughout the entire summer. Desert Museum palo verde trees can reach their mature height of 20 to 30 feet within three to five years of being planted.

4. Jacaranda
For a tree that puts on a truly spectacular floral show, consider a jacaranda. These trees often grow with multiple trunks, making them an interesting addition to your landscape. In the spring and summer, the jacaranda tree produces purple trumpet-like flowers. Jacaranda trees grow quickly after planting, reaching heights of between 15 and 20 feet within the first two to three years.

Fast-growing trees allow you to transform your yard in a short period of time. To learn more about these or other fast-growing trees, call Moon Valley Nurseries today at 602-938-6666. We have 7 tree nurseries in the Phoenix area with a variety of trees for sale. Visit MoonValleyNurseries.com to learn more about our current specials.

_Lush and healthy trees can pull the landscape of your home together and make your yard the envy of the neighborhood. Moon Valley Nursery offers a wide variety of beautiful trees and plants along with our own nutrient rich fertilizers and expert gardening advice. Call us at (602) 936-MOON or visit our website to see how we can help transform your yard.

• Understand the unique needs of palm trees with this eHow.com article
• HomeAndGardenIdeas.com provides tips on placing your palm tree.
• For the basics on growing fruit at home, check out HowStuffWorks.com.
• Visit EcoEarth.com for home canning tips to preserve your fruit.
• Learn the essentials of citrus tree care at Garden.org.

_The majesty and exotic appeal of a palm tree can serve as an excellent centerpiece for the landscape layout of your home. However, if your palm tree is lacking lush, green leaves, then it may be taking away from the appearance of your yard. When palm trees have turned yellow, it is often the result of poor nutrition. Fortunately, you can revitalize your palm with the help of Super Palm Juice.
 
Palm-Specific Nutrient Blend
Palm trees are unlike any other variety of trees, and therefore have unique nutritional needs. The specially formulated blend of nitrogen, phosphorous, manganese, iron, and several other nutrients in Super Palm Juice provides palm trees with well-balanced nourishment as they grow and mature. When Super Palm Juice is used regularly, you will notice these improvements to your palm:
 
Weather Resistance
One great characteristic of palm trees is their ability to withstand high temperatures, but a malnourished palm will likely suffer during summer heat waves. Healthy palms are able to provide their own sun protection and fend off dehydration even during the longest days of summer.
 
Fuller Crowns
Along with the rich green color you want to see in your palm, you will see a higher density of healthy leaves. As the palm sheds its fronds, the new growing leaves should be dark green in color. If newly growing leaves are coming in yellow, there may still be nutritional deficiencies in the soil.
 
Stronger Trunk
Proper palm nutrition helps to produce thicker and stronger trunks, providing a sturdy foundation for the tree. When your palm is has been nourished with Super Palm Juice, it will show from top to bottom.
 
For everything you need to help your palm tree thrive, visit Moon Valley Nursery. Our own Super Palm Juice is a fast-acting solution designed to bring life back into your yard. Explore our wide selection of fertilizers, trees, and plants on our website or call us at (602) 936-MOON to learn more.

_The juicy sweetness of fruit is even better when the fruit is freshly picked, so treat your taste buds by incorporating a variety of fruit trees into your backyard. With the right selection of trees, you can have fruit ripening all year round. Here are some of trees that will produce optimum harvests in a warm climate:

• Citrus

Citrus fruits are available in an array of bright colors, offering flavors both tart and sweet. Lemons and limes have many culinary applications, making them perfect for home harvesting. If you want fruit you can enjoy straight from the tree, then oranges, tangelos, and grapefruits can satisfy your craving. Many citrus trees will produce fruit year round, but certain varieties are limited to winter harvests.

• Apple

Small and golden apples are easy to grow in low altitudes, and their trees may even produce bi-annual harvests—one in spring and one in fall. With proper care, an apple tree can be a reliable and plentiful source of healthy and delicious fruit.

• Stone Fruit

Enhance the joys of summer with home grown peaches, nectarines, and apricots. On warm summer nights when you fire up your backyard grill, lightly grill some halved stone fruits from your tree for a sweet and juicy ice cream topping. Because these fruits do not stay ripe for long, they are ideal for canning.

• Exotic fruit

Tropical and Mediterranean fruits, such as figs, pomegranates, and guava, can give your backyard garden a unique twist. These rare fruits are often hard to find fresh in the supermarket, which makes them an ideal harvest to share with friends and neighbors when you grow them at home.
 
For a premium selection of these and many other fruit trees, visit Moon Valley Nursery. We have a variety of trees and other plants to suit anyone’s tastes. See what is currently blooming by visiting our website, or call us at (602) 936-MOON.

For many, a beautifully landscaped yard instills a real sense of pride. However, a lush landscape doesn’t happen overnight—it requires a good amount of designing and plenty of careful maintenance. For more information, take a look at these links.

Do you wonder how you’re going to go about trimming your palm trees? Let this guide form eHow.com help you.

Originally from Brazil, the queen palm is a popular addition to landscapes all over the Southwest. To learn more about this beautiful tree, head over to this page from TheMulch.com.

As they recycle air and water, trees purify our environment by acting as giant filters. To learn more about the environmental benefits of trees, head over to this page from TreesAreGood.com.

Why should we plant trees? Find out at this page from DoYourPart.com.

Are you trying to find the perfect tree for your yard? This page from Better Homes and Gardens can help.

For more information, give Moon Valley Nursery a call at (602) 457-2176.

Including variety in your landscape is a great way to make it beautiful. However, hosting a wide range of flora often means that you’ll need to remember specific care instructions for each plant.

In this short video, we learn the best way to care for a dwarf palm tree. First off, it’s important that you plant it in direct sunlight and in soil that drains well. Your dwarf palm should be watered daily for two weeks in such a way that the soil around the base is evenly moist.

If you have any questions about how to successfully care for a dwarf palm tree, or any of the other plants in your landscape, contact us here at Moon Valley Nursery. Whether you’re looking for just a few tips or a sophisticated landscape design, we’re the right team for the job. Give us a call today at (602) 457-2176.

Trees aren’t just beautiful: They’re an essential part of the Earth’s ecosystem. Without the oxygen provided by trees, life would most certainly not be sustainable on our beautiful planet. In short, you can never go wrong with planting trees. Here are the top five reasons you should plant trees.

• Shade

The summer sun is notoriously intense. By planting a few trees in your landscape, you’ll be able to enjoy a beautiful day in your backyard without coming face-to-face with heat and harmful rays.   

• Wind protection

The wind has a way of ruining backyard picnics and damaging homes. When you plant a tree or two in your landscape, you’ll protect yourself and your home from the negative effects of the wind.  Also, who doesn’t love the peaceful sound of wind rustling through the leaves?

• Aesthetics

A tree is always great for beautifying your yard. They’re tall, majestic, and can provide balance in a landscape that is made up of mostly short plants. Once you plant a tree in your yard, the neighbors are bound to notice.  

• Good for the environment

These days, too many trees are being cut down and not enough are being planted. In addition to the boost in oxygen, trees slow down water runoff, prevent soil erosion, and have many more positive effects.

• Property value

If you plant a tree in your landscape, you’ll also be able to measure the benefits in dollars. Trees can give a property a bit more beauty and prestige. Not only will your own property value increase, so too will your neighbors’ properties as you do your part to beautify the community.

If you’re considering doing your landscape a favor by planting some trees, then come by Moon Valley Nursery. In addition to our wonderful trees and shrubs, we provide expert landscape design. We’ve been voted the #1 nursery for the last 10 years, so give us a call today at (602) 457-2176 and get a taste of what everyone’s talking about.  

Nothing gives a homeowner as much pride as a beautiful landscape. However, a lush lawn and stunning trees don’t sprout in a day. A fine landscape may take weeks of planning and installation. For more information, follow these links.

• Are you unsure of how to take care of trees? Take a look at this page from TreesAreGood.com
• When working with professionals, it’s always a good idea to come up with a rudimentary design. About.com has some great landscape design tips.
• Do you need some good landscape ideas? This page from HGTV.com can be a big help. 
• Whenever you plant anything in your yard, it’s essential that you check the condition of the soil. Learn how with this guide from eHow.com.
• Looking for the right tree for your yard? Check out this page from TreePeople.org.