Q. I have taken over my desert landscape maintenance, formerly serviced by a company. Can you
please provide a general monthly schedule e.g. fertilizing, pruning, seasonal
changes in watering etc.
A. When I consult with people on managing their landscapes
at their homes I encourage them to pay a little extra and use certified
arborists for pruning ornamental trees and large shrubs. They are good at that.
Only highly skilled gardeners are good at pruning fruit trees, roses and other
flowering shrubs. These people are hard to find.
“Blow
and Go” maintenance companies should not be allowed to do any pruning on your
property unless they can demonstrate that they know how to correctly prune your
plants. Hedge shears are commonly used for pruning trees and shrubs, this makes
them look all the same; gumdrops. Hedge shears should only be used to prune
hedges. Many of these types of companies are good at pruning hedges but not
other plants.
I sent
you a month to month calendar of operations but it’s too long to include here
so I will post a more extensive list on my blog (below). Watering is the most important
management practice in the desert. I discuss how to water landscape plants on
my blog and some tools that would help you determine when and how much to water
but water should be applied so that it wets the soil under the entire canopy of
the plant. The amount of water applied is determined by plant size; large trees,
water 36 inches deep, medium sized trees 24 inches deep, small trees and large
shrubs 18 inches deep.
Fertilizers
for trees and shrubs are applied once a year in early spring and only when
plants need it. Flowering plants are fertilized just before they flower and
some, like roses, are also lightly fertilized three or four times per year.
January, pruning and
fertilizing trees and shrubs and roses, fertilize the lawn, annual
flowers, vegetables and herbs as needed usually once a month. Water trees and shrubs one to three weeks apart.
Apply iron fertilizers to the
soil to plants that show signs of yellowing
Control weeds
Dormant oil application on
deciduous trees
February, last chance for
pruning and fertilizing trees and shrubs including iron applications to the
soil.
Light pruning as needed
Control
weeds
Water trees and shrubs once a week
March, fertilize lawn, roses
Light pruning as needed
Test irrigation, make sure
irrigation system is working properly for the hot months
Last
chance to control weeds before it gets hot
Water trees and shrubs once a week
April, control ants causing
problems by applying an ant bait
Water trees and shrubs once or maybe twice a week.
May, fertilize lawn. Water trees and shrubs twice a week.
June, light pruning as needed. Water trees and shrubs twice and sometimes three times a week.
July, fertilize lawn at half
rate of fertilizer. Water trees and shrubs three to four times a week.
August, light pruning as
needed. Water trees and shrubs three to four times a week.
September, fertilize lawn at
half rate if hot, full rate if cooler. Water trees and shrubs three times a week.
October, fertilizer
applications to trees and shrubs if needed. Water trees and shrubs twice a week.
Control weeds now that it’s
gotten cooler
November, go on vacation. Water trees and shrubs twice a week.
December, major pruning of large branches,
dormant oil applications on trees and shrubs after leaf drop. Water trees and shrubs every one or two weeks.