Who doesn’t love butterflies? These beautiful animals capture our attention, delighting us with their delicate, fluttering, vividly-colored wings.

Every fall, the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona creates an amazing display of caterpillars that transform into majestic Monarch butterflies. Visitors can observe as the hungry caterpillars chow down on their favorite plants, form their “cocoons” (scientifically referred to as chrysalises), and ultimately become amazing butterflies.

Here at Evergreen Turf, we specialize in growing and installing sod – but we know how much Phoenix residents love the Arizona butterfly installation at Desert Botanical Gardens! So we put together this helpful guide with 6 ways you can attract butterflies to YOUR garden.

How to Attract Butterflies to your Garden

1. Make sure your yard / garden gets plenty of sunshine.

This is usually not a problem in sunny Arizona! But did you know that butterflies usually only feed in full sunlight? It’s no wonder we associate butterflies with beautiful days.

2. Grow native plants.

Keep your plants local. Don’t import crazy flowers from China or anywhere else. Native plants work in harmony with native animals like butterflies because they have evolved together in your environment. This also goes for your grass lawn by the way. The more you stick to native grasses such as Midiron, Tifway, and St. Augustine the better chances you have at keeping your lawn alive and attracting native fauna.

3. Don’t use toxic pesticides.

They can kill butterflies and other helpful creatures that live in your yard. Check out our 7 Tips for Natural Garden Insect Control for more ways to keep your backyard healthy and thriving.

4. Water

Butterflies like to splash around in puddles of water. They also stay hydrated with water, just like us! So make sure you create a little area in your yard that has fresh water for the butterflies and you’ll be one step closer to being the coolest butterfly hangout spot in town.

5. Choose plants with good nectar sources.

The butterfly has two main goals in life. To eat nectar and to make babies. So if you want to encourage more of these critters into your space, make sure you choose plants with good sources of nectar. As a tip, try bordering your lawn with the following nectar-rich flowers:

• Goldenrod
• Milkweed
• Shasta Daisy

For a more complete list of butterfly-friendly plants, check out this list on The Old Farmer’s Almanac site.

6. Choose plants with bright colors.

Butterflies are attracted to colorful flowers, so if you’re not sure which plants to choose, keep this handy information in mind. If you have little ones, take them to your local nursery on your day off and have them help you pick the most colorful flowers in the store. It’s a great way to spend time with your kids and they’ll have a blast knowing they are creating a home for butterflies!

Follow these tips to attract butterflies to your garden, then sit back, relax, and watch these beautiful creatures enjoy the habitat you have created just for them.

Evergreen Turf is your source for the highest quality sod in Arizona. Our friendly, knowledgeable people are committed to answering all of your questions to ensure a stress-free experience with your new Arizona sod lawn. Whether you wish to sod a small play area for the family or an entire golf course, Evergreen Turf can help you make it happen.

Our team serves customers throughout Arizona, including Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe and Tucson. Browse our website for information and tips on how to create and maintain a beautiful lawn, or give us a call and talk to one of our sod specialists at 480-456-1199 if you don’t find what you are looking for. Better yet, stop by and meet the team at our convenient Chandler location.

If you are interested in adding some much needed shade to your Arizona back yard, there are plenty of options to choose from. The best backyard shade ideas can range from beautifully simplistic DIY solutions to elaborate and decorative construction projects. Depending on your budget and aesthetic interests, a variety of backyard shade ideas can turn any sweltering porch into a luxurious, relaxing environment. Take a few moments to review just a few of the many popular backyard shade ideas for homeowners in Arizona and across the nation.

Shade Sail Fabrics

Sometimes the best backyard shade ideas happen to be the most simple and affordable. For many Arizona homeowners especially, high quality shade sail fabrics is the solution of choice. The best shade sail fabrics are comprised of premium materials that will easily shed water, resist rotting and block harmful UV rays. If you are considering investing in shade sail fabric, ensure the product has been sintered (also called heat-set) to prevent shrinkage of the fabric over time. Thoroughly researching shade sail fabrics before buying is always recommended.

Retractable Awnings

Retractable awnings are often the best choice for homeowners who would like to shade a smaller area of backyard or patio. Retractable awnings are typically built from acrylic fabric and are available in either motorized or hand cranked models. One advantage that retractable awnings have in comparison to other backyard shading ideas is the ability to be quickly put away in the event of severe weather or when shade is not needed. This option may be especially perfect for homeowners who have a swimming pool or like to enjoy an occasional Sunday barbeque with family.

Pergolas & Pavilions

Are you interested in backyard shade ideas that can completely transform your backyard into an inspiring and tranquil paradise? Pergolas and pavilions are always an excellent choice. Available in a myriad of styles, these structures are excellent at providing a well-shaded sitting area for friends or loved ones.

A pergola, also known as an arbor, is built from a lattice which is held in place by support beams. Many homeowners allow vines to grow through the lattice to create a natural and intoxicating shade for the patio or backyard area. Although the Arizona climate may not be conducive for the growth of many plants, incorporating shade sail fabrics into a pergola’s lattice may be an attractive option.

By far, however, the best backyard shading option for many tends to be a pavilion. This free standing structure may be one of the more expensive options but its durability and impressive appearance more than pays for itself. Pavilions may be constructed from wood, high quality sail fabric, or a combination of both. However, some pavilions can be found through select retailers that can be easily put together much like a camping tent.

Finally, make sure your grass lawn receives enough sunlight so as to promote healthy sod growth. No sod can tolerate 100% shade, so keep this in mind when creating shady areas in your backyard.

Get the most out of your backyard by providing a comfortable environment for friends, family and household pets to enjoy. Don’t let the unforgiving Arizona sun keep you indoors all summer long. Instead, consider creating one of these excellent backyard shade solutions and turn your backyard into your own private getaway.

Evergreen Turf is your source for the highest quality sod in Arizona. Our friendly, knowledgeable people are committed to answering all of your questions to ensure a stress-free experience with your new Arizona sod lawn. Whether you wish to sod a small play area for the family or an entire golf course, Evergreen Turf can help you make it happen.

Our team serves customers throughout Arizona, including Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe and Tucson. Browse our website for information and tips on how to create and maintain a beautiful lawn, or give us a call and talk to one of our sod specialists at 480-456-1199 if you don’t find what you are looking for. Better yet, stop by and meet the team at our convenient Chandler location.

Cacti can be an exciting way to spice up your backyard landscape. Many are full of unique colors and flowers with spires, curves and spiky, regal stalks to make your yard come to life. These sun-loving plants make for a very low maintenance backyard design that practically cares for itself. Check out these tips on how to pull off cactus landscaping in your backyard.

Begin With Sandy Soil and A Sunny Spot

Good drainage is important, as sitting in standing water can damage your cacti. Assure your run off goes into proper drainage portals, and make certain no areas will become soggy when it rains.

There are wide varieties of cactus available at local nurseries and other retail garden stores. Verify the growing conditions in your area, then select your cacti according to those guidelines.

Cactus can be planted at any time throughout the year. Mature cacti do not like to be moved – so be sure you choose a long-standing location appropriate for good health. Transplanting cacti is tricky, spiky and at times even a little dangerous.

Place Your Focus on Edges and Centers

For the most appealing backyard design – make sure you choose an attractive border to contain your cactus landscaping. Large rounded rocks, cement blocks, small stones or bricks are commonly used for cacti garden borders.

The simplest approach is to create the border using bricks or stones, then infill the area with sandy, cacti-appropriate soil. This sets ideal growing conditions and good drainage in place for the long-time health of your cactus landscaping.

It’s best to place these cacti areas on mounds and natural hilly areas so the raised elevation prevents them from ever sitting in standing water. This prevents root rot. Large rocks placed as a center-piece, unusual shapes and slabs, an old covered wagon or wheel, fence posts and other old west props work very well to add a southwest theme for your cactus landscaping.

Careful Placement of Large Cacti

Choose one or two very large cacti and place them near the center of your backyard landscape design. This will act as a centerpiece.

One great choice is the Saguaro, which grows slowly to a height of about 60 feet at maturity. The Saguaro will not branch off until it has reached a height of 3 feet. It blooms beautiful white flowers and lives for many years if kept healthy.

Another good one is the “hairy old man” or Cleistocactus strausii. This will grow to 6 feet tall and will seasonally bloom purple-red flowers. This is a non-branching cactus that features an unusual covering of furry needles.

The “tree cholla” or Opuntia imbricata is another great choice for cactus landscaping that grows into a 10-foot column and produces pink flowers.

Medium Sized Showpiece Cacti

Mid-sized cacti are great to plant in your yard as showpieces. Many feature straw-like flowers in brilliant colors. Here are some medium-sized cacti that work well in Arizona backyards:

The “golden barrel” is formally called “Echinocactus grusonii” and can grow to 4 feet tall and 2.5 feet wide after many years. Younger golden barrels do not look much like the mature ones, and these cacti can grow for as long as 30 years! They have yellow flowers and grow well in warmer climates, making them a perfect option for Arizona homeowners.

The Ferocactus emoryi or the “red barrel” is another option for medium sized cacti. It grows up to 8 feet with yellow-red blossoms and can make for a beautiful addition to your backyard landscape.

As a tip, you can group cacti within the same genus together to create a dramatic display. For example, there are more than 30 types of cacti in the Ferocactus genus that vary in size and shape but have similar characteristics.

Unusual Cacti

Add excitement to your cactus landscape by featuring some unusual cacti. Astrophytum myriostigma (also known as the Bishop’s Cap) grows to 10 inches tall. It has yellow flowers but may take up to 6 years to begin blooming. This cactus is perfectly symmetrical and does not grow any spines.

The Sand Dollar cactus (Astrophytum asterias) is another type of unique cactus that grows to a height of about eight inches. It is symmetrical and spineless and looks like a Sand Dollar from the top, hence its nickname. It is covered with pretty yellow flowers when in season.

Both the Bishop’s Cap and The Sand Dollar Cactus are low-growing groundcover plants, and make a great option if some areas of your yard need protection from erosion and/or drought.

So there you have it, some fresh ideas on how to incorporate cacti landscaping in your yard!

Evergreen Turf is your source for the highest quality sod in Arizona. Our friendly, knowledgeable people are committed to answering all of your questions to ensure a stress-free experience with your new Arizona sod lawn. Whether you wish to sod a small play area for the family or an entire golf course, Evergreen Turf can help you make it happen.

Our team serves customers throughout Arizona, including Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe and Tucson. Browse our website for information and tips on how to create and maintain a beautiful lawn, or give us a call and talk to one of our sod specialists at 480-456-1199 if you don’t find what you are looking for. Better yet, stop by and meet the team at our convenient Chandler location.

Many Arizona homeowners often find it difficult to come up with front yard garden ideas, thanks to the hot, dry climate in Arizona. Fortunately, there are many native species of plants that can thrive well in Arizona and do not require a lot of water. When you couple these plants with certain hardscape features of your front yard, you can come up with an amazing and spectacular front yard.

Here are some front yard garden ideas that are perfect for Arizona homes.

Cacti Garden

A cacti garden is perfect for the front yard if you don’t have kids. Plant different cacti can make your garden look unique and spectacular. A regal saguaro cactus will survive in the harsh climate for more than 100 years, but also make a bold statement. A prickly pear cactus can lend color to the harsh desert terrain when it bears fruit. While a bearded cactus plant can get your guests talking because they will want to know what the plant is with thin strands of white hair.

Select a corner in your garden to plant different cacti species, and then use small rocks to make a perimeter. The space between the cacti garden and the house can be covered with gravel interspersed with medium-sized boulders. Alternatively, you can plant the cacti in the center of the garden to create a focal point. Surround the area with small rocks and scatter gravel inside.

Shade Garden

You can make your garden a shady oasis, by planting desert trees that offer shade and soothing greenery. Palo Verde is a deciduous that grows well in Arizona and can make your garden come to life with its vibrant yellow blooms. In fact, you can grow this shade tree and grow cacti under its shade. The tree’s foliage will protect the cacti from the harsh summer heat and winter frost.

Citrus trees too are common in Arizona. Don’t be afraid to plant orange, grapefruit or lemon trees in your front yard with an irrigation system. Citrus trees require water every seven to 28 days. The lovely fragrance of the citrus blooms can make you forget the heat in Arizona. It will be welcome relief to sit under the shade of the tree in the evening.

Zen Boulder Garden

This is a wonderful front yard garden idea for Arizona. It does not require too much maintenance. Take two-colored landscaping stones and scatter them to create swirling patterns in the garden. In a tranquil part of the garden, demarcate an area to place colored sand. Once you have finished this, place boulders around the garden in clusters. Do not overdo the boulders, as they will absorb heat and make your garden and front room, hot when the boulders emit the absorbed heat. Plant sage bushes and rosemary along the edge of the garden. This will break the monotony and add some color.

Terraced Garden

Create theater-style tiers in your garden, if space permits. Plant cacti and succulents in the terraces. Use small rocks of different colors to create a winding path along the terraces. This will give an illusion of a dry creek. You can plant low cacti, sage bushes and/or yucca trees along the edges of the pathway to add more color and depth. If you like, break the continuity of the edges with small boulders.

Use these front yard garden ideas to beautify your Arizona home and also create your own private oasis. These ideas are simple and easy to act upon and you will find it extremely rewarding.

For more ideas, check out our article: Top 5 Front Yard Landscaping Ideas.

Evergreen Turf is your source for the highest quality sod in Arizona. Our friendly, knowledgeable people are committed to answering all of your questions to ensure a stress-free experience with your new Arizona sod lawn. Whether you wish to sod a small play area for the family or an entire golf course, Evergreen Turf can help you make it happen.

Our team serves customers throughout Arizona, including Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe and Tucson. Browse our website for information and tips on how to create and maintain a beautiful lawn, or give us a call and talk to one of our sod specialists at 480-456-1199 if you don’t find what you are looking for. Better yet, stop by and meet the team at our convenient Chandler location.

Ready to take on a new DIY home project and have your sights set on your home landscape? We’re here to help! Check out these essential steps for DIY landscape design.

1. Start with your front yard. It’s the first thing people see when they drive up to your house, so why not start there? Make it simple, functional and pretty.
2. Install your hardscapes. This is most often the hardest part of DIY landscape design. Things like driveways, walkways, porches, decks, patios, you name it… should be constructed before you lay down a single plant.
3. Take care of your soil. Add nutrients and organic matter to your soil that will boost the beneficial content and make your plants happy.
4. Foundation planting. It’s time to plant shrubs and flowers around the foundation of your house. Make sure you choose appropriately sized plants that do not cover up your entire house.
5. Backyard. Now time to move to the back of the house. You’ll want to spend a good amount of time creating the perfect backyard space for you. Fix up the deck, add privacy and shady spots if you need them, as well as play area for the children.
6. Fire accents. Consider installing an outdoor fire pit, grill, or outdoor kitchen. It’s a great way to gather the family together for meal time outside of the kitchen!
7. Side yard. Time to fix up the side yard! Think about what works with your family. Whether it’s an herb garden, storage area, or dog run, as long as it’s useful for you it will make a great side yard for your house.

Here are some final tips when it comes to DIY landscape design:

• Make sure you choose the right type of plants for your climate
• Know the full size of adult trees before planting baby trees in your yard.
• Don’t forget to add nice finishing touches like containers and hanging baskets.
• Incorporate your personality!

Just remember that there will be moments of frustration during this process, but it will all be worth it! Remember to prioritize your wants and needs when you feel stuck, and don’t forget to take progress pictures. At the end of the day you’ll have a beautiful home landscape design to show all your friends!

Evergreen Turf is your source for the highest quality sod in Arizona. Our friendly, knowledgeable people are committed to answering all of your questions to ensure a stress-free experience with your new Arizona sod lawn. Whether you wish to sod a small play area for the family or an entire golf course, Evergreen Turf can help you make it happen.

Our team serves customers throughout Arizona, including Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe and Tucson. Browse our website for information and tips on how to create and maintain a beautiful lawn, or give us a call if you don’t find what you are looking for. Better yet, stop by and meet the team at our convenient Chandler location.

Starting a lawn from seed in Arizona is not easy. The heat in southern Arizona and infrequent rainfall make it difficult for grass seeds to germinate. If you want a healthy lawn in Arizona, start out on the right foot by using sod. But you can’t just choose any sod. It should be the right kind of grass for your light, water and soil conditions. The most popular types of grass for this region (Phoenix, Tucson and Southern Arizona in general) are hybrid bermuda grass.

Use our lawn selector tool to figure out the type of sod that’s right for you.

You should also take into consideration how you want to use your lawn. If you expect lots of foot traffic, for example, consider one of the types of grass that golf courses use. For example, Tifway is very popular in the Phoenix area because it establishes itself relatively easily and homeowners can achieve a very manicured look with proper mowing techniques. Similarly, Tifgreen is also a popular hybrid Bermuda grass choice for Arizona lawns. It performs well with southern Arizona’s low rainfall levels and high summertime temperatures.

Related: Top 3 Best Types of Grass for Arizona Lawns

In general, the best sod in Phoenix is a warm season grass. Warm season grass differs from its cool season counterparts by being able to survive in dry soil. Warm season grasses do not depend on spring rains to grow but can tolerate the high heat of the summer. Warm season grasses grow fastest during the summer months and tend to require less water than cool season grasses.

Related: How to Have Year-Round Grass in Arizona

In Arizona, sod is an excellent choice for homeowners because sod gives weeds less space, light, water and nutrients to establish themselves in your lawn. High-quality sod is dense and has a well-developed root structure that will grow into the soil of your yard. You should expect to have to water your sod frequently for the first few weeks after you install it and taper off as the roots become acclimated to their new location. The specific amount of water you will need depends on the species of grass and any conditions on your property that add or reduce moisture to your lawn.

If you’re ready to purchase sod, be sure to purchase from a reputable local company like Evergreen Turf. Not only will you benefit from our local expertise; you will minimize your worries about the sod drying out or overheating during transport, and about any regulations concerning bringing in plants from out-of-state. After the grass is cut from the sod farm, you should install it within 1 day to achieve the best results. Prepare the underlying soil before the sod arrives on your property. Your landscaper will be able to provide assistance. Be sure to follow our lawn care guide to create a healthy lawn that will serve you for many years.

The natural beauty of Arizona is undeniable but the unrelenting summer sun and the lack of moisture can make designing your backyard a bit of a challenge. For this reason, it is often best to work with Mother Nature rather than against her. Here are just a few Arizona backyard design ideas that can help transform a boring dirt lot into a relaxing backyard space:

Use Native Plants

What better place to start than with the plants that have already proven themselves in this rugged environment? For ground cover there are the daleas – the black, bush and weeping varieties are all native to the state. A little height can be found with the bee brush, the flame honeysuckle and the desert hackberry. For some color, add the yellow, red and Mexican varietals of the bird of paradise species. Finally, larger plants that are still highly drought tolerant such as the flattop buckwheat and the guayacan make excellent focal points for any Arizona landscape. For more, check out our article Best Native Arizona Plants to Use in Your Lawn Landscaping.

Consider a Xeriscape

Essentially, this environmentally-friendly landscaping technique aims to significantly reduce or even completely eliminate the need for water in the home backyard. The idea is to use boulders, crushed stone and other non-living material to establish the décor of the area and then just highlight areas with sculpture or other art as well as low-maintenance fauna such as moss on the pathways, potted plants in key areas and a variety of cacti. In addition, the best xeriscapes will include rain catches that can be used to collect rainfall and water the area without having any environmental impact at all. Xeriscapes are one of the mot popular Arizona backyard design ideas because this technique saves a ton of water and looks stunning.

Add Shade Screens

It is truly amazing how a little shade can improve the temperament of you, your family and your guests in the hot Arizona sun. In addition to dividing up your backyard space and creating a little privacy, backyard screens can also bring a significant amount of aesthetic value to your outdoor space. Whether you choose neutrally colored ones or those with a distinctive theme, screens afford plenty of versatility while still shading you from the rays of the sun. Eminently flexible, they can be moved around when the sun shifts or create separate spaces when entertaining.

Create a Garden Oasis

Your backyard should be a refuge from the outside world. By using the above three ideas, you can create a mini-oasis in your backyard. Simply, designate a space with shade screens, landscape appropriately and install a few fragrant and visually stimulating plants. A backyard oasis need not be complicated – in fact, its best when you keep it simple.

Evergreen Turf is your source for the highest quality sod in Arizona. Our friendly, knowledgeable people are committed to answering all of your questions to ensure a stress-free experience with your new Arizona sod lawn. Whether you wish to sod a small play area for the family or an entire golf course, Evergreen Turf can help you make it happen.

Our team serves customers throughout Arizona, including Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe and Tucson. Browse our website for information and tips on how to create and maintain a beautiful lawn, or give us a call and talk to one of our sod specialists at 480-456-1199 if you don’t find what you are looking for. Better yet, stop by and meet the team at our convenient Chandler location.

Image Credit: Jason Hollinger

15-15-15 fertilizer is an excellent choice for sod lawns in Arizona. You’ll want to follow best practices to achieve optimal results. First, let’s get into the basics of this fertilizer. Then we will go over tips on how to apply it to your lawn for the best results.

What is 15-15-15 Fertilizer?

All fertilizers are defined by a set of three numbers with hyphens. This describes the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, also known as the NPK ratio. 15-15-15 fertilizer is a fertilizer that contains equal parts of each element. The easiest way to think of fertilizer is this; fertilizer is plant food.

What is the Best Use for 15-15-15 Fertilizer?

15-15-15 is the best option when you’re installing new sod in Arizona because the soil in Arizona naturally has little to no phosphorous content.

Which Sod Responds Best to 15-15-15 Fertilizer?

Any sod variety that you choose for your lawn will work well with 15-15-15 fertilizer. It is the best option for new sod that isn’t yet established and hasn’t yet taken root. The equal amounts of NPK helps your lawn to take root, grow strong and stay healthy.

Established lawns, on the other hand, require different ratios of NPK. Why? Because as the sod matures, the nitrogen levels in the soil change. As a result, you will need to apply a different ratio of NPK to the soil. This will help to produce lush and healthy lawns.

Midiron, Tifway, and Tifgreen sod varieties, which are often used on home lawns in Arizona, tend to be higher in nitrogen. They also have a medium phosphorous content, and have a medium-to-high amount of potassium. For these types of grasses, a 3-1-1 fertilizer, fed every four to six weeks, is generally optimal for established lawns.

Certain types of sod don’t require as much nitrogen. St. Augustine sod, for example, shouldn’t be given too much nitrogen during the fertilization process. This is because too much nitrogen will make St. Augustine grow very thick. When that happens, thatch builds up. Thatch is “a layer of organic matter that accumulates on a lawn around the base of the grass plants. Thatch is a combination of living and dead plant matter including crowns, stolons, rhizomes, and roots.” (Source: Wikipedia). St. Augustine sod can be prone to disease if it accumulates too much thatch. Once this grass is established, a 1-1-1 or 1-2-2 ratio is recommended. These fertilizers will give your grass plenty of color without a lot of growth.

What Else Should You Know About 15-15-15 Fertilizer?

More is not always better. Keep in mind that the Arizona climate can sometimes result in your grass being burnt if you’re not careful. Too much fertilizer, or fertilizer with a high nitrogen content, can result in scorching or blemishing your lawn. This can be expensive to repair. Salt is often in fertilizers too. Salt can contribute to burning your lawn once the sun and heat go to work, if you’re not applying the proper amount of fertilizer.

It’s also very important to be mindful of the way in which you’re spreading your fertilizer. It is incredibly essential that you spread your fertilizer evenly throughout your lawn. Uneven distribution can cause patches of green and yellow on your lawn. As a final tip, be sure to water your lawn regularly for best results.

To summarize, here are some of the top benefits of 15-15-15 fertilizer:

• Gives your grass beautiful green blades
• Formulated for use on lawns
• Specialized for Western soils (Arizona, California, etc.)
• Highly efficient source of N, P and K
• Provides accurate and balanced uptake of these major nutrients into the lawn
• Ensures good root development, thanks to the nitrogen
• Can be easily found at any home improvement / lawn supply store
• Great value

Now hopefully you have a better understanding of fertilizer and how it can help your lawn. For more, check out the article about the numbers on fertilizer labels on Growing a Greener World: The Numbers on Fertilizer Labels, What They Mean.

Need help understanding how to best care for your sod in Arizona? Our team at Evergreen Turf would be happy to help! Contact us today, so we can get started! Ready to order some sod? Check out all of our sod varieties here.

Brutal Arizona summer sun and a desert climate make it tough for homeowners to cultivate and maintain a healthy-looking lawn, but don’t be tempted to give up. With some essential information, time and patience, your environmentally-friendly, lush lawn will rival any golf course in the area.

Choose the right grass

You’ll first need to consider the type of grass you want to use. Most warm-weather climates favor bermuda or hybrid bermuda varieties that are especially drought-tolerant. Zoysiagrass is another type of grass that thrives in the hot, dry Arizona climate. Some grasses popular on golf greens, such as Tifway and Tifgreen, are chosen due to their heat tolerance, drought resistance and attractive, dark green color.

Use Arizona Sod for environmental benefits

Many people prefer to lay Sod in Arizona rather than sowing grass seed for several reasons. An instant attractive lawn is the most commonly cited reason, but there are several environmental benefits as well. Sod’s most obvious attribute is the need for less water than a just-seeded lawn requires. Sod must be watered, of course, but it requires just a fraction of the constant watering that recently-scattered grass seeds need to germinate and grow.

Work with a local company to choose and lay the sod for your lawn for environmental as well as practical reasons. A Phoenix Sod company knows what types of grasses grow best in the salty clay soil prevalent in the area, and will be able to help you choose a grass variety that can stand up to the region’s climate as well as the wear it will get.

Water your lawn the environmental way

Wasting water during the summer months is one of the worst sins you can commit in Arizona. By laying sod, you eliminate the need to soak seed for days or weeks to encourage growth. You might want to consider installing an underground watering system since you’re going to be removing your lawn anyway. An irrigation system is an excellent means of preventing needless water waste and evaporation that occurs when an above-ground sprinkler system hits the wrong area.

You can also use this opportunity to break the habit of watering your lawn as soon as you come home from work. Lawns thrive and look lush and full on much less moisture if you water early in the morning. Experts say that starting to water before sunrise helps prevent loss of moisture due to sun and heat. Deep watering in the morning rather than late at night also helps prevent rot and mildew in the grass roots.

Use environmentally friendly compounds

You may need to fertilize your soil before laying sod and you’ll definitely want to feed the grass once the sod is down. You may also need to fight pests and diseases that attack your grass. One of the most valuable fertilizers you can use is completely free and provides essential nutrients. Leave the grass clippings you’ve cut after you mow the lawn, making sure to spread them out across the lawn if they clump.

If you must fight pests or diseases, choose an organic solution rather than an herbicide or a pesticide. Surprisingly, one of the most common household products, vinegar, is an excellent herbicide. Neem oil has a reputation for killing many pests without damaging the environment. You can also shop for organic products designed for specific problems. Choosing to care for your lawn in an environmentally friendly way will help you feel good about the Sod in Phoenix that you’ve chosen for your lawn.

For more Arizona sod landscaping tips and lawn care information, visit Evergreen Turf’s website .

Select the perfect turf using our lawn selector. Once you’ve found the perfect type of grass, you can order online or by phone. Learn how to measure your lawn and how to install your new lawn with our helpful online guides.

You probably don’t think about it much, but your lawn can suffer from stress just the way you do, but homeowners can reduce lawn stress this summer by taking a few simple precautions. Heat and dry weather are major stressors for grass, and additional stressors like bugs and weeds could wreak additional damage on already stressed grass.

Stay off the Grass

Hydrated grass will spring back quickly when someone walks on it or it has pressure applied to it, but dry grass will not. Damage is highly-probably when you continuously walk on dried out grass. However, if soil is too wet, constant foot traffic will compact the ground and air cannot get to the grass’s roots. You can reduce lawn stress by keeping foot traffic to a minimum during the hottest parts of the year.

Keep Mower Blades Sharp and High

If your mower blades dull, they will shred the grass when you mow. Shredded grass loses more water than if it was a clean cut, and the shredded tips will turn brown and look dull too. Grass that is cut too short will also dry out faster and its roots won’t be as deep. The longer you keep your grass, the more potential it has to grow deep roots. You can reduce the amount of strain on your grass if you keep it a little longer in the heat of summer.

Avoid Feeding it When it’s Stressed

Grass does not grow when it is stressed, so feeding it isn’t going to help it grow. It is better to feed grass earlier in the year before temperatures start to soar. You can help your lawn recover better once the temperatures start to fall again by feeding it again.

Related: Top 4 Tips for Garden Weed Control

Water it in the Morning

The best time to water your lawn is between six and ten AM. You’ll lose less water to evaporation and the grass has time to dry before night. When you water your grass in the afternoon sun, you’ll lose a great deal of the water to evaporation. However, when you water at night, you risk causing disease. For the best results, water a half-inch twice a week or an inch once a week in the morning.

Use Extra Seed in the Fall

If you live in an area where your grass is prone to heat stress during the summer, it might be a good idea to over-seed your lawn in the fall with a breed of grass that is heat and drought resistant. There are breeds of grass, such as Tifway 419 that will stay green even during times of drought and recovers very well when damaged.

You want your lawn to look good for as long as possible during the warmer months of the year. Taking these few simple steps to reduce lawn stress can help keep your grass looking better even in the most intense heat of summer.

Evergreen Turf is your source for the highest quality sod in Arizona. Our friendly, knowledgeable people are committed to answering all of your questions to ensure a stress-free experience with your new Arizona sod lawn. Whether you wish to sod a small play area for the family or an entire golf course, Evergreen Turf can help you make it happen.

Our team serves customers throughout Arizona, including Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe and Tucson. Browse our website for information and tips on how to create and maintain a beautiful lawn, or give us a call and talk to one of our sod specialists at 480-456-1199 if you don’t find what you are looking for. Better yet, stop by and meet the team at our convenient Chandler location.