Looking for some front yard landscaping ideas for your Tucson sod lawn? We have tons of desert landscaping ideas for your home. Check out these ideas that can help turn your front lawn from blah to beautiful!

Create a paved pathway to your front door.

Use stones or concrete to create a flat, paved pathway to your front door. It’s best to plan out the shape of the pathway before laying down any materials. Also, try to give your pathway a unique shape with curves and angles rather than just laying a straight line to your door.

Cut down on the amount of sod in your front yard by adding gravel areas with desert plants.

Lawns are more aesthetically pleasing when there are different dimensions throughout. So rather than just have one giant lawn of Tucson sod, why not break up the landscape by adding some gravel areas decorated with desert plants and shrubs?

Add big boulders to give your yard some depth.

Boulders are a great way to spruce up your yard and give it some depth. Try adding some along the border of the pathway to your door as well as next to your desert plants and shrubs on the gravel. Do not place boulders on top of your sod lawn however as this will cause the sod underneath to stop growing and die.

Add lights to your yard for the evening.

There are many different lighting options when it comes to lighting up your front yard in the evening. You could use rope lighting to line the pathway to your door or small ground lights than stick into the soil. You can also buy small spotlights to illuminate different plants around the front yard. Just make sure you take into considering the placement of the sprinklers as well as your watering schedule. You’ll want to check that the water system does not damage your outdoor lighting in any way.

Create a border between the different areas of your lawn.

Use small rocks, potted plants and flowers, or black plastic edging to create decorative borders between the Tucson sod and gravel portions of your front lawn. This helps give your yard balance and protects your sod from excessive wear and tear.

Have any specific questions about your lawn? We’re here to help! Call one of our Tucson sod specialists today at 602-626-9959 or visit www.EvergreenTurf.com.

Having a great looking lawn can be difficult no matter where you live. This is especially true in climates like Phoenix where the harsh weather and climate can make lawn care cumbersome. However, many people desire having a great looking lawn to boost the appearance of their home. A great way to care for your Arizona lawn is through the help of products offered by Evergreen Turf.

When it comes to having a great looking lawn, you must consider two main factors. First is the amount of effort that you are looking to put into the upkeep and care of your grass. The second factor is the conditions that it may experience, including weather and activity on the lawn after it is installed.

Lawn Maintenance – Upkeep and Care

Mowing your lawn can be tedious for some, while enjoyable for others. If you are willing to put in the effort, great looking lawns are those that are mowed at least once a week. They also require being fertilized more often, in order to provide nutrients to the grass. People who are willing to put in the extra effort with their lawn should consider a product like the Tifway 419, offered by Evergreen Turf. This is a great looking short grass that when taken care of, really highlights your Arizona lawn. Those that are looking to only mow their Arizona grass once every couple of weeks and do not want to continually fertilize, should consider a product like the Midiron. It is extremely durable and can handle tougher conditions.

Weather Conditions

Another factor to consider when selecting the correct sod in Arizona should be the type of weather conditions that you experience. Living in Arizona, your lawn is sure to be under constant desert-like conditions. The aforementioned Tifway 419 and also the Tifway 328 are great options for people who do not have shade for their grass, making it consistently get heat from the sun. However, for those that have many trees and a lot of shade covering their grass, Evergreen Turf offers their Palmetto St. Augustine line of Arizona sod. Although no extreme, heat or shade, is perfect for your grass, these lines can handle differing weather conditions in cities like Tucson and Phoenix.

How You Mow Your Lawn

It is also important to consider how you mow your lawn and if you have children or pets that will consistently be on the grass. Reel mowers require much more effort and cleanup. However, they also cut shorter and are more precise than rotary mowers. The Tifway line is great for reel mowers, even if you have children or pets that may consistently be running and playing on the lawn. But if you have a rotary mower, Midiron would be your best bet. The Midiron’s durability makes it perfect to handle rotary blades, as well as continual wear and tear from children and pets.

Learn more about Evergreen Turf Sod

Having a great looking lawn is hard work. But with a bit of effort and the correct knowledge of how to go about having a dream lawn, you can have a lawn that highlights the features of your home. The sod products offered by Evergreen Turf will allow you that chance.

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.

So, you have just installed a fresh new sod lawn. That’s great! Now what do you do?

Your Arizona sod lawn requires proper care, maintenance, and upkeep if you want to see it grow into the lush and healthy image you have in your head. These post-installation tips should help get you on your way to a happy lawn:

0 to 10 Days

• Water for 2-3 times per day for 5-10. Mid-summer may require watering 4-5 times per day.
• Check your moisture level by pulling back the corner of the sod in several places across your lawn to ensure that the water is penetrating through the sod into the soil.
• Increase frequency or length of watering if your moisture tests reveal dry soil.
• Keep non-essential foot traffic off your lawn, and walk on it only to move the sprinklers and perform essential maintenance.
• Use a new lawn starter fertilizer before you install your sod
• Do not mow your lawn.

10 to 21 Days

• Water daily for 10-30 minutes to encourage root growth deep into the soil. (every sprinkler system is different)
• Perform moisture level checks frequently, but do not force the sod if it’s difficult to pull up. Resistance means the lawn is rooting well. If it’s easy to pull up, you may need to increase your watering.
• Cut the grass before watering, but do not go remove more than 30% of the leaf at one time. If you grass is 3 inches tall, don’t mow below 2 inches. If it is 1.5 inches, don’t mow below 1 inch.
• If your grass is too wet to cut, skip watering for a day to let the water absorb into the sod and soil, then check it again tomorrow. If it’s dry, proceed with your normal mowing regimen.
• Do not fertilize your lawn.

3 Weeks Going Forward

• Cut the lawn as needed.
• Water two to three times per week, applying 1″ of water weekly.
• Measure your irrigation by using a small container (such as a pie tin) right in the path of the sprinkler. Use this equation to compute your total water: Amount of water (in inches) x number of times you water weekly to total 1″
• Apply a balanced turf fertilizer 3:1:2) six weeks after installation using a rotary spreader.
• Avoid herbicides when it’s hot and dry and wait until cooler temperatures are prevalent.

Tips, Tricks, and Helpful Hints

• While your new Arizona sod lawn is still within its initial establishment period, keep non-essential foot traffic away from your turf. People should only be walking on your lawn when they’re moving the sprinklers or performing other essential maintenance tasks.
• You’ll know you need to apply more water if the edges can be easily separated. This means the sod is shrinking and pulling apart within its structure.
• Water early in the evenings at the latest to avoid prolonged periods of wetness, which can make your new Arizona sod lawn susceptible to diseases.
• Your new Arizona sod lawn requires special attention where it’s placed against paved and concrete surfaces. Our climate’s hot temperatures and scorching sun will literally bake fresh sod when it’s against hot surfaces, so be sure to provide extra attention and water well where the pavement meets the grass blades.

Still trying to decide which Arizona sod lawn will fit your home and lifestyle best? Check out our Evergreen Turf Lawn Selector to help you make a well-informed decision.

All plants need fertilizer just like they need sunlight and water. Think of fertilizers as healthy supplements for plants. Just like people take vitamins and supplements to achieve optimum health, soil often needs help via fertilizers to be able to give the plants everything they need nutritionally. This helps the plants achieve optimum growth and yield.

Whether you’re working in your garden or trying to get a fresh green lawn all year round, fertilizer can help you get the most out of your plants. Here is a breakdown of the five major types of fertilizer.

Fertilizer with Pesticide

This type of fertilizer is most commonly used when you need to protect your lawn or plants from pests that may damage them. When looking for fertilizer with pesticide, make sure the pesticide is not too strong, otherwise you risk killing your plants too.

Products to look for: Bayer, Jobes, Scotts

Time release fertilizer

If you’re looking for fertilizer that will work for several months, time-release fertilizer is the way to go. These will slowly release their nutrients over a period of 2-6 months typically. The benefit to time-release fertilizer is that the plants have less risk of getting burned because the plants do not receive a full blast of nutrients. However, it’s important to note that the release of nutrients is accelerated in the presence of water and moisture.

Products to look for: Milorganite

Liquid fertilizer

Liquid fertilizers are great when you need to quickly deliver nutrients to your plants, since the liquid seeps right into the roots. You need to reapply more frequently than other types of fertilizer since the liquid is quickly used up by the plant. Using liquid fertilizer on large yards may not be economically feasible, but they work great on indoor and outdoor gardens.

Products to look for: Nachurs, Scotts Miracle-Gro

Plant specific fertilizer

Some plants are down-right picky. For these types of plants, it’s easy to over-fertilize using traditional fertilizer products. This is why there are plant-specific fertilizers. These types of fertilizers are specially designed to give the plants the specific ratio of nutrients they need to thrive.

Products to look for: Cutting Edge Solutions

Inorganic fertilizer

Also known as synthetic fertilizer, this type of fertilizer is best for plants that are in dire need of immediate help. Inorganic fertlizers quickly infuse nutrients to plants and instantly produce ammonia as a by-product which malnourished and dying plants need to revive themselves. It’s usually best to keep a stash of inorganic fertilizer around for when you need it most.

Products to look for: Jobes

Each type of fertilizer has its own advantage. Get to know which types of fertilizers work best with your lawn and garden. Keep a healthy stock of fertilizer in your garden shed or garage so you can use them anytime you need. For more information, visit our Lawn Nutrition and Fertilization page.

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.

Phoenix homeowners are blessed with year-round sunny weather and plenty of outdoor activities to stay entertained with the family on weekends. The great part about having a nice sod yard is that families can spend time having fun with each other outdoors without spending money. Are you thinking of making some improvements in your yard this spring?

Here’s how to streamline your backyard in 4 easy steps:

1. Plant for Impact

Choose some plants to accent your lawn. Stick to just two or three types to keep it clean and simple. Phoenix sod lawns benefit from plant borders and accents as they help retain water for the lawn and reduce the amount of total space needed for fresh grass.

How to save money
Check with your city’s parks and rec department to see if they may have any plants they are planning on throwing out that you can take for free. Making official calls probably won’t get you anywhere, but if you know of an area where the park staff pulls plants on a regular basis, you could swing by and see what they may be willing to donate.

2. Choose trees with full canopies

Get two trees and plant one in each corner of your yard. Choose shapely trees with open and airy, but full canopies. This will provide some shade but also allow your sod lawn to get some sunlight since this is essential for a healthy lawn.

NOTE: No sod grass can tolerate 100% shade. If you have an area that receives no sun, we recommend modifying your landscape to use decorative rock or other vegetation in that space. You may also consider pruning trees and vegetation to provide more sun to the area. For more help, check out our Lawn Selector Tool.

3. Set your sprinklers to span all sod areas

Whether you have 6 ft. or 600 ft. of sod in your Phoenix lawn, it needs to be watered on a regular basis to stay healthy. Many homeowners do not check where the sprinklers are reaching when designing their yard, which leads to dry patches where the sprinklers can’t reach the grass. Check out our irrigation page for more info about watering Phoenix sod.

4. Get matching patio furniture

Patio furniture is one of the most common hand-me-down items that people stock up in their yards. This year, why not splurge on a nice patio set to really create a beautiful backyard for your family. Cover your patio furniture or bring it in to the garage during bad weather to try and maintain the quality over time.

Follow these four easy steps to give your backyard a facelift this spring. Want more help with lawn care? Check out our FAQ’s page or contact us today.

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.

Do you feel like you’re doing everything right, but your lawn still looks discolored? In Arizona, it can be challenging for some folks to maintain a sod lawn due to the extreme heat of the summer and other factors. The solution to your sod woes might be lawn aeration. In Phoenix, aeration should be an integral part of lawn care. Here’s why.

Relieve Soil Compaction — Over time, foot traffic and dry periods can compact the soil. Aeration relieves this soil compaction. As a result, water quickly reaches the roots before it evaporates. Therefore, less water is needed. Likewise, fertilizer gets to the roots where it is needed.

Lawn Thatch Reduction — It’s good to allow your grass clippings to settle back into the lawn. The need for nitrogen fertilizer can be reduced 25-30 percent by doing so. The clippings decompose over time, thereby enriching and loosening the soil. However, if you have too many clippings left on your lawn, they can weave themselves into a water and air-resistant mat, known as thatch. Heavy thatch can leave your lawn starved for oxygen. Water sits on the thatch, and too much evaporates before it can soak in and nourish the soil and sod. When you aerate your lawn, soil plugs generated by aeration break down and release micro-organisms. These micro-organisms can speed the breakdown of the remaining thatch, which creates a healthier lawn.

Organic Fertilization — To maximize the benefits of organic-based fertilizers, twice-a-year aeration may be preferable. 60 percent slow-release fertilizers are often the best match for freshly aerated lawns.

By contrast, fertilizers too-high in nitrogen can bring about unhealthy growth patterns. Finally, “weed-and-feed” style fertilizers should be avoided, because they are too potent when delivered directly to the roots of younger seedlings. Weed and Feed can actually kill or disfigure such plants.

Healing the Damage — The heat tolerance of your Arizona grass is actually expanded through the aeration process. Lawns damaged by drought can recover more readily. Aeration allows the direct delivery of water and fertilizer to the roots of weakened turf. Grasses that are dormant in the winter can spring back to life more readily with aeration.

Enhance Disease Resistance — A stronger, healthier lawn is also a more disease-resistant one. Plus, unhealthy organisms tend to thrive in heavily thatched lawns.

Germinating Chambers — Think of those holes created by aeration as little chambers where seedlings can get established in an ideal environment of loose, moist soil. The plugs break down and loose soil drops into the holes, creating an ideal environment for the growth of new grass.

The bottom line is, invest in aeration in the short-term and enjoy water and fertilizer savings in the long-term.

Steps to Aerate Your Lawn

Old lawns with extreme thatch, or lawns with heavy traffic are good candidates for aerification. Aerification is normally performed with a core aerator machine that pulls small “cores” out of the lawn, about a half-inch in diameter. This is a service that can be by a contractor, or you can rent an aerator from a local equipment rental company and do it yourself. For more lawn care tips, check out our lawn care frequently asked questions.

At Evergreen Turf, we grow, sell and install the healthiest sod in Arizona. With proper care, your investment in a sod lawn can pay off in a beautiful and functional lawn for years to come. Aeration can represent one helpful component in a complete lawn care regimen.

Select the perfect sod 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.

If you’ve put many hours of love into landscaping your lawn, the last thing you want to see is pesky “dog spots” popping up everywhere. Don’t worry! You can have both a beautiful lawn and canine companionship as long as you take the time to develop a dog-friendly yard. Here are some tips for landscaping with dogs.

Tip #1: Avoid Dog Spots with Hardscape

Incorporate hardscapes into areas of your lawn that the dogs use most often. Consider adding some stone or masonry into your landscape or use a bunch of crushed stone mulch in your yard. This will minimize the mess dogs make through urination and digging.

Tip #2: Choose a Tough Grass

Not all types of grass are created equal. Some grasses are more durable than others and hold up better to foot traffic. Bermuda grass is particularly durable and is one of the best types of Arizona sod because it thrives in warm weather. Installing one of these tougher types of sod can help prevent wear and tear on your lawn from kids and canines.

Tip #3: Alternatives to Traditional Grass

While choosing a tough grass prevents wear and tear, it does not prevent unsightly urine spots. If you simply can’t stand these spots on your lawn, you may want to consider some green alternatives to grass. For example, clover lawns are a beautiful alternative to sod. You still get the look of a green carpet as you do with traditional sod, but clover doesn’t stain the way grass does with canine urine.

Tip #4: Diluting Dog Urine

With a little dedication it is possible to have a sod lawn and live with canines. When you see a dog using your lawn, simply go outside and spray the area with water from the garden hose. This will flush and dilute the area, removing most of the harmful elements which create the yellow spots on your lawn.

Tip #5: Add Fences around Delicate Areas

Do you have a green thumb? Then you most likely have delicate plants, flowers, and produce in your yard too. Protect these areas by adding fencing; then you won’t have to worry about anything being trampled by kids or dogs. Picket fences are cute and can be painted all sorts of colors to match your landscape. Plant some pretty flowers around the fence and neighbors will be running out to Home Depot to keep up with you!

Tip #6: Wire Cages around Trees and Shrubs

Set up some wire cages around your trees and shrubs to prevent damage to their trunks and roots from canine urine. Once you have this all set up, your dogs can go about their business while you can rest-easy knowing your trees aren’t being destroyed. Simply buy chicken wire, drive stakes into the ground, and run the wire around the stakes. Make sure the wire is tall enough so your dogs can’t jump over.

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.

Your backyard is a place for you to relax and spend time with your family in the beautiful sunshine; a place where you create memories. That’s why you want your backyard landscape to be pretty and peaceful. While you may have a picture-perfect vision of what you want your backyard to look like, you also need to consider your budget. Check out our tips and tricks on how to create a beautiful backyard landscape on a budget.

Before you go tearing everything up, you need to have a solid design plan. If you’re a DIY kind of person, you may have a lot of fun creating the blueprint for your new backyard. However, a landscape designer can show you the best available plant, products, and sod in Arizona. For a very basic professional design, be prepared to spend a few hundred dollars, and of course, the more space that is involved the higher the cost is going to be.

Ask your landscape professional to design a plan that will allow you to complete it in in a few different stages if you’re on a budget. That way you can tackle your backyard redesign in small chunks rather than overhauling everything at once.

In Arizona, sod lawns are a great way to help create a beautiful backyard, but there may also be some areas you want to keep sod-free. For example, consider creating a center courtyard made with gravel for grilling and entertaining outdoors. This will actually also help your grass in the long run as people will tend to walk on your courtyard rather than on your Arizona sod lawn. To make the courtyard feel like home, border it with shrubs and flowers, put some rustic furniture in the center like a vintage bench and coffee table, and throw in some unique details such as a fire pit and birdbath. This will help save you money because gravel is inexpensive and you’ll cut down on the cost of watering and maintaining your lawn.

If gravel is not your thing, overlay pavers are also available. They are designed to be installed on top of existing concrete and other patio surfaces. This option is DIY friendly and quickly adds a lot of class to your backyard for not a lot of cash.

What is going to happen when it rains? If your yard is on a slope, you will need to consider the angle of the slope carefully when designing your yard. If you have a pool or are planning on building a pool, you need to make sure that irrigation water does not drain into it. This is one of those elements where it’s best to rely on the professional for help. They can help you design your backyard landscape with all of the proper drainage elements in place.

Be practical in your backyard landscape design and make sure it fits your lifestyle. Finally, think of the long-term results of your new design, such as how big your plants or trees will grow in a few years.

For more information on Arizona sod and tips on how to create a backyard landscape on a budget, visit Evergreen Turf.

So you’ve decided to have your Arizona wedding ceremony in your backyard. That’s great! Choosing your backyard for your ceremony has many benefits. First of all, you don’t have to pay for an expensive venue or worry about security deposits or refunds. You can also decorate without restriction however you see fit without having some venue manager watching you’re every move or making sure it complies with building codes. Follow our tips for how to prepare your Arizona sod lawn for your backyard wedding ceremony.

Lay down temporary flooring to prevent any damage to your Arizona sod lawn. Get some large squares of carpet and lay it down in the area you are planning on having the ceremony. This will flatten your sod for a day or two but in the long run will prevent a lot of damage to your Arizona sod lawn. Remember that most ladies like to wear high-heels to weddings, and if you don’t lay down some sort of protective flooring you are going to have hundreds of holes in your grass due to high-heels. Plus you’ll be doing the ladies a favor since no one likes sinking into grass in their pretty shoes.

Make sure there is enough seating for all your guests. Count your RSVPs carefully before purchasing or renting your chairs for your wedding ceremony seating. You’ll also want to rent a few extra chairs just in case someone brings an extra guest that has not been accounted for.

Place your guest book at the entrance so everyone signs it right away. As a tip, keep large notecards or extra sheets of your guest book unattached to the main book so that many people can leave a note at the same time. You certainly don’t want to be running around during your big day making sure everyone has signed your guest book.

Prepare for bad weather. You always need to have a backup plan in case the weather turns sour. Since you are having it in Arizona, chances are the weather will be beautiful and sunny, but there’s always a possibility of a dust storm or lightning storm and you want to be sure an event such as this won’t ruin your wedding. Empty out the largest room in your house so that it’s ready to be transformed into the ceremony location in the event of bad weather.

For more tips on how to maintain your Arizona sod lawn during your wedding and all year round, visit Evergreen Turf.

Are you looking for a way to add some green to your desert landscaping? Maybe you dream of a cool outdoor retreat to gather with friends and family. Or perhaps your kids are longing for a place to play barefoot outside. If you live in the Phoenix or Tucson area, consider adding an Arizona sod lawn to your landscape.

The best way to get a beautiful lawn is to purchase it as Arizona sod. Sod in Arizona is grown on a farm that specializes in the cultivation of grasses uniquely suited for Arizona. Once the grass is thick and green and has developed a dense root structure, it is harvested in rolls. It’s then ready to be installed directly on your prepared location, giving your home the instant beauty of a lush, easy-to-maintain Arizona lawn.

Arizona’s low desert climate is one of extremes. You want a grass that can stand up to our environment but is easy to establish and maintain. Arizona sod is made up of grasses that are proven performers in the heat and dry conditions of Phoenix and Tucson. These include bermuda, hybrid bermuda, St. Augustine and golf course varieties such as Tifway and Tifgreen. What type of Arizona lawn you choose depends on your lifestyle. Each Arizona grass type has a color and texture all its own. Some Arizona grass types perform better in shaded areas while others perform best in full sun. All of them are adapted to drought and salinity.

All sod in Arizona is made up of warm weather grasses. What does this mean for you as a homeowner? Warm weather grasses go dormant in the cool winter months in Phoenix and Tucson. If you want to maintain a green lawn, you’ll need to overseed your Arizona Grass with a cold hardy variety like ryegrass. Overseeding helps your Arizona sod too. Ryegrass’s extensive root system extends deep into the soil, helping to aerate it and making it easier for water to percolate deep into the soil structure. Once the weather warms up, your Arizona sod will take over again, providing you with a continuously green lawn. Evergreen Turf also sells overseeded versions of all its varieties during the winter months, so you can create your beutiful new lawn any time of year.

Installing sod in Arizona has other benefits as well. In both Phoenix and Tucson, low rainfall causes dust pollution. Both cities have ordinances to keep dust down for public health reasons. When we do get rain, it often can’t sink into our compacted soils so it simply runs across the landscape causing flooding and erosion. A sod lawn with its well-established roots can help minimize dust and prevent run-off.

A lawn also helps create a cooling envelope around your home. Homes with grass and trees hold moisture on the property making it look and feel cooler. While many homeowners install decomposed granite to conserve water, adding sod in Arizona can be a smarter choice. Gravel quickly heats up during the summer and radiates that heat back into the surrounding environment at night, keeping nighttime temperatures high and increasing your cooling costs. A waterwise Arizona lawn stays cool through transpiration, and doesn’t retain heat.

Choosing and maintaining Arizona sod is easy. We can help you choose the right grass for your application and advise you on the best way to maintain it. From the right mower, to the best organic fertilizers, we have what you’re looking for. And if you don’t want to spend all week-end installing your new lawn, we offer complete installation from site preparation to irrigation.

For more information about maintaining your Arizona sod, or installing new sod, feel free to contact us at Evergreen Turf, Arizona’s Premier Sod Supplier.

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.