To sod, or not to sod? In Arizona’s dry desert climate, this is a major question for homeowners who want to enjoy a lush green lawn, despite the blistery hot temperatures that can be incurred this time of year. Fortunately, there are actually many benefits of sod. With a bevy of reasons under its belt, sod can easily become your lawn’s best friend. The key is finding the right type of sod that works for your climate, as well as the unique elements specific to your own individual space.

Here’s a look at a few of our favorite benefits of sod:

Benefit #1: Sod Reduces Heat

Asphalt, concrete, bare soil, and artificial turf have a tendency to emanate heat. Conversely, sod absorbs heat, creating cooling properties that can bring the temperature over the sod down 10 to 30 degrees cooler than other landscaping material.

According to Turfgrass Producers International, “The front lawns of eight houses have the cooling effect of about 70 tons of air conditioning. That’s amazing when the average home has an air conditioner with just a three or four ton capacity. The cooling effect of irrigated turf reduces the amount of fuel that must be burned to provide the electricity which powers the air conditioners.”

Those numbers are huge in a high desert region such as Arizona, where heat can easily overtake comfortable outside living spaces. With sod on your side, you’ll enjoy a built in natural balance against the sizzling sun.

Benefit #2: Sod Adds Value to Your Home

People say kitchens and bathrooms sell homes, but remember, buyers have to get past your front yard long before they walk through your front door. A well-landscaped home can increase the overall property value by 15 to 20 percent. Clean, soft grass is particularly appealing to perspective homeowners who have small children or pets who will likely romp around in the yard during playtime.

Benefit #3: Sod Controls Erosion

Sod is fully matured from the moment it’s installed, meaning it’s immediately ready to go to work, controlling erosion and rooting itself deep within the dirt beneath it. If you have steep hills on your property, sod can easily be installed on the slopes to perpetuate stabilization. If you have a dirt-covered lawn that’s prone to get muddy on the few occasions we get big rains in this part of the country, sod can eliminate the muck and mire and give you a lawn you’ll truly desire.

Benefit #4: Sod Absorbs Carbon Dioxide & Releases Oxygen

By default, plants are humans’ best friends. They take the carbon dioxide we release into the air, process it, and send back fresh, clean oxygen for us all to breathe. Lawns are special carbon dioxide filters, given the sheer size they take up at any given time.

Grass also absorbs harmful agents that find their way into the air we breathe, such as hydrogen fluoride and peroxyacetyl nitrates.

Beyond this, the lovely blades on lawns also act as a natural dust and dirt filter, helping to keep an estimated 12 million tons of particles from floating around in the air by capturing it and making it part of its own ecosystem.

Benefit #5: Sod Reduces Noise from Traffic

Have you ever been inside a home that has no carpet or furniture? If so, you realize just how loud everyday sounds can be. A simple footstep echoes on the walls and makes a sound last much longer than it would if there was something around to absorb the sound.

That’s what sod does for the exterior of your home. The impact of noise pollution—even by simple things like cars passing by—is greatly reduced when you have sod acting as a sound barrier. The thick layer of leaves and dirt are apt to absorb sound before it begins bouncing off area structures. Of course, no sod can combat the annoying noise of your neighbor’s unnecessary car alarm, but you’ll certainly hear a difference if you go from a dirt landscape to a lawn that’s covered in sound-absorbing sod.

If you’re trying to figure out if sod would be a good solution for your lawn, we invite you to stop by our location at 11407 E. Germann Road in Chandler, Arizona. You can also learn about the sod varieties we offer here at Evergreen Turf, and if you already know what you want, go ahead and order online!

Summer is a time to spend outside with friends. It means big BBQs, lawn games, and probably a few four-legged furry friends who want to get in on some of the action. Unfortunately, heavy foot traffic is not ideal for a healthy sod lawn. If you plan to throw outdoor parties this summer, here are some tips on how to keep your lawn beautiful while avoiding damage to your sod.

Make Friends with Mulch

Mulch is a great space filler when summer fun ensues. It’s decorative, easy to buy in large batches, and can be spread across large areas. It’s also multi-useful, acting as a beautifier, boundary space, and safety element.

Put mulch or small gravel under jungle gyms and swing sets so you don’t have to worry about bare spots forming in your lawn.

Move Large Items That Rest on your Sod Lawn

If you keep large items in one place for too long, the grass underneath will become deprived of oxygen and nutrients, causing it to turn sickly yellow or brown in the shape of the object that was over it. When your lawn has large, heavy items on it, be sure to move them to a new location every other day to keep the grass beneath it from suffering.

Example item might include:

• Corn hole game and other lawn games
• Kiddie pools
• Slip ‘N Slides
• Bounce castles
• Jungle gyms (if they’re light enough to move)
• Trampolines

Create a Safe Space for Your Flower Beds

When the good times get going, your guests can easily overlook the stunning flowers you’ve spent so much time working to procure into perfect petals. It would be a shame to see someone trample on them because they didn’t realize there was a don’t-walk space directly beneath their feet.

To prevent this mishap, add a decorative fence around your flower bed. This is an awesome opportunity to take your gardening creativity to a new level. This might be the perfect time to install a river rock dry creek, adding an aesthetic element to your outside space.

Place Your Paths Strategically

You can influence the routes your guests take when they walk on the lawn by carefully placing your patio furniture, grill, and games in a manner that necessitates minimal foot traffic on your lawn. If you have a gazebo or meeting space that’s a bit further away from your house, install stepping stones to add an appealing path that will guide your guests from here to there, while protecting the surrounding grass from incurring foot traffic.

If you need extra sod to fix damaged areas on your lawn, or are looking for a brand new sod lawn, stop by Evergreen Turf and let us get you ready for your next outdoor party today!

Arizona is known for its native desert soil. If you’ve ever tried to grow a lush, green lawn in Phoenix or Tucson, there are certain challenges that are quite unique to the climate and soil in the Southwest.

What’s the issue with soil in Arizona?

Native desert soil doesn’t store water very well, which can cause the sod to dry out very easily. Naturally, we don’t see a lot of rainfall in this part of the country, which means you have to be diligent about adhering to a watering schedule that’s right for your chosen type of grass during each phase of its growth, paying attention to the temperatures and time of year as each season progresses. Native desert soil is also comprised of few nutrients and can’t accumulate the nutrients it does receive very well.

Another difficulty with Arizona soil is the fact that it lacks the microorganisms that live in good soil. Microorganisms are essential for a healthy lawn, as they help feed the grass’s roots and keep everything beneath the surface alive and well.

How to Improve Native Soil so You Can Plant a Healthy Sod Lawn

Fortunately, the difficulties that come with native Arizona soil can easily be overcome with a little bit of lawn care due diligence.

1. Till your soil. To begin, till your soil down to a depth of about six to eight inches. During this time, you can work in some compost as you go, helping to replace vital nutrients the soil will need to sustain your sod.

2. Remove weeds. As everyone knows, weeds are a problem. They take the vitamins, mineral, and water away from your lawn’s roots and keep it for themselves. If you can remove weeds as you’re prepping your soil, you’ll set yourself up for greater success in the long run.

3. Mix in top soil. Top soil, or soil amendment, is formulated with special ingredients to help your lawn grow. This step will provide your grass the opportunity to form a deep root system. In other words, your lawn will be stronger because the foundation will be firmly in the ground and fit to create a green landscape.

Now your soil is ready for sod! Of course, you don’t want to pick just any sod. It’s important to look for a grass that will grow well in the conditions your property provides, taking into account how much shade the sod will receive, how much care you’ll be able to provide, and which type of equipment you’ll be using to keep it trimmed. Not sure which type of sod is best for you? Use our Lawn Selector tool to drill down on blades of grass that’ll give you the optimal outcome.

Evergreen Turf is Arizona’s place for beautiful lawns. If you’re in need of sod, contact our team. We’ll deliver your sod right to your home. We also offer installation, or you can choose to install it yourself.

A common question asked among homeowners who have lawns is, “Can I fertilize my lawn in the summer?” The answer is yes you can and should fertilize your lawn in the summer. It’s important to keep your lawn fed throughout the year and that includes in the summer time.

Just like people need a balanced diet to be at their best, your lawn needs a balanced diet to grow green and strong.

So, how do you know which fertilizer to choose and how much fertilizer to give your lawn during the summer months?

The Fertilizer Balancing Act

Your lawn needs nutrients to grow. Seems simple enough, right? Wrong.

Over-fertilizing can cause it to grow too quickly. If that happens, you may find yourself with an excessive thatch buildup, which will ultimately produce extra work for you, as you’ll need to remove the thatch in order to allow nutrients to reach the roots. On the other hand, if you don’t fertilize enough, you could wind up with a yellow patch of lawn that’s thin and slow to recover from everyday wear.

As a general rule, lawns should be fertilized monthly. If you have Palmetto St. Augustine grass, it does not require a lot of nitrogen. If you’re using Palmetto, it should be fed with a fertilizer that’s high in potassium and magnesium.

Related: Summer Health for Arizona Sod

Of course, if you’re not sure which fertilizer is best for your lawn, it’s always a good idea to talk to lawncare experts. An incorrect guess can be a costly decision if you wind up killing your grass or creating a problem of over-thatching.

If you’re lucky enough to have achieved a thick, dense, dark green lawn, you probably only need to fertilize every six to eight weeks. In this case, consider using a slow-release fertilizer. These products provide a constant stream of nutrients while reducing the likelihood of over-thatching and speedy growth that can result in the need to mow frequently.

Bermuda Grass Fertilization Tips

Bermuda grass lawns require regular feeding for healthy growth. If you’re in Arizona or another high desert region, we recommend fertilizing at least once per month during the summer. Use complete fertilizer that’s high in nitrogen but offers a medium amount of phosphorous. The following formulas usually work well for Bermuda grass:

• 21-7-14
• 16-8-4
• 20-5-5

Once your lawn is 100% filled in, you can switch over to a slow-release or organic fertilizer to help slow the growth but maintain healthy vigor and color.

Evergreen Turf is Arizona’s one-stop shop for sod lawns. We offer an assortment of residential and commercial sod products, and our experienced staff can even install your lawn for you. Stop by our Chandler, Arizona location, and let us know what we can do to help you improve your lawn!

Think all fertilizers are created equal? Think again! Fertilizers are comprised of different variations of chemical compounds, each of which has its own duty where lawncare is concerned. Choosing the right fertilizer depends on your answers to the following questions:

• What kind of grass are you trying to grow?
• Where do you live?
• What time of year is it?

Read on to learn about the best fertilizer for Bermuda grass in Arizona.

What Does Fertilizer Do?

Fertilizer provides nutrients to the soil, which, in turn, help your grass grow and turn it that beautiful green color we’ve all come to know. Most soil doesn’t provide enough nutrients to support the healthy growth of grass. Fertilizer acts as a nutritional supplement, delivering essential ingredients that absorb into the ground so plants can more readily take on nutrients needed to sustain healthy development.

Unfortunately, many homeowners don’t understand the importance of fertilizer, which can be particularly impactful in Arizona’s high desert regions. In short, a lack of nutrients fosters yellowing lawns at best. At worst, malnourished lawns can present significant bald spots. Fertilizers help fill in the gaps and facilitate growth.

How Much Fertilizer Does Your Arizona Lawn Need?

Determining how much fertilizer you actually need is important. You don’t want to put too much fertilizer on the ground, as the organic elements can overwhelm your grass. On the other hand, you don’t want to fertilize too little because you’ll just be wasting time and money on resources that won’t do your lawn justice.

If you give your lawn too much—or too little—fertilizer, your efforts can have unintended negative consequences. Bermuda grass needs regular fertilizing for good growth and color during the growing season. As a good rule of thumb, apply fertilizer monthly during the summer to produce a lush and fruitful lawn.

If Evergreen Turf is installing your lawn, you won’t have to worry about the preliminary steps associated with outstanding yards. We fertilize every yard we install with 15-15-15 fertilizer right after we lay your sod, allowing optimal nutrition to make its way to your yard’s roots and setting the stage for a lush lawn long after we’re gone.

To expedite growth in the early phases, fertilize with balanced fertilizer two weeks after your lawn has been installed. Be sure to adhere to proper watering practices during this time, as water will help push the nutrients from the surface of the soil to the grass’s roots, which will help facilitate a healthy, lush lawn as your plants establish themselves.

On the other hand, you may notice your lawn is growing faster than you’d prefer. In this case, switch to a slow-release fertilizer such as 28-3-10 or 32-4-7, and reduce your fertilizing frequency to every eight weeks. Slow-release fertilizers allow your lawn to absorb vital nutrients over time, so they don’t get overloaded with minerals all at once, which can cause sudden growth that’s hard for some homeowners to keep up with.

What’s the Best Fertilizer for Bermuda Grass in Arizona?

For established lawns, a balanced fertilizer (preferably one with an analysis that’s high in nitrogen) is ideal. If this describes your situation, opt for a fertilizer with an analysis of 16-8-4 for best results. Alternatively, 21-7-14, 26-4-2, or 24-0-4 work well for established Arizona lawns.

If you’ve just installed your lawn—or plan to install a new lawn soon—that requires a different approach. For new lawns, the fertilizer of choice should be similar to a 6-20-20 analysis (6% nitrogen, 20% phosphorus, 20% potassium) or a 15-15-15 (15% nitrogen, 15% phosphorus, 15% potassium). For best results, apply the fertilizer right before—or immediately after—the sod is installed.

How Do You Know if Your Fertilizer Isn’t Working for You?

Your lawn will tell you readily if it’s not getting the balanced diet it needs to maintain a healthy lush look. An improperly nourished lawn will go one of two ways.

Under-Fertilized Lawns:

• Thin
• Yellow
• Slow to recover from wear

Over-Fertilized Lawns:

• Grow at excessive rates of speed
• Produce excess thatch build up
• Make a ton of extra work for you.

Chances are, if your lawn is “too healthy”, you’ll notice because you’ll suddenly find yourself spending a whole lot more time in your yard than you used to; and it’s usually for chores, not leisurely activities!

It’s important to note that you may be fertilizing and watering just the right amount, but if you’re not using a fertilizer with the proper analysis for your situation, the care you take in planning and executing your fertilizing schedule won’t matter much because the imbalance of nutrients will skew your results.

A beautiful lawn starts by picking a top-of-the-line product. At Evergreen Turf, outstanding lawns are what we do best! From helping you find the perfect fertilizer for your lawn to providing pest control and maintenance tips, our experts are here to guide you to greener grasses. Call or email us if you have lawn care questions only the pros can answer!

You may think grass is grass, but your lawn would likely disagree. Grass, just like people, has different personalities; depending on the type of lawn you’ve installed – and the time of year you’re caring for it – you may need to adjust your approach to achieve an optimal outcome.

Rye grass is a great choice for Arizona lawns in the winter if you’re looking for a lawn that stays green all year long. Winter rye grass—when coupled with a summer grass, such as Bermuda—will take on new life when the temperatures drop to more moderate conditions during the chillier months.

Here are a few things you should know when it comes to caring for your rye grass lawn this winter season:

Arizona Winter Rye Grass 101

Unlike Bermuda grass and other breeds of blades, winter rye grass doesn’t just go dormant when it’s not in season; it can’t survive the summers. Because of this, it needs to be replanted each year. Ideally, winter rye grass is replanted each October, which allows it time to settle in and take roots before its summer grass counterpart goes into hiding. Typically, when it’s properly cared for, winter rye grass will stay thick, lush, and green well into May (or until temperatures regularly sustain 100 degrees in Arizona).

It’s really all about timing. If your plant your winter rye grass too early, the Arizona heat can bake the seedlings, rendering them useless. If you wait too long, the seeds won’t have enough time to germinate and grow healthy before your summer grass starts re-growing. Although the optimal time to plant your winter rye grass is in October, you should see positive results as long as the weather stays warm enough to keep the seedlings healthy.

There are two types of rye grass—perennial and annual—each of which has its own characteristics and benefits. Perennial rye grass tends to be more expensive, but it’s often favored because it

• Germinates faster
• Has a finer leaf texture
• Produces a darker green color
• Tends to be more resilient
• Doesn’t produce as much grass stain

On the other side, annual rye grass tends to be a more affordable option that still provides beautiful winter lawns for Arizona residents.   Annual ryegrass is less favored because it uses more water, and grows much faster than perennial ryegrass – meaning more grass clippings to deal with!

Watering

For established lawns, the amount of watering depends on the weather conditions. For optimal results, follow this watering schedule:

• November & December: Every 3 to 7 days
• Remainder of the Season: Every 7 to 14 days

After a winter rain, you can shut your water off for one or two cycles. Be sure not to over-water your lawn, as too much water can prevent your seeds from germinating and growing.

Fertilizing

It’s important to choose the right fertilizer for your lawn. Too much or too little of an ingredient can throw off the balance of your blades, impeding their growth or causing them damage. Feed your rye grass monthly with an analysis such as 21-7-14 or 22-3-9 for best results.To facilitate a positive growth process, do not fertilize your lawn until you’ve mowed it for the first time. Be mindful that too much fertilization can cause rapid growth and a buildup of excess thatch, both of which can create more work for you. If you don’t fertilize enough, however, you’ll likely be left with a yellowish lawn that lacks the results you were looking for.

Mowing

Mowing is a strategy in and of itself. Heed these tips for the healthiest possible rye grass winter lawn:

• Keep it mowed around 1/2″ to 2″
• Never remove more than 1/3 of the leaf
• Do not mow until rye grass grows 2″ tall

A note of caution: Be careful not to scalp your winter lawn. Cutting the grass too short reduces its ability to photosynthesize properly. When this happens, the roots become susceptible to drought because they stay shallow and close to the surface, which can be devastating in our Arizona climate.

It’s important to maintain proper leaf lengths to stimulate deep root growth, which allows your lawn access to moisture that’s deeper beneath the earth’s surface. Because rye grass is not a spreading grass that comes from the likes of stolons or runners, a super short mowing strategy can cause your lawn to experience dead patches that overtake your front or backyard.

Your mowing frequency will depend on how quickly your grass is growing. Rye grass typically grows fairly quickly, so you may have to mow more frequently than you do with summer grass, but the end result will be a beautiful, luscious lawn. In other words, hello running barefoot through your yard all year long!

Procuring a proper lawn is a science. If you’re ready to get the green going all year long, your best bet is to reach out to lawn care specialists who understand Arizona’s unique climate.

Need sod in Arizona? Contact us today.

Like people, no lawn is immune to disease and damage. That said, the better you take care of your body (or blades of grass), the more likely it is to live a long, healthy life. On the other hand, if you engage in harmful behaviors, the end result will usually reflect the unkempt lifestyle—even if the detrimental activities were accidental. Thankfully, Arizona, with its dry conditions, doesn’t really have much disease pressure, but there are some activities that can cause problems. Along the same lines, Arizona tends not to have too many issues with insects. On occasion, however, they do make an appearance.

The best way to prevent diseases and unwanted pests is to educate yourself about the possibilities so you can take steps to keep problems from occurring.

What Does Disease Look Like on Arizona Lawns?

Diseases are only caused by environmental stresses like overwatering and too much thatch—problems which can actually be correlated, depending on the situation. Thanks to Arizona’s specifically dry climate, we don’t have the diseases many other parts of the country have, but if you’re overwatering or over-fertilizing, you’re likely causing your lawn stress and inviting diseases.

St. Augustine is a common type of grass in Arizona because it’s quite heat tolerant, allowing it to thrive in the excessive summer heat and sun we see in this part of the country. Unlike many other types of grass, St. Augustine tends to do well on lawns that are well-shaded. Homeowners who have St. Augustine grass often face specific struggles, however. People commonly apply too much nitrogen to St. Augustine grass, which causes too much growth. Additionally, because this grass is often installed on lawns with shady areas, it’s not uncommon for homeowners to overwater in the summer, as shaded areas often require les water than those, which are directly exposed to full sunlight.

Generally speaking, if you water properly, dethatch regularly, and use the appropriate fertilizer for your type of lawn, you won’t have to worry much about diseases.

What Do You Need to Know About Preventing Insect Infestations in Arizona?

There aren’t too many issues with insects in Arizona, but there are times when they can become extremely problematic. Unfortunately, by the time they’re apparent enough for you to know there’s an issue, it’s already too late to stop it. Most of those problems start with insects that lay their eggs in the fall or spring. When the larvae hatch, you suddenly have a grub, moth, or ant problem that seems to come out of nowhere.

One major contributor to large colonies of unwanted pests is thatch. Thatch is the buildup of organic materials such as roots, stems, and leaves that accumulate at the surface of the soil. Regular dethatching is important for two reasons: it breaks up this barrier of matter that prevents moisture and nutrients from reaching the roots of the grass, and it keeps bugs from taking up residence within the matted material. If thatch gets too thick, it can easily become an ideal home for unwanted pests.

Preventative pesticides and regular dethatching should put you on a path to a pretty pest-free property.

The best way to keep insect infestations away is to use preventative insecticide in the spring when it starts to warm up. In Arizona, target April or May for this process since it tends to warm up earlier here than many other parts of the country.

Are you looking for advice from professional lawn care experts? Our Evergreen Turf team lives and breathes beautiful lawns! Check out our Sod Blog for plenty of helpful tips and tricks. Contact us at Evergreen Turf today if you need sod in Phoenix, Tucson or the surrounding areas of Arizona.

If your lawn is suffering from a yellow or brown tint, there are several reasons you may not be seeing green. For the most part, yellow grass is caused from a lack of nutrients that would otherwise facilitate healthy growth. Chlorosis, for example, is a condition that occurs when the green chlorophyll in the grass leaf tissue is unable to develop. Iron and nitrogen are key nutrients that keep your lawn looking its finest, and if the roots are unable to absorb these valuable elements, you’ll almost assuredly find yourself with an unpleasant-looking lawn.

To keep things looking green, iron additives are often a vital resource in our high-desert Arizona climate, but rest assured, there are do’s and don’ts to the application process. Here’s a brief run-down on how to determine if you have a lawn iron deficiency.

When Can You Add Iron to Your Lawn?

You can add iron to your lawn just about any time of year. If you’re applying iron spray to newly planted grass, the key is to do so when the temperatures have cooled. When it’s hot and the sun is intense, iron can burn new, young grass leaves. If you’re working with an established lawn, or anticipating application of iron during cooler months, you should be in good shape if you adhere to the instructions of the element itself.

How Can You Add Iron to Your Lawn?

If you have determined that you have a lawn iron deficiency, then it’s time to get to work fixing the problem. Iron comes in two easy-to-use forms: spray and granular.

Spray Iron

When it comes to adding iron to your lawn, foliar feeding works faster. This is a technique where you apply the iron directly to the blades of grass, and it goes straight into the system. It lasts three to four weeks. Spray-on Ironite is fast-acting and can be helpful if you’re trying to see results quickly. Just be careful not to over-apply it, as that can turn your lawn gray.

Granular Iron

The granular version of iron goes directly into the soil. Its molecular structure needs to be broken down to be efficient, which means it takes longer to be effective than spray iron. However, granular iron tends to last longer than its spray counterpart. When you use granular iron, you should expect a 60- to 90-day wait time as for efficacy if you’re using granular iron.

What to Watch for When It Comes to Adding Iron to Your Lawn

Anytime you apply iron, be aware that it can cause orange stains that can be difficult – if not impossible – to remove. Avoid applying the substance to cool decks, surfaces, sidewalks, and pool decks, as these places will almost assuredly suffer the orange stains when the chemicals go to work.

Mind the temperatures, and shoot for application of iron when external temperatures are between 40 and 80 degrees. In Arizona, our grasses don’t adhere to the rules of the rest of the country when it comes to timeline. Fall, winter, and spring usually offer the best opportunities to add iron to your lawn without damaging the grass’s roots and foundations because the temperatures are milder during the colder months.

Be careful not to overdose your lawn with iron. It’s important to follow the package instructions to ensure your sod lawn isn’t exposed to undue harm as you add nutrients. Grasses generally don’t require a lot of iron, but they do need some. If you’re uncertain as to the next step in your lawn-enhancing process, it might behoove you to seek the assistance of a soil test to determine whether your property is iron deficient or not. With that knowledge in hand, you can seek the most viable routes to help you make the most of your lawn and home landscape, one blade at a time.

Check out our lawn nutrition and fertilization page for more information on how to achieve a healthy lawn in Arizona.

At Evergreen Turf, green lawns are our business! If you’re struggling to get your grass green, consult with our team of lawncare experts. Reach out to us today to if you’re in need of fresh sod in Arizona.

Clay Soil 101

If you’re trying to build a landscape of beautiful grass, you must first know the foundation that will support it. Clay is common in Arizona and not particularly easy to work with as high alkaline levels create an iron deficiency. Battling discoloration without knowing the cause will lead to continuous cycles of yellow grass and a lot of frustration that can be easily avoided. On top of that, the density of the soil leads to a soggy lawn during the monsoon season and rock hard dirt in the dry summer sun. This environment leads to stressed grass conducive to weeds and disease. To prepare the soil for optimal grass growth, implement the following practice:

• Use compost, lawn clippings, and organic fertilizer as a top dressing. Over time, it will decompose and change the natural composition of the soil, improving upon the troublesome qualities of clay. Understand this is not a quick fix and can take multiple seasons—even years.

Five Tips for Fertilizing an Arizona Lawn

1. Because Arizona soil tends to have a high pH and calcium level, there are certain nutrients that will always carry a deficiency. Iron and phosphorous will need to be supplemented through the application of organic or synthetic fertilizer.
2. Try adding sulfur to stimulate the activation of amino acids. Spreading sulfur twice a year (using five pounds per one thousand square feet) can lower the pH level of your soil and foster faster, healthier growth.
3. Know that yellowing is typically a lack of nitrogen or other nutrients. Balancing your soil with a nitrogen-rich fertilizer can turn things around quickly.
4. Fertilizing doesn’t have to equate to hours of meticulous care. Offset nutrient deficiencies with a lawn spray—just make sure you test your soil and follow instructions to the letter as you would any other soil amendment.
5. Try Ironite (the brand) to return your lawn to a healthy hue while controlling growth. It contains iron, sulfur, and other micronutrients needed for a strong bed of grass.

Still at a loss for how to work with your Arizona soil in a fool-proof way? The only substitute for hard work and experience is professional help! First, check out our frequently asked questions page for all the common questions we get from Arizona homeowners regarding their lawn.

Contact Evergreen Turf for Arizona sod installation quotes or for questions on various treatment options. Call 480.456.1199 for an estimate.

When it comes to keeping a beautiful lawn, the timing and type of care you provide are often just as regional as the actual breed of grass you chose. The Midwest has different grass types than Arizona. As such, it’s important to be mindful of any tips and tricks you may find online if you’re trying to educate yourself about the aeration process.

As Arizona’s premier sod producer, our team at Evergreen Turf wanted to pass along some tips and tricks for aeration as they pertain to Arizona’s desert climate. Take a look!

Timing of Aeration

In Arizona, it’s best to wait until July 1st to aerate. You can do it earlier or later, but July tends to be optimal, as this is when we have long hot days with humidity. This combination of heat and moisture works well because it allows lawns to recover faster.

Type of Aerator

You’ll want to use a core aerator, rather than a spike aerator. A spike aerator will just further compress the soil. On the other hand, a core aerator brings the cores up to the surface, infiltrating the thatch. This method allows the biological elements in the thatch to break down better. Core aerators also allow for increased water penetration.

To Fertilize or Not to Fertilize?

If you’re going to fertilize, do so one week before you aerate. This will help your lawn recover more quickly. Additionally, the best time to apply gypsum is when you aerate your lawn.

Do you have more questions about Bermuda grass or any of the other types of Arizona sod? Our team at Evergreen Turf would love to help! Reach out to us at 480.456.1199 with your questions, or stop by and see us at 11407 E. Germann in Chandler, Arizona!