Unique To Arizona Winter and Summer Lawns

It may seem too early to start talking about winter lawns but this is in the planning stages.

Your commercial property can have green grass all year long in Phoenix, even though the winter and summer climates are very different.

Having year-round green lawns is accomplished by growing Bermuda grass in summer and Rye grass in winter. The low rainfall amounts in the area means that your lawn will consume relatively large amounts of water, an accurate understanding and application of how much water the grass really needs will minimize overall usage.

Bermuda grass is the choice in summer. Bermuda grass can endure the desert's hottest weather as long as it has sufficient water. During winter it is dormant, meaning that it is yellow and appears dead. However, below the surface it is alive and waiting for warmer weather. Bermuda usually starts to slow down and go dormant in September and starts growing again in May. This life cycle makes it so Bermuda does not have to be replanted each year. Therefore, if a winter lawn is desired, it can be planted over the dormant Bermuda. When high afternoon temperatures start to kill the winter lawn, in May, the Bermuda grass takes over again.

Bermuda grass only needs to be planted once, subsequent summers will involve the Bermuda coming out of dormancy. It will come in more fully and rapidly if the Ryegrass is allowed to dry out in early May. Normally two weeks without water is sufficient to kill the ryegrass. After the Ryegrass has turned brown, resume watering to encourage the Bermuda to recover from its dormant time.

The best time, in the Phoenix area, to plant the Rye is from early to middle October. Plant too early and the sun can bake the seedlings. Remember, if the weather is still hot the Bermuda is still growing and will compete with the Rye seedlings. Plant too late and germination is slow because the weather isn't warm enough. So, there is a relatively small window of opportunity.

So late August is the best time to start planning what you want to do with your commercial properties’ lawn.

It doesn’t matter to us whether you want lush lawns, desert landscaping or some type of landscaping in between, we can help.  To find out how give us a call at 623-848-8277.

Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net