Arizona Winter Lawn Care

There are distinct cool and warm growing seasons in the Phoenix Metro area, with different types of turf thriving in each. Because the temperatures in the Valley of the Sun range from 25-degree winter nights to 120 degree plus summer days, it is impossible to find one grass type that will remain green and healthy all year long. Instead, desert gardeners who choose to have year-round green turf must overseed their warm-weather Bermuda-grass in fall with cool-season ryegrass.

Overseeding is not necessary for the health of the lawn, nor is it a regulatory requirement of any city, county or state government in Arizona. If temperatures are mild and remain above freezing at night, and above 50 degrees during the day, bermudagrass lawns may remain fairly green and actively growing through November.

Once the frosts of a typical November hit, however, bermudagrass turns brown and goes dormant until February or March, when temperatures warm up. That is just a couple of months without a green lawn in a typical winter, and it provides a respite from mowing and fertilizing, while conserving water. 

If you decide to overseed your bermudagrass, experts recommend waiting until it has been established for one year. Also, bermudagrass recovers faster in spring and stays healthier if not overseeded year after year. According to many professional turf managers in the southwestern U.S. overseed every other year to strengthen the health of their base bermudagrass and to help control weeds during the coolest months. 

Preparation

1. Overseed mature lawns between late September and mid-November, when nighttime temperatures drop below 60 degrees.

2. Four to six weeks prior to overseeding, stop fertilizing your bermudagrass.

3. Cut irrigation frequency in half a few weeks before you overseed.

4. Don’t mow your lawn one week before overseeding.

5. The day of overseeding, mow Bermuda-grass as low as your mower will go, preferably down to one-half inch high, and thoroughly remove the clippings from your greenscape.

Overseeding

1. Spread ryegrass seed in amounts specified on the packaging.

2. Rake the seed in to promote good soil contact.

3.  Cover seed with one-quarter inch of weed-free mulch, composted steer manure or grass clippings. This top-dressing helps maintain moisture and moderate soil temperatures needed to promote seed germination, and deters birds from feeding on the seed.

4. Water 3 to 4 times daily for 5 to 10 minutes until seeds germinate in 5 to 7 days.

Ryegrass Care

After ryegrass begins to establish, around the third or fourth week, gradually start reducing irrigation to every 3 to 5 days in November and December, then every 5 to 10 days for the remainder of the season, depending on local conditions and rainfall. For healthy ryegrass, irrigation must run for longer periods than the original 5 to 10 minutes, allowing water to soak 4 to 6 inches deep with each irrigation. This promotes a vigorous root system that can withstand longer periods without water.

Do not mow until ryegrass grows 2 inches tall; then mow lightly, no lower than 11/2 inches tall. After ryegrass establishes (each plant has 3 or 4 shoots), it can be mowed to a lower height, if desired.

Do not fertilize until after the first mowing. Feed monthly with a complete fertilizer, such as 21-7-14, 16-6-8.

It doesn’t matter to us whether you want commercial desert landscaping, lush lawns or some type of landscaping in between, we can help.  We serve businesses like yours all over the Phoenix Metro Area. 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