Fall Overseed of Bermuda Grass with Rye

It's that time of year again. Time to think about preparing your yard for fall over seeding with Rye grass. Bermuda Grass will stay green usually into November but as soon as the frost hits, Bermuda will go dormant until Spring. Many Arizonan's over seed their lawn with Winter Rye grass. Rye grass looks and feels very different from Bermuda Grass and will give your yard year round enjoyment, in addition to keeping the weeds at bay in your lawn. We usually over seed in early October.
1. If you plan to over seed this fall, the first thing to do is not fertilize your Bermuda Grass 4-6 weeks before over seeding. You do not want it to be actively growing when it is scalped.
2. Plan to over seed in late September through early November when night time temperatures are below 60 degrees.
3. Cut your watering schedule down by half a few weeks before overseeding.
4. Stop mowing your lawn one week before mowing.
5. The day of overseeding you will scalp your lawn to about 1/2" high and remove all clippings.
6. Spread the Rye seed according to package directions.
7. Cover seed with mulch, composted manure, or grass clipping to aid in moisture and keep the birds away.
8. Water 3-4 time daily for 5-10 min. until the seeds germinate in 5-7 days.

After the third or fourth week, you can gradually reduce your watering to every 3 to 7 days in Nov. and Dec. and every 14 days for the rest of the season, depending on rainfal, etc.

You may mow y our ryegrass after is has grown 2" tall but only mow to 1.5". Do not fertilize until after the first mowing.

For assistance on your fall ryegrass overseeding call a licensed landscape contractor. Arizona Living Landscapes operates in the east valley: Queen Creek, Mesa, Gilbert, and Chandler Arizona. 480-390-4477

May Arizona Gardening Guide

It's spring in the Arizona low desert. The temps are near 100 if not over already. Your Bermuda grass should be in and green and the winter Rye should be gone. You need to check your watering schedule. Bermuda grass does better if it is watered deeply 8-10 inches. You can check this by putting a screwdriver or something long in the grass and it should go in 8-10" easily after you water. If it doesn't then you need to increase your watering time. If you are experiencing run-off from too much water then change your timer to water several times throughout the day to get the depth without loosing the water. If you do this, you should be able to water every 2, maybe 3 days. Check your lawn and use good judgment. If it is turning brown, increase your water, if your lawn is sopping wet and getting mushrooms, cut back your water or water less days.

Your plants, especially flowers, will benefit from some organic mulch. You can add about a 3" layer to the soil around the plants to maintain moisture, prevent weeds, and lower your soil temperature. As the mulch decomposes during the summer, it will at much needed nutrients to the soil.
Contact a licensed Landscape Contractor for your landscape maintenance

Early Spring Garden Maintenance

It's time to prepare your garden to transition from the cool-season flowers and plants to the warm-season planting. Pull spend plants and weeds, rake up leaf debris, and layer 4 to 6 inches of compost or manure on top of the soil to dig in before replanting.
Fertilize roses every six weeks to prepare for their major spring bloom period. This starts in April. If you didn't feed your citrus trees in January, then do so now with one third of the trees' total annual nitrogen requirement. Apply nitrogen to deciduous fruit trees when they begin to leaf out. Winter Rye grass needs fertilization once a month. Your bermuda lawn also needs nurishment to prepare for it's spring arrival. Wait to fertilize tropical plants until danger of frost is over. The last frost is usually mid-March. Native plants do not need fertilization. Pinch or snip off spent annual flowers to promote continuous bloom.

When in doubt, contact a local Landscape Contractor for you lawn maintenance or installation.