Backflow Preventer & Your Irrigation System

What is a backflow preventer and why do I need it? Homes built in Arizona with a front yard landscape already installed, usually have a backflow preventer installed. If your house does not have one already in place, then you must have one in order to have an irrigation system.
The backflow preventer is designed to stop the back flow of water from your irrigation system to your house and the city or well water system. The valves in the sprinkler system will not do this alone, thus a backflow preventer is needed. Landscape irrigation water is considered a contaminant and can introduce chemicals to your house and your drinking water. In Arizona, you are required to have a backflow preventer on your irrigation system. If your landscaper says you do not need one then find a new landscaper. The valves will eventually leak or break and without a backflow preventer installed, all the contaminants in your yard and ground water will come into your house.
Call Arizona Living Landscape & Design in Arizona for full sprinkler system or irrigation system installation or repair. 480-390-4477
www.LandscapeArizona.com

Organic Gardening: Plants that repel insects for your garden

Are you planning your vegetable or flower garden for spring. You might want to consider planting various plants that will actually repel those pesky bugs. In turn, you can use less chemicals and make your yard safer. Here are a few plants to consider in your organic garden in Arizona.

Basil: repels flies, caterpillars and mosquitoes.
Bay: repels ants, caterpillars and moths.
Chives: repels aphids, borers, and crickets.
Garlic: repels aphids, crickets, and grasshoppers. This is a great plant to plant around your roses, fruit trees and in your vegetable garden.
Marigold: repels aphids, caterpillars, crickets, grasshoppers, nematodes, slugs, and whiteflies
Onions: repels ants, aphids, borers, moths, crickets, and grasshoppers.
Rosemary: deters many insects including moths, beetles, crickets, fleas, grasshoppers, and mosquitoes.
Sage: deters mice and repels circkets, moths, and grasshoppers.
Thyme: deters cabbage worms, flies, and whiteflies.

Call a licensed landscape contractor for organic gardening ideas.

Arizona Desert December Gardening Ideas

It is getting colder but you can still plant in the desert southwest.

1. It is time to plant bare root roses. Soak the roots in a bucket of water a few hours before planting. Dig a hole that is larger than the root, plant the roses and fill the hole with a mixture of organic material and soil.

2. The rains have also started so be ready for those weeds that are bound to start popping up as soon as we have a warm day. Pull them when they are small so they don't have time to spread. Also, spread pre-emergent down now to help keep the seeds from germinating. Remember, do not put down pre-emergent anywhere you plant to plant seeds.

3. It's time to plant deciduous fruit trees such as apples, apricots, peaches and plums. Look for the low-chill varieties adapted to the Arizona desert climate.

4. You can continue to sow winter vegetables such as carrots, radishes, turnips, beets and kale. Germination may be slower in the cooler soil.

5. It's time for oranges. Harvest your oranges, tangelo, and mandarins. Taste for sweetness before harvest. Go to the local farmers markets for some great local oranges.

6. It's not too late to get your back yard ready for the winter parties. Call Arizona Living Landscape & Design for a custom quote and free design. They can install a fire pit, built in BBQ, concrete patio, paver patio, sod, plants and much more. If you need a yard clean-up before the relatives come over, call them 480-390-4477.

Freezing temps in Arizona mean dead plants

It is near freezing this month so make sure you cover your tropical plants or new plantings to keep them from getting frost bitten. Some examples are any annuals, bougainvillea, Bird of Paradise, tropical vines, Lantana, Hibiscus, orange trees, grapefruit trees, or any plant that is not an Arizona desert plant to be safe.

Check out Arizona Living Landscape & Design winter specials. Get 10% off your landscape installation. Call now for a free quote or Landscape Design. 480-390-4477.
www.LandscapeArizona.com

Eremophila Maculata Valentine Bush

Eremophila Maculata Valentine or Emu Bush.

This is an evergreen shrub with lush, green foliage. It will gro to 4' high by 5' wide and produces red tubular flowers from winter to early spring. The leaves are tinged red in winter. This is an excellent choice for gardens needing some winter color. It has showy red-rose blooms that cover the foliage, is hardy to 15 degrees, and is extremely drought tolerant and does well in full sun.
Plant in well drained soil and allow to dry out between waterings. Shear after blooming, usually in March to encourage bushiness. Plant in a space that needs winter color. It will be a striking contrast to other desert plants.

Arizona salt tolerant plants for the desert

Chinese Pistache (Pistacia chinensis). This is an ornamental deciduous tree with bright green leaves that turn red in the fall. The female plant produces clusters of pepper seeds. It grows up to 40' high and 30' wide. The most interesting aspect of this tree it that it turns a brilliant redish/orange in fall. Ths is the only desert tree whose leaves turn this shade of red. This tree is hardy to below 20 degrees and is heat and drought tolerant, requires little maintenance, and is resistant to oak root fungus. Plant this tree in well draining soil, water deeply and infrequently.

Arizona Landscape Design

Here is a page of yard revamp or remodel pictures in Arizona from a licensed landscape contractor in Arizona. Arizona Living Landscape & Design 480-390-4477

Landscape Design

Before: Back Yard











After: Landscape designed with synthetic grass, rock, paver patio, paver curbing, mounding, recessed boulders, gazebo, and landscape lighting.