Landscape Watering Reminder - May

 

A Pacific weather system is moving through the Valley bringing a week of pleasant, mid-80 temps and a teeny chance of sprinkles.

Mid-May through October is considered our summer season and weather experts predict that it might be dryer and warmer than normal. Bermuda grass and many landscape plants may look a little stressed through May as we transition from our spring to summer temperatures.

Humidity levels are low and there are lots of windy days. What this means for plants is a lot of moisture gets lost from the soil surface and through the leaves. Make sure you are giving plants a good drink of water, especially after a dry, windy day.

Note: These recommendations are a general guideline only and may need to be modified for your specific site conditions.

RECOMMENDATIONS                                                    

Recommendations are for plants that are established in the landscape (in the ground about 2 years).

Flowering Cactus

Extraordinary cactus flowers often show up in May like the ones on this Claret Cup Cactus .

Lawn watering:
Summer grass (Bermuda) - once every 4-5 days
Overseeded cool season grass (rye)-once every 3 days
 
If trees and shrubs are on the same valve:
Desert Adapted - once every 17 days
High Water Use - once every 8 days
 
Tree watering:
Desert Adapted -once every 20 days
High Water Use - once every 10 days
 
Shrub watering:
Desert Adapted - once every 14 days
High Water Use - once every 6 days
 
Groundcover and vine watering:
Desert Adapted - once every 14 days
High Water Use - once every 6 days
 
Cacti and succulent watering - once every 24 days
 
Annuals watering - once every 3-4 days
 
Wildflower watering - once every 5-7 days
 
Reduce your landscape watering 30 to 50 percent by adjusting your irrigation each season. Landscape Watering by the Numbers: A Guide for the Arizona Desert will help you determine how much water to apply and how long to run your system. Visit the interactive Web version or request a free copy of the booklet at www.wateruseitwisely.com/arizona.
 
Bonus tips

  • On May 8th the City of Mesa will be talking to Terri Ouellette on Channel 15's Sonoran Living Live at 9 a.m. We'll be covering how maintenance practices impact your landscape water needs.

  • Have you ever performed the sprinkler can test for your lawn sprinklers? If not, it's a lot of fun and the results will tell you just how long you need to water each time you irrigate. Find instructions on page 5 of Landscape Watering by the Numbers.

  • After your audit, if you decide it’s time to replace some of your sprinkler heads, consider using 'rotating stream sprinkler heads' which apply water much more efficiently and are particularly good for slopes to reduce runoff. Learn more about this new technology at the Water Use It Wisely site.

  • Just because Arbor Day has passed, doesn't mean you stop taking care of your trees. Find resources on planting, pruning, selecting a tree care professional and more online.

    To register for monthly watering reminder emails, visit www.Mesaaz.gov and click on Email Alerts located in the right navigation bar. Choose Landscape Watering Reminder, and follow the registration instructions. You can remove your name from the list at any time.

    For more information about Mesa's water conservation programs.

 -H20-