How to use this calendar
Think of the year in four working seasons: a cool season (December through February), a spring transition (March through May), the heat and monsoon season (June through September) and the fall planting season (October and November). Most mistakes happen when work is done in the wrong season, like heavy pruning in July or planting in June.
Exact timing shifts a little each year with the weather. A good landscaper adjusts these windows to what is actually happening on your property.
January: plan the year
Bermuda grass is dormant, so turf work is mostly limited to overseeded areas. January is the best month to look ahead.
- Walk the property and list trees that need structural pruning before spring growth
- Confirm irrigation controllers are on winter schedules, since overwatering in cool weather is one of the most common water wastes
- Cover or watch frost-sensitive plants on cold nights
- Review last year's landscape spending and set this year's priorities for capital projects
February: prune before the growth spurt
Late winter is prime time for structural pruning on many desert and deciduous trees. Trees are less stressed, and you are well ahead of monsoon season.
- Schedule tree trimming for clearance over walkways, parking and roofs
- Fertilize overseeded rye if your plan includes it
- Check irrigation for leaks and broken heads before demand starts climbing
March: spring color and irrigation tune-up
- Rotate seasonal color at entries, leasing offices and amenities
- Start stepping irrigation schedules up gradually as temperatures rise
- Apply weed control in granite and beds before spring weeds go to seed
- Finish major pruning while temperatures are still mild
April: get ahead of the heat
- Run a full irrigation check on every zone, including drip lines that are easy to forget
- Repair or replace damaged turf in high-traffic areas while conditions are good
- Inspect landscape lighting before longer evenings bring residents outdoors
May: the turf transition
If your property overseeds with ryegrass, May and early June are when the rye fades and Bermuda takes over again. Managing that transition well prevents patchy, brown lawns going into summer.
- Transition overseeded turf back to Bermuda
- Move irrigation to summer schedules
- Clean gutters and scuppers after spring tree drop and palm flowering
- Finish tree thinning so canopies are ready for monsoon winds
June: monsoon preparation
Arizona's monsoon season officially runs June 15 through September 30. June is your last good window to prepare. Our monsoon prep checklist walks through it in detail.
- Confirm trees near buildings, parking and walkways have been thinned
- Clear retention basins, drains and washes
- Clean gutters and downspouts
- Agree on a storm response plan and contact list with your landscaper
July and August: protect and respond
This is the hardest stretch of the year for plants, irrigation and crews. Focus on keeping what you have healthy rather than adding new plantings.
- Check irrigation often, since a single broken line can kill plants within days in this heat
- Avoid heavy pruning, which exposes trees to sunburn
- Respond quickly to storm damage, prioritizing blocked access and hazards
- Hold most planting and construction until fall
September: plan the fall
- Decide whether to overseed this year, and where it is actually worth it
- Line up fall planting, turf replacement and turf installation or repair projects
- Start next year's landscape budget, including tree work and capital improvements
- Check whether your city's water conservation rebates could help fund conversions
October: the best planting month
Fall is the best time to plant in the low desert. Soil is still warm, air temperatures are dropping, and new plants have months to establish before the next summer.
- Overseed turf areas that are part of your plan
- Install new trees, shrubs and desert plantings
- Start turf-to-desert conversions and other renovation projects
- Step irrigation schedules down as temperatures fall
November: tidy up and adjust
- Clean gutters after leaf drop from deciduous trees
- Move controllers to winter schedules
- Refresh seasonal color for the holidays and peak visitor season
December: protect and review
- Protect frost-sensitive plants on cold nights
- Review the year with your landscaper: what worked, what didn't and what to budget for
- For HOAs, make sure next year's plan lines up with your reserve study. Our guide on comparing landscape proposals can help if you're going out to bid
Putting it into practice
A good commercial landscaper should be bringing this calendar to you, not the other way around. If you'd like a property-specific version for your HOA, apartment community or commercial site, contact Pro Turf and we'll walk the property with you.
