Another great winter storm passed through Wednesday providing one-half inch of rain and more in most valley areas. Check out rainfall totals at the MC Flood Control site (click on 3 Day or 7 Day Rainfall). This should be enough rain to turn your controllers to the 'rain' or 'off' setting for a week.
March is a transitional month. While it has been very cool, upcoming warmer days will nudge Bermuda grass and other cold-sensitive plants out of dormancy. Many trees (such as mesquites, palo verdes, jacarandas, and lysilomas) may look sparse, but that's normal! They will drop their older leaves and leaf out with beautiful, fresh green foliage soon. Don’t be concerned – the leaf drop is not likely due to a watering issue.
Photo: Desert Marigold will be bursting into bloom with warmer days.
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Recommendations below are for plants that are established in the landscape (in the ground about two years).
- Desert Adapted - once every 25 days
- High Water Use - once every 11 days
- Desert Adapted - once every 30 days
- High Water Use - once every 12 days
- Desert Adapted - once every 19 days
- High Water Use - once every 9 days
Cacti and succulent watering
Annuals & vegetable watering
- Once every 5-7 days (or more if you are starting seeds)
Wildflower watering
- Once every once every 8-10 days if no rain
Note: These recommendations are a general guideline only and may need to be modified for your specific site conditions.
Landscape Watering by the Numbers: Don’t forget our online, interactive watering guide. If you input some simple information about your landscape irrigation system, it will tell you how long to water to give your plants just the right amount with these frequencies.
2023 SRP Water Conservation Expo - SMART Controllers
Sat, Mar 4, 8 am to Noon. The SRP Water Conservation Expo brings together members of the community to celebrate water in the Valley and discover ways to conserve at home. This event is free for SRP customers and includes amazing discounts on smart irrigation controllers. Get a Rachio 3 or Hunter Controller for $60+tax (retail value is $199 and $528 respectively). Attend classes on how to use the controllers, programs on Xeriscape landscaping, and visit exhibitors. Mesa's Water Conservation staff will be there, and we have invited the AZ Plant Lady to provide landscaping advice at the Water - Use It Wisely booth. She will also be selling her first book, Dry Climate Gardening.
Location: PERA Club, 1 E Continental Dr., Tempe. Learn more!
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Spring Equinox in the Monarch Garden
March 18, 10am to Noon. Families are welcome to participate in our spring equinox celebration at the Monarch Garden at the Red Mountain Library. We will have crafts, presenters from the Southwest Monarch Study, and more. We'll be right next to the Monarch Haven & Reading Sanctuary garden. Environmental & Sustainability staff will be onsite to answer questions about green programs and will be giving away origami butterflies.
The spring equinox occurs when the Sun crosses the equator line to the north. This event marks the start of spring season in the northern half of the globe (Northern Hemisphere).
Plant Sales!
Find a great selection of native and water thrifty plants:
Boyce Thompson Arboretum: Mar. 11-26. Members can preview on March 10 and get 20% off their purchase.
Desert Botanical Garden: Mar. 16-19 7am-3 pm. March 16 is members day. Find an extensive selection of desert plants, including cactus, agaves, succulents, trees and shrubs.
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Water - Plant It Wisely: The Ultimate Spring Planting Resource
Spring planting season is here! Temperatures are warming up, making it a perfect time to replace plants you may have lost during the winter, or replace your high-water-usage plants with water-thrifty ones.
Water – Plant It Wisely is our special microsite that lists all our best landscaping resources in one place. You'll find landscaping guidance, advice, videos, and ideas on design and what to plant. By selecting low-water-use plants, you help conserve our precious water supply for generations to come.
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Fix a Leak Week, March 20-26
Did you know that a leak of just 10 drips per minute can waste more than 500 gallons a year?
Fix a Leak Week is promoted by the EPA to help you detect and chase down leaks!
Email us with your mailing address if you’d like to get our toilet leak detection kit, and our Find and Fix Leaks booklet. You can also find the booklet online how to find and fix leaks.
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Can Test (for Measuring Sprinkler Output)
 Sprinkler output can vary depending on your system design and water pressure. Find out how much water your sprinkler system applies with a one-time can test. Collect 6 to 8 shallow, flat-bottomed cans like tuna or cat food cans. Spread the cans around your lawn 4 to 5 feet apart (cans in photo are further apart than they appear 😉)
Then, turn on each valve or station of your sprinklers for 15 minutes. When the sprinklers turn off, measure the depth of water in each can. Record your numbers on the can test worksheet, then return to our Lawn Watering Interactive Guide (and click on the 'how much water your sprinkler system applies' tab) to calculate your sprinkler number.
**Reduce your landscape water use 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 website or request a free copy of the booklet.
-H2O-
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