September is when activities BEGIN for seeding winter rye grass. Right now, it’s too early and still too hot. And, due to continued water shortages (the Colorado River Basin still suffers from the consequences of over two decades of severe drought), Mesa is encouraging all water customers to consider limiting or forgoing this practice.

If areas are justifiably required, we suggest not overseeding until October. But if you need more convincing, let us help with our Top Ten Reasons Not to Plant a Winter Lawn. These might just be the excuses (or ahh... justifications) you were looking for.

Fun Fact: You can save 8,000 gallons a year for every 1,000 sq. ft. of grass by not overseeding.

Sept. 28, 6-7 p.m. Vegetable Gardening in Arizona. Learn about growing a successful and productive vegetable garden in Arizona with Master Gardener and author Angela Judd. Mesa Main Library.

Oct. 14, 10 a.m. to Noon. Ask A Master Gardener. Come talk with a Master Gardener and have your questions answered—you can even bring your problem plant. Red Mountain Library.

Oct. 18, 6-7:30 p.m. Plant Your Family Tree. Celebrate National Genealogy Month by planting a tree in honor of your family tree. Open-house style, just drop in to talk to landscape and tree experts and pick up a free tree seedling (first come, first served).

Oct. 21, 2-3 p.m. Buying Your First House. Buying your first house is exciting but, it can be a confusing, too. Learn more. Dobson Library. 

Oct. 26, 6-7 p.m. Cool Season Gardening in Arizona. Fall is the the perfect time to start a cool season garden. Learn how with Master Gardener and author Angela Judd. Mesa Main

Celebrate Mesa Fall Fest

Oct. 14, 5 - 9 p.m. This free family festival includes live entertainment, paint classes, carnival rides, and more.

Look for fun and interactive City of Mesa booths including our 'Trees Are Cool' booth and local celebrity, Wayne Drop, our Water – Use It Wisely mascot.

Located at Red Mountain Soccer Complex, 905 N Sunvalley Blvd. Get the details.

Advanced Butterfly Workshop

Sept. 19, 7 - 8:30 p.m. Have you ever wanted to learn more about butterflies? Here’s your chance! The Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department is hosting a butterfly training program to help determine population trends, species richness, and diversity within the county. The first program is virtual. On Sept. 23, monitoring programs will take place at selected county park locations. Learn more and register.

Oct. 22, 10 a.m. - Noon. In her new book, desert horticulturist Noelle Johnson, aka 'AZ Plant Lady', delivers all the know – how you need to grow a breathtaking, colorful, and vibrant garden in low-water conditions. FREE signing - books available for purchase in-store. Reserve a spot. [Now, there's an early holiday shopping idea!]

Desert Institute of Gardening D.I.G.

DIG (Desert Institute of Gardening) classes are intensive 2-hour-long presentations on home horticulture topics given by Master Gardeners to the public. Look for these upcoming programs:

Sept. 28, 6:15 - 8:15 p.m. 10 Steps to a Successful Container Garden Master Gardener Doreen Pollack will explain what you need to keep in mind, what plants do well in a container and how to select the right pot for what you wish to grow.

Oct. 15, 2 - 4 p.m. Think Like a Vegetable - Optimizing Your Fall Harvest Fall vegetable gardening is one of the most rewarding gardening experiences we get! Presented by Master Gardener Hope Manross.

Oct. 14 to 29. Boyce Thompson Arboretum. The popular seasonal sale will be open to the public with experts on site to help you find the perfect trees, shrubs, herbs, flowers, cacti or succulents to take home! Members only Oct. 13.

Oct. 20 to 22. Desert Botanical Garden. Choose from a unique selection of cactus, succulents and agaves as well as aromatic herbs, vegetables and flowering perennials. Garden experts will be available to help you select the ideal plants for your home. Members only Oct. 19.

Fry's Food Stores donated $10,000 to Mesa Urban Garden today to help families gain access to fresh and nutritious food as part of Kroger's Zero Hunger | Zero Waste social impact plan to...

Many residents, businesses and homeowner's associations (HOAs) are deciding whether or not to overseed their lawns. And the City of Mesa is encouraging all water customers to consider limiting or forgoing the...

Photo: Scalping Bermuda prior to seeding.

Calling all Urban Farmers!! The City of Mesa is soliciting a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for an urban farmer and community educator at the Sirrine House, located at 160 N. Center Street in Mesa. The City reimagines the Sirrine House as a center for onsite agriculture production and agriculture-oriented community education. The application window closes on September 28. Learn more about the project and find the link to the RFQ

Top 10 Bird Plants in Central Arizona

Did you know that you can provide critical habitat for Arizona's wildlife in your own backyard? By planting native flowering plants, trees, and shrubs, you can become part of the growing movement to create pockets of habitat within the city that are essential to the survival of our native birds, butterflies, bees, and more! Check out this site by Audubon Arizona to find bird-friendly native plants for your area and learn more about the birds, too! See plant sale listed above.

Native Mesquite Trees For Sale

This year the Urban Farm is selling native mesquite trees. Check out the site to order either a 5-gallon velvet or screwbean mesquite. Here are some benefits:

• You can eat the mesquite beans in multiple ways (see pancake event noted above).
• The trees shade your smaller trees, bushes and gardens.
• Third they provide habitat for native birds and pollinators.

Order Your Mesquite Here

Mesa's Climate Action Plan calls for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and establishing strategies to increase sustainability in our community. Residents and businesses can become more climate ready with guidance from our six focus areas of Energy, Heat Mitigation, Air Quality, Water Stewardship, Materials Management and Food Systems.

This month, as we experience the dust from overseeding activities, let's talk about air quality. 

How does air quality affect climate change?

1. Greenhouse gases cause climate change by trapping heat.
2. Climate change causes extreme weather like drought and fires.

How can you help?

1. Reduce landscape activities like overseeding and use of leaf blowers.
2. Do not burn wood in fireplaces and firepits.
3. Drive smarter. Combine errands. Slowly take off and stop.

Learn more about the causes of our local air pollution at this Maricopa County site.