Planting colorful trees, shrubs, and plants around your property is a fantastic way to enhance its visual appeal and make a terrific impression on guests. Few colors catch the eye more than red, especially during the vibrant fall season. Adding various shades of red to your yard can do wonders for its appearance while giving it a distinct look that will leave onlookers awestruck.

That said, many Tucson homeowners don’t know what plants and trees have red fall foliage. Fortunately, our experts at Santa Rita Landscaping created a short guide featuring a few plants that turn red in the fall in Tucson, Arizona.

Santa Rita Landscaping is Tucson, Arizona’s premier professional landscaping service. If you want expert landscape design in Tucson, AZ, call our landscaping professionals.

Four Plants With Red Fall Foliage

Red is a popular fall color that matches the season’s festive spirit. Deep red leaves and plants can help your exterior property look its best while giving it some character. Below are four beautiful plants that turn red in the fall in Tucson, Arizona.

1. Viburnum

Viburnum shrubs are heat-hearty plants perfect for Arizona’s hot weather. They thrive in both full sun and partial shade and typically grow between 3 and 8 feet tall. Viburnum shrubs come in multiple varieties, including:

• Arrowwood
• Guelder-rose
• Viburnum davidii
• Nannyberry

2. Oakleaf Hydrangea

Oakleaf hydrangea shrubs have purplish-red foliage that maintains its color throughout fall and well into winter. Like viburnum shrubs, oakleaf hydrangeas grow in full sun and partial shade and reach up to 15 to 20 feet tall. Although these shrubs prefer well-draining moist soil, they can tolerate clay-based dirt, making them ideal for Tucson’s clay-heavy terrain.

3. Fireglow Upright Red Japanese Maple

Fireglow upright red Japanese maple trees have vibrant red leaves that will enhance any Tucson property with stunning fall colors. They are relatively compact and grow 12 to 15 feet on average. They grow in partial shade and full sun while favoring well-draining, moist soil.

4. Coral Bark Japanese Maple

The coral bark Japanese maple is a relatively large tree that reaches 15 to 25 feet tall. It enjoys morning sun and afternoon shade and prefers sandy soil over clay. 

What makes this tree so unique is its color-changing foliage. It features yellowish-green leaves during early fall that change to a rosey red once winter temperatures arrive. It’s a gorgeous tree that will help you unlock your exterior property’s true visual potential.

Contact Santa Rita Landscaping for Outstanding Landscaping Services in Tucson, Arizona

If you want to add enchanting red plants, shrubs, and trees to your property but don’t want to deal with the hassle, contact Santa Rita Landscaping. Our team will plant breathtaking plants that turn red in the fall while providing outstanding customer service every step of the way. Whether you want to add low-maintenance landscaping plants to your property or need professional tree care, our professionals can help.

Give our Santa Rita Landscaping team a call at (520) 623-0421 and schedule your appointment today!

Planting a garden is a fulfilling activity that yields beautiful flowers, herbs, and vegetables. However, amateur gardeners should understand what soil to use for raised garden beds to get the most successful growth. 

In this guide, our landscapers at Santa Rita Landscaping share helpful soil tips for your garden to flourish. Call us at (520) 623-0421 to take your outdoor garden to the next level with professional landscape design in Tucson, AZ.

The Importance of Soil in Raised Garden Beds

The soil you choose for your raised garden bed can mean the difference between plentiful harvests and seeds that struggle to sprout. Along with adequate sunlight and water, your soil is essential for healthy plant growth.

It may not look like much on the outside, but soil functions as its own ecosystem that sustains other forms of life. Healthy soil in raised garden beds helps control water, sustain plant and animal life, cycle nutrients, filter pollutants, and provide physical stability. 

Building raised garden beds gives you the benefit of convenience with your gardening. However, it’s important to fill your beds with enough healthy soil to promote the best chance of success. 

Types of Soil

Native soil is dirt already in your landscape. Native soil differs by region and supports the growth of any trees or bushes on your property. While native plants adapt well to native soil, plants you wish to put in your garden won’t fare so well. 

Topsoil, as its name implies, is the top layer of soil. Topsoil is rich in nutrients and permeable, making it a crucial consideration when asking yourself what soil to use for your raised garden beds. You’ll likely need to buy a topsoil mix to fill your beds instead of digging up all the topsoil in your yard, especially if you have sprayed it with chemicals and pesticides. 

Potting soil helps potted plants grow. Although it consists of organic materials, potting soil lacks the support that strong roots need. Leave this option for plants in pots rather than your raised garden bed. 

What Soil to Use for Raised Garden Beds

Compost-rich topsoil is your best bet for a successful harvest. It has good moisture retention and is packed with rich nutrients that plants need to thrive. Opt for a mix that features half topsoil and half compost. 

Incorporating compost adds more nutrients to the soil and retains more water. You can achieve a better garden with composted materials in your soil. You can buy specialty compost mix at landscaping retailers or supplement your garden with compost from vegetable trimmings and eggshells.

Add organic material to your soil each year for optimal plant growth. This can be as easy as spreading chopped leaves over your raised garden bed to break down over the winter. When it’s time for spring planting, your soil will be primed for the best plant growth. 

Get Professional Landscaping Design Help

From knowing what soil to use for raised garden beds to choosing the right plants, Santa Rita Landscaping can help you create an outdoor oasis. Call Tucson’s landscaping experts at (520) 623-0421.

Trees not only improve your home and yard’s curb appeal but neatly maintained vegetation can increase property values. However, tending to grass and weeds near the base of your trees can be tricky, so most homeowners want to get rid of them entirely. With that in mind, the team at Santa Rita Landscaping is here with some tips on how to keep grass and weeds from growing around trees. 

We offer the best of Tucson’s professional land design. Call us today!

Why Remove Grass and Weeds Around Trees?

Grass requires a certain amount of sunlight to grow, so shade from trees can stunt its growth, causing it to look patchy and rough. Additionally, grass and weeds near the base of the tree can interfere with its roots and steal nutrients from the tree, stunting its growth and development. As such, completely removing grass or weed underneath your mature trees is usually the best idea. 

Removing Grass and Weeds From Around Trees

Fortunately, there are several simple methods how to keep grass and weeds from growing around trees, but you need to be wary of damaging the roots. 

Apply A Layer of Mulch 

Adding a layer of organic mulch is another way to keep weeds and grass from under your tree. First, place a layer of weed barrier fabric around the tree in a radius of about one to two feet, depending on the size of the tree. Next, lay down three to four layers of wet newspaper. The newspaper will block sunlight from the grass and weed seeds but allows the roots to access nutrients and water. After, lay down two to four inches of mulch over the newspaper. 

Dig It Up

The simplest and most straightforward way to keep grass and weeds away from trees is to dig it up. Using a shovel, you can dig up the first inch or two of dirt to remove grass and weeds from the root, preventing them from growing back. We recommend only using a shovel to dig up vegetation so you don’t accidentally damage the roots and kill the trees. If you expose roots, cover them with an inch of dirt to prevent damage. 

Use Herbicide

One final method is using herbicide. Herbicide can be tricky because too much can harm your tree, so make sure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions. When applying the herbicide, place a layer of cardboard around the base of the tree so the herbicide doesn’t get on the tree trunk. Try to spread herbicide on a non-windy day so it doesn’t spread around your yard.

Professional Landscaping in Phoenix & Tucson

The trick to how to keep grass and weeds from growing around trees is vigilance and routine lawn maintenance, such as using pre-emergent spray for weed control. With over 35 years of experience, Santa Rita Landscaping can handle all of your residential or commercial landscaping construction and maintenance needs. Contact us online or give us a call today at (602) 686-0292 to schedule a landscaping appointment!

Many homeowners don’t know where to start when it comes to tree care. According to Dodson Custom Homes, new homes are 17% more energy efficient owing to the most recent building codes enacted. However, caring for your trees properly can make an even bigger impact on your home’s energy efficiency. Here are spring tree care tips you may not have known you needed.

1. Inspect Trees Regularly

As the saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This is especially true when it comes to tree care. By regularly inspecting your trees, you can quickly identify potential problems and take steps to prevent them from turning into costly repairs. Look for signs of damage, such as cracks in the trunk or hanging low branches. Also, keep an eye out for any pests or diseases that might be affecting your trees.

If you catch these problems early, you can often resolve them with relatively simple treatments. In other words, regular tree inspections can save you time, money, and headaches down the road. So don’t wait until something goes wrong – put preventive tree care high on your spring to-do list.

2. Tree Trimming Regularly

Proper tree trimming is essential for maintaining the health and appearance of your trees. It’s also important for safety reasons, as overgrown branches can pose a serious hazard to your home and loved ones. Ideally, you should trim your trees at least once a year – but more frequently if they are fast-growing varieties.

When trimming your trees, always use clean, sharp tools. This will help prevent disease and reduce the risk of injury to your trees. Also, follow proper pruning techniques to avoid damaging your trees. If you’re not sure how to trim your trees properly, hire a professional tree care company to do the job for you.

3. Mulch Your Trees

Mulching is another crucial tree care practice that is often overlooked. Mulching can help to protect your trees from extreme weather conditions, as well as pests and diseases. It can also help improve your trees’ overall health by providing them with essential nutrients. When mulching, be sure to use the proper mulch and apply it at the correct depth.

4. Water Your Trees Regularly

Trees need water to survive, but they can’t always get the water they need from rain alone. If you want your trees to stay healthy, you need to water them regularly. The best time to water your trees is early in the morning before the heat of the day sets in. This will give the water time to reach the roots before evaporation can occur.

5. Fertilize Your Trees

Fertilizing is another important aspect of tree care. By fertilizing your trees, you can help to improve their growth and health. However, it’s essential to use the right type of fertilizer and apply it at the correct time. Otherwise, you could end up doing more harm than good.

Put these tree care tips into practice if you want your trees to stay healthy and thrive this spring. By following these simple tips, you can make a big difference in the health and appearance of your trees. To learn more about tree care or find a qualified tree care professional, be sure to call us today.