Melani Caron, GM
While Arizona is traditionally seen as a desert state with cactus, agave and coyotes, one of the many perks we are able to enjoy year round is the ability to have a lush green lawn. You may be asking yourself how can this be?
During the summer months we use Bermuda grass because it tolerates our triple digit temperatures. As both the daytime and night temperatures drop, the Bermuda will start to die and go dormant. In mid-September the landscapers will begin to lower the deck height of the mower and eventually scalp the Bermuda lawn, which helps to allow room for the winter rye grass. The planting of the rye grass is called overseeding because you are planting rye seed over the existing Bermuda. The general rule of thumb for when to plant the winter rye is when the temperatures at night are consistently around the 60-degree range. Please be sure to continue to read this update until the end for important information for homeowners who have a summer lawn.
Sometime next May the winter rye grass will naturally start to die off due to its inability to thrive outside of the milder Arizona winter months. Water and warmer temperatures will awaken your dormant Bermuda summer grass naturally so there is no need to replant your summer lawn. There will be a time where the winter lawn and the summer lawn are not sure what to do (go dormant or return) as we often see our temperatures fluctuate in the spring between hot and cold and our weather transitions from one season to the other. Now with this wealth of information you will be able to both see and understand the transformation that the HOA and golf course lawns go through over the next several weeks.
For homeowners within Robson Ranch who may have grass lawns, the subject of overseeding requires your attention, too! Per the ALC guidelines dated June 1, 2013, “Any grass that is visible from neighboring properties must be overseeded in the fall/winter. Please don’t miss the window of opportunity to ensure your summer lawn meets the Association’s requirement that your lawn is overseeded, too. If you have any questions please call Becky Sundin, ALC Clerk, at 520-426-3345.