Ah, the soothing sound of birds chirping, the gentle breeze rustling through the trees—a perfect setting for enjoying the serenity of nature. That is until the shrill roar of a leaf blower shatters the tranquility, leaving us longing for a moment of peace. While leaf blowers are undoubtedly handy tools for tidying up our outdoor spaces, their improper use can create a nuisance for both ourselves and our neighbors.

By the time you read this, dense stands of bright green stinknet, with its striking yellow flowers, will have turned a drab brown. Stinknet (Oncosiphon piluliferum), also called globe chamomile and manzanilla apestosa, is a winter-spring annual native to South Africa, but highly invasive in the Southwest. It was first noticed in Phoenix in 1997, and in Tucson in 2015.

Most, if not all, landscaping plants in arid environments require supplemental water to survive and thrive. So, making sure that drip emitters or bubblers are properly located near plants and that the irrigation system functions properly are essential tasks for landscape managers. But there’s more to it than that.

Have you ever strolled by plants and noticed something’s been munching on the leaves? Or maybe there’s a mysterious brown spot in a tree that seemed to develop overnight? Sometimes plant pests come and go in a matter of days, but their damage may linger for months after they’ve moved to a new green ‘residence’. Fortunately, our dry desert conditions don’t make for an overly welcoming environment for arthropod ‘friends’ to reside. However, during mild times of the year, a few critters may be lurking in our landscape. Here are a few to watch out for in the coming months.

Right Plant, Right Place… We can’t say it enough. Who is making the decision to plant the wrong plant for the site, or shall we say the ‘right plant,’ just in the wrong place? When plant material is allowed to grow, bloom, and thrive in its space it has lower maintenance and water requirements.