It's Turf Transition Time
As nighttime low temperatures in The Valley start to creep up into the 60s, the Bermuda grass, which has been dormant all winter, begins to wake up and grow. As daytime temperatures exceed 90 degrees, the winter Rye grass begins to recede. It is during this transition period where both types of grass compete for space and water.

Transitioning from Rye grass to Bermuda grass is, ideally, a gradual process that lasts from the beginning of April through the end of May. If managed correctly all the turf in the common areas should be primarily Bermuda grass by the beginning of June.

What To Expect
You can expect to see subtle changes in the turf areas throughout the transition period. The Irrigation Technicians monitor the watering times to encourage the Bermuda grass to grow instead of the Rye. This actually means that we will be using less water, not more. We gradually lower the decks of our mowers from 2” down to 1”-1.25”. Lower mowing heights does not hurt the Bermuda, but will serve to suppress the Rye.

As the Rye grass dies off, the turf may appear off color or yellow and there may even be some distinct areas that appear dry. This is a temporary condition that improves as the Bermuda grass fills in.

Sometimes when the Rye grass dies, it forms a thick mat. This is easily removed with a verticutting machine as necessary.

Once the Bermuda grass is actively growing (usually by the first of May), Ammonium Sulfate fertilizer (21-0-0) is applied to promote healthy turf.

Try It At Home
Transition will take place on a large scale in your common areas. However, the same process applies for your yard. Gradually, lower the height of your lawn mower over the course of a few weeks. Reduce the amount of water to approximately 6-8 minutes every 2 or 3 days. If you encounter some dead spots, use a hard rake and a little elbow grease to remove the matted Rye grass. Then apply Ammonium Sulfate fertilizer (21-0-0) at a rate of 5 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. of turf. By the 1st of June, your Bermuda grass will be ready for the summer months ahead.

To print this content, scroll down to the Landscape Articles section below and click on the link labeled Turf Transition.

Fun Facts About Glennwilde

Sometimes living in a property such as Glennwilde, you might not realize the grand scale of the common areas. It is our job as your landscape management vendor to know what your property is comprised of and we would like to share that information with you.

You have:

• 4,402 trees comprised of 19 different species, worth approximately $2,785,432.86 (data as of
  March 2007. The tree inventory increases in value as the tree mature.)
• Approximately 44,200 plants
• 34 irrigation clocks controlled by a computerized central control system
• Approximately 57,406 irrigation emitters

DLC maintains approximately 89 acres of common area, which is 3,876,840 square feet. Out of the 89 acres, there are 47 acres of granite areas and 42 acres of turf. These numbers will likely increase as we recalculate the square footage of the new parcels we maintain.

Water Management
One of DLC’s core values is responsible use of water. With that in mind, a central focus at DLC Resources is active water management. Our goal is to supply only enough water to the landscape to keep it healthy, while optimizing usage.  We minimize water use by routinely observing the plants and turf, and probing the soil to determine soil moisture in the root zone.  Making proper adjustments to the irrigation programs based on weather conditions, soil types, specific plant varieties, and irrigation design is a must when trying to minimize water use.

Tracking Your Assets
We have mapped the major common area landscape assets at Glennwilde. We use GPS-based technology to inventory and appraise all of the trees and major irrigation components. This helps us assist the community with budgeting and determining property asset values.  As time goes by, we’ll have the opportunity to plot more and more assets on the property. In addition, we can track changes that occur on the property over time, such as trees removals, tree replacements, etc. With these statistics, based on accurate GPS coordinates, the residents at Glennwilde are armed with valuable asset information. Please refer to the map below as an example of this technology. In this example, we show trees at Glennwilde plotted onto a digital aerial photograph.

Landscape Articles
Each season of the year represents significant changes in the Glennwilde common area landscape. To help you understand these changes and to help you with your own landscaping, we’ve compiled a number of landscape related articles organized by season.

Year Round:
Water Management (.pdf - 624 KB)
Let’s conserve water throughout the year! This article has great tips for homeowners and recommended watering schedules.
Tree Planting (.pdf - 425 KB)
Planting trees can take place anytime throughout the year. Be sure to give newly planted trees plenty of water if planted in the summer.
Uncapped Emitters (.pdf - 597 KB)
Ever seen an irrigation drip tube sticking out of the ground with water coming out and no plant to water? Read this article to learn more about the challenges we face with the irrigation system and possible solutions.
Saltcedar (.pdf - 505 KB)
Tamarisk, better known as Saltcedar, is an extremely invasive foreign plant that causes damage in several ways.  Read this article to find out more.
Weed Control (.pdf - 419 KB)
There are many product options that can help rid your lawn of weeds. We have a few product suggestions for those who are unsure of which ones to use and when.
Desert Broom (.pdf - 340 KB)
A tenacious weed is taking advantage of the growth we’re seeing around The Valley. Read how to spot and remove the Desert Broom in this article.
Tree Staking (.pdf - 490 KB)
This article has an easy step-by-step guide that will help your trees grow strong and healthy.

Summer:
Palm Pruning (.pdf - 468 KB)
It’s important to prune palms correctly and at the right time of year.
Managing Monsoon Storms (.pdf - 270 KB)
July and August find us squarely in monsoon season. While we welcome the summer rains, the vigorous storms that bring the rain do present some challenges for the landscape.

Fall:
Winter Lawn Preparation (.pdf - 544 KB)
If you want green grass throughout the winter, this article tells you how.
Shrub Management (.pdf - 441 KB)
The fall is a great time to cut back your shrubs. Read this article to learn more.

Winter:
Care for Your Winter Lawn (.pdf - 160 KB)
Now that your winter lawn is established, learn how to take care of it.
Frost Damage (.pdf - 205 KB)
Frost can do a lot of damage to plants and trees in The Valley. This article shows you how to prevent frost damage.

Spring:
Turf Transition (.pdf - 313 KB)
When the soil temperature heats up in the spring, Bermuda grass starts to come alive again. The winter Rye grass does not survive the heat of the summer, so you need to help the Bermuda grass transition.
What to Do with Frost Damaged Plants (.pdf - 53 KB)
Spring is the time to clean up frost damaged plants. This article helps you make the right decisions.
Frost Damaged Ficus Trees (.pdf - 343 KB)
Ficus trees were hit particularly hard by frost. Like other plants, you need to decide what to do with your frost damaged Ficus tree. This article will help.
Aeration (.pdf - 366 KB)
Aeration is a valuable horticultural practice that is very effective in maintaining healthy turf for the long-term. You will see this occurring in your common areas when Rye grass transitions to Bermuda grass. For help understanding the Aeration process see this article.

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About DLC Resources 
We, DLC Resources, have been the landscape maintenance contractor at Stetson Hills since the landscape was installed in October 1999. The common area landscaping is comprised of many components, each with its own unique maintenance requirements. Some of our duties include nurturing the trees toward maturity, managing the shrubs, managing the variety of turf areas in each season, actively controlling weeds, keeping annual flowers in healthy condition and managing the irrigation system in a manner that is healthy for the plant material but also conserves water.

Our presence has increased along with the growth of Stetson Hills. We share the same values of integrity and clear communication as the Board of Directors and the management company. Please visit the DLC web site to learn more about our focus, our mission and our employees.