The Lakes Landscape Care, Season By Season

By Cameron, ISA Certified Arborist, Adaptive Plant Health & Weed Solutions

The Lakes was built in the 1970s around Arizona’s first man-made lakes, and its roughly 200 homes sit among willows, cottonwoods, ash and mulberry. Those water-loving trees are now around fifty years old, which makes them tall, thirsty and brittle. Lakeside conditions bring their own humidity and soil challenges. This guide follows the year so you can plan around them.

Watering Near the Water

Trees close to the lakes can reach moisture on their own, but those a few lots away depend on irrigation. Water deeply and consistently, and avoid soggy soil around trunks, which invites decay.

Even lakeside trees can suffer in a dry summer if their roots sit in a shallow lens of water rather than a deep one. Watering slowly beneath the canopy now and then keeps roots deeper. Notice the water level in the lake too, since seasonal drops can stress trees that have come to depend on it.

Monsoon Storm Prep

Mid June through September, brittle cottonwoods and willows are the most likely to drop limbs, and wet soils near the lakes make toppling more likely. Thin trees, remove weak limbs and inspect after every storm.

Cottonwood and Willow: Aging, Thirsty and Brittle

These fast-growing water lovers decline as they age, with deadwood, decay and sudden limb drop. Plan for gradual replacement, and keep them away from structures and docks.

Cottonwoods shed cotton in spring and heavy leaves in fall, and both can clog pools and gutters. Large cottonwoods also have aggressive roots that can crack pipes and foundations. If a tree has a hollow trunk, large dead limbs or fungal conks at the base, it should be evaluated promptly.

Aging Ash and Borers

Older ash show canopy thinning, bark splitting and frass when borers move in. Annual assessment helps decide between care and replacement.

Ash that grow near water usually put on faster growth and can look healthy until they fail. Check the trunk base, look for epicormic sprouts and thin spots in the canopy, and ask for an annual assessment, since decay in a fast-grown tree can be advanced before signs appear above.

Mulberry and Sooty Canker

Mulberries can suffer sooty canker, which darkens bark and kills branches, particularly on stressed trees. Prune out diseased wood and avoid wounding.

Mulberry trees near the lakes produce heavy fruit that stains docks, decks and walkways and attracts birds and rodents. Fruitless varieties avoid this but are prone to other issues, so choose carefully if you replace one.

Desert Broom, Elderberry and Myrtle: The Understory

The understory benefits from regular thinning for airflow. Watch myrtle for scale and sooty mold and keep desert broom from becoming overgrown.

Winter Frost and Pruning

Cold air settles near the water, so protect tender plants. Winter is the best time for pruning and replacement planting.

Spring Growth and Pest Activity

Warmer weather brings new borer activity and fresh growth. Inspect trees, and raise irrigation gradually.

Docks, Shorelines and Lake Etiquette

Lakefront owners share a unique setting. Keep fertilizer, pesticide and clippings out of the water, and avoid planting invasive or fast-spreading species near the shoreline. Native or well-behaved plants stabilize the bank without clogging the lake.

Docks and bulkheads should be checked for undermined roots and leaning trees. Coordinate with the community about shoreline plantings and rules to avoid conflicts.

A 1970s Landscape Meets Today’s Water Realities

The Lakes was designed in an era of lush planting and abundant water. Today, many owners want to keep that park-like feel while using less water. The answer is usually choosing the right zones: preserve the shade trees that define the community and convert low-value turf and thirsty beds to efficient drip and desert-adapted plants.

Prioritize your best trees for water and care. A healthy old tree is worth more than a lawn.

Wildlife, Birds and Insects Around the Lakes

Water draws birds, ducks, bats and insects. Mosquitoes breed in standing water, so keep birdbaths and containers fresh and clean. Ducks and geese can graze new plantings and leave droppings that harm plants, so protect young shrubs with fencing or cages.

Birds that nest in old trees are part of the neighborhood’s charm. Schedule heavy pruning outside peak nesting periods when possible, and look for nests before removing large limbs.

The Lakes Year at a Glance

From January through March, prune ash and mulberry, inspect cottonwoods and willows for decay, and clean up lakeside debris. April and May bring new growth, borer activity and the first heat, so check trunks and begin deeper watering.

June through September is monsoon and peak heat: thin brittle limbs before storms, watch for sooty mold and keep irrigation off trunks. October through December is the time to replant, mulch, repair shorelines and protect tender plants from cold air settling near the water.

The Lakes Homeowner Action Items

1. Assess big water lovers. Have cottonwoods and willows evaluated every year.
2. Prepare for monsoon. Thin brittle trees before storm season.
3. Watch ash for borers. Look for dieback and frass.
4. Prune mulberry carefully. Remove diseased wood.
5. Thin the understory. Keep it open for airflow.
6. Avoid soggy trunks. Do not let irrigation pool at the base.
7. Protect from cold air. Cover tender plants in frost.
8. Book a seasonal health check. A yearly visit helps aging lakeside trees.
9. Protect the lakes. Keep fertilizer, pesticide and clippings out of the water.
10. Prioritize your best trees. Direct water and care to healthy shade trees before turf.
11. Check for nests. Avoid heavy pruning during peak nesting periods.

Frequently Asked Questions About The Lakes Landscapes

What are the most common tree problems in The Lakes?

The Lakes’ waterfront canopy of cottonwood, willow, ash, and mulberry is now around 50 years old, and summer pushes all four. Cottonwoods and willows are brittle and the most likely to fail in monsoon storms, aging ash draw bark and flatheaded borers, and mulberries are prone to sooty canker. Adaptive’s ISA Certified Arborists assess these and recommend care or replacement before they become hazards.

Why are my cottonwood and willow trees struggling or dropping limbs?

Cottonwoods and willows are fast-growing, water-loving, and naturally short-lived, so at around 50 years many in The Lakes are simply aging out, made worse by heat and by water-use limits on the heavy watering they evolved to need. Brittle wood, borers, and limb dieback are common. Keep the ones you are keeping deeply watered, and have hazardous specimens evaluated for thinning or replacement.

How do I protect The Lakes trees during monsoon season?

Cottonwood, willow, and aging ash are among the most storm-prone trees in the Valley, and The Lakes has many of them. The best protection is a professional structural thinning and evaluation before the next monsoon microburst, which reduces wind resistance and removes weak or dead limbs over homes, docks, and gathering areas. Adaptive can prioritize the highest-risk trees on your property.

Should I replace aging water-loving trees in The Lakes, and with what?

Often yes, especially for cottonwoods and willows that are declining, hollow, or hazardous, since they are short-lived and water-hungry in a drought climate. Better long-term replacements include desert-adapted shade trees like desert museum palo verde, Chilean mesquite, and Chinese pistache, which handle heat and use far less water. Adaptive can develop a phased succession plan that keeps shade while reducing risk and water use.