Parts of the desert valleys in Arizona have an agricultural heritage - just a few years ago Maricopa County ranked 5th in the country for crop production. Water used to irrigate fields comes from an elaborate system of canals, ditches and pipes that divert water from nearby reservoirs. Many of the present-day canals follow routes used by the ancient Hohokam indians who lived here. The largest system is the Salt River Project (SRP), which collects water from the Salt River and Verde River watersheds in central Arizona. Landowners within the SRP system that retain the irrigation rights to their property and are allowed 3.0 acre feet of water per acre per year. (An acre foot of water is 325,851 gallons). Residential properties with flood irrigation comprise a very small percentage of urban land in the state. Lot sizes can range from as small as 6,000 square feet to several acres. Generally the land is flooded with 3-4 inches of water which quickly soaks deep into the soil profile. This not only waters grass but trees and shrubs as well. The water is delivered every two weeks in the summer and once per month in the winter. Cities which contain flood-irrigated areas are actually given water credits for recharging the aquifer by the Arizona Department of Water Resources. In 2003 and 2004 water allocations to farmers and residents were cut by 30 percent because of low levels in the reservoirs due to drought. These flood-irrigated areas are vanishing fast as more and more land is converted to housing, commercial and business. You can learn more by visiting the Salt River Project web site at the link below. Here is a link that might be useful: Salt River Project irrigation

Is there anything or plant type to be concerned about at above freezing temps, but below 40F? My low was 38F in my Tempe backyard (40F in warmer parts). Two night or so should be fine, right? I figured no reason to cover if no frost. Tonight might be 2deg cooler. Still above freezing though. I was a bit worried about my pepper plants which have some fruit that still needs to finish, but if they don't freeze they should be fine until the real frosts hit late Dec if a typical winter. Hopefully the soon to be warmer weather will let the peppers finish up.

Hi, great to see the Meyer is on the way back! I am in NorCal and have had this happen to me (oranges, lemons, and limes) last August (when it hit 102F a few days in a row). I (over)fed them and failed to keep the soil wet. If the Meyer is showing any signs of dehydration even through you are watering / and / or Unless you have definitive proof (soil analysis) of nutrient deficient soil, I'd not add any fertilizer until you get 3-4" of new branch growth. Heavy blooming is a classic stage of recovery from drought and shock. It is much too easy to over-fertilize. A dose of fertilizer raises the salt level of the soil and can quickly dehydrate the plant if you do not keep the ground wet. Just like your lawn, you cannot let it dry out after dosing it with fertilizer. Burned / damaged roots cannot absorb nutrients and by adding more fertilizer you will just more roots. I have a Sanguinelli Orange that looked far worse from two years of steady dosing of organic fertilizer... i stopped the feeding last August, flushed the soil, and transplanted 2 months ago it to fresh soil (without adding anything). Lo and behold it is just starting to push loads of buds. I have a Valencia that suffered through multiple transplants and aggressive feedings. It has about a dozen leaves and is (finally) starting to show nubs of new growth, but looking dehydrated even though its been watered. i think it will pull it and replace the soil this week. Good luck!

Sounds extremely high to me. I'm in VA. We have a small U shaped kitchen with an eating area. Having my backsplash tiled to include over the sink to ceiling, dishwasher, garbage disposal with air switch, sink,double oven and cooktop installed. Cabinet modified for counter depth refrigerator, all my outlets lowered, undercabinet lighting installed, seagull ambiance, and pucks, scribe on the upper cabinets, 2 pendant lights installed over the island. Outlet put in island and island made stationary to floor. Including all demo of laminate and backsplash, clean up, $3,200. and that includes monies to both KD and GC. It is almost done, just grouting, outlets being replaced and scribe being added. It was a lot of plumbing, electrical work and of course, some surprises to deal with. Our counters were installed by stone fabricators, so our cost for that was excluded. Judging by what other's are being charged, I'm considering ourselves very lucky! And yes, our GC is going to get a generous tip! But I think you should get some other estimates and like OPs have suggested, do the demo yourselves. Good luck.