http://www.hlei.us Harvest Landscape Enterprises, Inc. Fri, 18 Nov 2011 20:15:52 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.hlei.us/7-ways-to-reduce-costs-in-your-community http://www.hlei.us/7-ways-to-reduce-costs-in-your-community#comments Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:03:03 +0000 Jay http://www.hlei.us/www2/?p=150 We are all looking for ways to save money and keep our property looking great. Here are some simple ways to help save money.

1. Smart Timers: Yes, they work! If your landscaper is saying they don’t, you need to rethink your landscaper! We have experienced water savings of between 30% and 70%. In addition, you will get a rebate for $630.00 per irrigated acre. Most associations have recovered 100% of investment within the first two years.
2. Remove Turf: Remove small portions of turf and utilize low water use plants. This will reduce the need for fertilizer and allow for lower water consumption.
3. Trim Trees Less: Many people think that to get your money’s worth from tree trimming that it is better do heavily trim them. This though process is wrong and can actually damage your trees. The proper way is to prolong trimming cycles; trim no more that 20% of foliage from the tree. When trees are heavily pruned, it raises the tree’s natural defense system to produce more growth to stay alive.
4. Shut the water off on the slopes: Most associations that have established slopes are planted with Acacia or plants that are somewhat drought resistant. However, 90% of association slopes are overwatered. Irrigation is supposed to be a supplement to rainwater. If an established slope is mature and planted with Acacia or other drought resistant plant material, it needs very little to no water. The watering cycles need to be primarily in the spring and summer months, very rarely in the fall and none at all in the winter.
5. Don’t add grass, unless you check the sprinklers: Many associations have added grass and removed shrubs and ground cover to enhance the appearance. Even though this is a simple and very low cost fix, it can be a terrible mistake. Grass requires the most water and when you remove plant material the irrigation that waters those areas are more likely to cover a much larger area. When this happens, you end up over watering the rest of the landscape because you’re watering for the needs of the turf and not for the entire area. To avoid this, always have your landscaper check the irrigation before making a large change.
6. Shorter Irrigation Cycles: Did you know that 80% of irrigation runs off the landscape into the street and walkways? Soil can only hold so much water; for example, when you water turf for ten minutes straight, after just two minutes, the turf becomes saturated and creates run off. The best way to irrigate turf (when the normal time is 10 minutes) is to have five separate start times, each at a two-minute cycle with a 30-minute soak time between each cycle. If your irrigation has only one start time there is no time allowed for the water to soak in and it is almost guaranteed that 80% of your water is running off into the streets.
7. Don’t be afraid of dry ground: Most shrub areas are watered just enough to make the dirt look moist. Even if the ground is dry and cracked, it doesn’t mean the plants aren’t getting water. If you soil-probe the ground, you’ll find that just below the surface the ground is wet. Don’t let the look of the soil determine the watering needs of the plants. Always look at the plants themselves to determine if they need more water.

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