Archive for the ‘Sustainable Landscaping’ Category

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Dry Winter = Dry Summer

Friday, January 27th, 2012

Will a dry winter mean an equally dry summer? It has been the third driest winter on record in San Jose, CA.  Whether or not this will be followed by a dry summer is difficult to say. However, being prepared will help you maintain a healthy and attractive landscape in spite of the weather. 

Plants and grass have reduced maintenance needs in winter. Use the extra time to prepare for the growing season. Here are some winter landscape maintenance tips that will improve growth and yield in summer. 

  • Aerate the soil in the late winter (and remove leaves, branches and debris) to encourage absorption of water and sunlight, and provide easy access to nutrients. This will help strengthen the roots.
  • Keep your lawn and flower beds free of debris including leaves and branches to maintain the right pH levels.
  • Remove broken branches and twigs to reduce unnecessary weight on your plants and trees.
  • Reduce irrigation. Water just enough to keep the roots moist. Over watering leads to swamp like conditions which make it difficult for the roots to breathe. It also promotes rot, mold and disease.
  • Test your sprinklers and irrigation equipment for broken heads, clogs and malfunctions. This is the best time to get them serviced or repaired or even check out a new water-efficient system.
  • Get a CLCA Certified water manager to assess your requirements and draw up a customized water management plan.
  • Explore sustainable (eco-friendly) landscaping to reduce water and maintenance expenses.
  • Engage an experienced landscape management company to provide professional care and great results through the year. 

A proven landscaping service has the expertise to meet your commercial landscaping needs and growing conditions. Hire a reliable company for year-round landscape maintenance.

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Sustainability in the Landscape

Tuesday, October 11th, 2011

Practicing sustainability in the landscape has multiple advantages, the most important being that it reduces wastage and your maintenance costs. As more and more property managers, especially in drought-prone California are looking to improve water efficiency and savings, every little step makes a significant contribution.

 How to create a sustainable commercial landscape? 

  • Study site conditions e.g. soil type, drainage pattern and weather conditions
  • Select local, low water-use plants that are suitable for your growing conditions
  • Plan tree and plant placement to provide shade in summer and allow the sun’s warmth in winter
  • Install drip irrigation and watering systems that apply preserve water and avoid run offs
  • Mulch to retain moisture and deter weed growth
  • Replace some areas of turf with attractive drought-resistant flora and fauna
  • Use organic weed and pest control instead of harsh chemicals
  • Apply grass cuttings as mulch to reduce green waste

 

What are the benefits of sustainability in the landscape?

  • Low water use
  • Reduced green waste generation
  • Minimized pesticide/fertilizer use
  • Eliminate water run off and hardscape damage
  • Lowers heating and cooling requirements and energy consumption resulting in less pollution
  • Safer for the environment
  • Long lasting

An experienced landscape design and management company can implement sustainability in the landscape easily and effectively. They will conduct a detailed assessment of your commercial property and plan an attractive landscape with low water use and maintenance requirements.   

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Add Perennial Colors in Your Landscape

Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011

Achieving perennial color in a Bay Area landscape requires landscaping design experience and proper planning. Sound plant knowledge and a sense of design balance is important, as well as understanding micro-climate conditions, moisture levels and temperature ranges.

How to get perennial color in the landscape?

  • Think about the look you want to achieve. Is it going to be monochromatic, multi-colored or an artistic placement of your two favorite colors? Work it out on paper before you begin.
  • Get pictures from landscaping magazines or the Internet, or let an attractive garden in the neighborhood be the springboard for your landscape design ideas. It helps to have a reference point.
  • Consider the shape and size of your garden when making plans. Bright colors tend to jump out at you making the space look smaller while cooler colors recede. Also consider the mood you want to create.
  • Use a color wheel to pick an attractive color scheme and maintain proper balance. Complementary colors (across each other on the wheel) work well together. White ties in colors that don’t match and helps tone down bright colors.
  • Make sure that you can find local plants that suit your growing conditions to match your design. Give a thought to how much maintenance your landscape design will require.
  • Get plants of different sizes, shapes and shades to pull together the design and add interest to your outdoor space.

If you’re looking to achieve lasting curb appeal and enhance property values, then get an experienced landscape design company to do the job. You can look forward to eye-catching and pleasing results!

Posted in Spring Plant Care, Sustainable Landscaping, property management | No Comments »

Bark Mulching Benefits for Bay Area Landscapes

Monday, July 25th, 2011

The numerous bark mulching benefits cannot be overlooked. If you want to maintain healthy and vibrant trees, plants and landscaping in the Northern California area, garden surface and bark mulching can be very useful.

Here are some important bark mulching benefits to consider:

  • Discourages weeds so your trees don’t have to share essential nutrients
  • Preserves moisture especially during drought, preventing a dried out condition possibly damaging roots and starving plants from nutrients
  • Protects against temperature fluctuations that can cause tree stress
  • Shields tree roots from frost and frigid temperatures – not uncommon in some of our outlying areas
  • Prevents uprooting when soil expands and contracts – common in wet-to-dry conditions
  • Enhances the nutrients in your soil
  • Gives your landscape an attractive look

In order to maximize bark mulching benefits you must choose the appropriate type of mulch for your trees and landscape. There is a vast variety of mulches (grass clippings, wood, leaves, compost, peat moss, gravel, pebbles, stones, hay, etc.) to choose from, so it is not an easy decision. You also need to replenish mulch that gets eroded by rain and wind to maximize effectiveness.

An established landscape management company can take care of bark mulching and maintain year-round tree health.  Give us a call, we’ll recommend the right approach for your landscape areas.

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Herb and Vegetable Gardens as Landscaping

Monday, June 27th, 2011

With the right kind of care you can have the most productive herb and vegetable gardens. Soil quality, proper nutrients and adequate irrigation are key ingredients.

Grow an Herb and Vegetable Gardens as part of your Landscaping!

  • Choose the right plants: Select herbs and vegetables that thrive in your region.  It requires less effort to achieve the results you’re looking for. Providing the right growing conditions boosts success.
  • Plan your garden: Take the time to plan placement. You don’t want a mish-mash where the big plants are going to overrun and stifle the smaller ones. If you want to get a head start, let the seeds germinate indoors. This avoids the risk of sudden frost damaging young plants and also helps with spacing. You won’t have to replant them.
  • Prepare the soil: Nutrient-rich soil encourages vibrancy and resistance to weather and disease. Use top soil that is free of weeds, odds and ends. Aerate to prevent soil compaction which reduces plant access to air, water and vitamins.
  • Give herbs and vegetables room to grow: Understand the growth pattern of the herbs and vegetables you have selected. Follow the recommended spacing when planting. Overcrowding will restrict growth.
  • Use natural weed, insect and disease control: Deal with weeds, insects and disease immediately and avoid using toxic chemicals. There are numerous organic treatments that are just as effective.
  • Provide just enough water: Over watering results in swampy conditions (that kills plants), water run-offs and overuse penalties. Provide only what is required. Grouping plants according to water requirements is an easy way to maintain control.

Herb and vegetable gardens require experienced care. An expert landscaping company knows what each plant requires. They can help reduce your effort and stress while ensuring satisfying results.

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Reducing Your Carbon Footprint

Saturday, June 11th, 2011

Conscious about reducing your carbon footprint? Switch to sustainable landscaping. Maintaining an eco-friendly garden is an effective way to boost your environmental responsiveness.

Read our easy ways to reduce your carbon footprint through water-efficient landscaping.

  • Install a sustainable landscape: Planting an eco-friendly garden is easier than you think. It involves selecting grass, plants and trees that are suitable to your growing conditions and need less water. Low water use or drought resistant plants are easier to maintain and will also reduce your irrigation requirements.
  • Make energy conservation a part of your landscaping plans: Strategic placement of trees and shrubs can lower your energy consumption. Plan landscapes with plants that will shield your premises from the summer heat and let in the warmth of the sun in winter reducing your cooling and heating bills.
  • Choose water-efficient irrigation systems: Drip irrigation and SMART controllers use water efficiently. Applying water to ET rates gives plants and lawns exactly what they need while avoiding run offs and puddles.
  • Mulch to retain moisture: Mulching has numerous benefits. It reduces evaporation, protects your plants from temperature fluctuations and deters the growth of weeds. The colorful mulches available today also enhance landscape appearance.
  • Practice natural weed, pest and disease control: Regular landscape maintenance makes it easier to deal with weeds, pests and disease without the use of harmful chemicals. Use good quality topsoil, and install landscape fabric or mulch to prevent weed growth. Be meticulous about spring and fall clean up to reduce the risk of disease. Use organic herbicides to deal with persistent problems.
  • Reduce green waste: Composting your green waste will reduce the amount that goes to the landfill. This nutrient rich compost can be used to fertilize your lawn and plants.

An eco-friendly landscaping company can install and maintain a sustainable landscape reducing your carbon footprint. Do your bit to save the planet for future generations.

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Organic Weed Control Best Practices

Saturday, May 14th, 2011

Organic weed control avoids the use of strong chemicals that are harmful to humans, animals, birds and the environment. Why use toxic weed killers when eco-friendly products and a few simple weed prevention steps can do the job.

What are the best practices for organic weed control?

  • Identify the weed: Knowing what you’re dealing with is an important part of the solution. Few weeds respond to general treatments.
  • Try organic herbicides: Pre-emergent weed control destroys the seed (of the weed) while post-emergent treatments is meant for full-grown weeds. Corn gluten, vinegar and some detergents (combined with vinegar or water) are effective organic herbicides.  
  • Install landscape fabrics: Prevention is better than cure. Installing landscaping fabric in your vegetable and flower beds discourages weed growth.
  • Invest in a good weed puller: The latest weed pullers require less effort and are more effective. They can help you root out the problem.
  • Use mulch for tree and flower beds: Using mulch is a form of organic weed control. It’s a natural weed suppressant.
  • Use good quality topsoil: Cheap topsoil often has weeds in it. Using it will aggravate the problem or even create one. Invest in nutrient-rich, high quality soil to improve growth and prevent weed infestations.
  • Don’t neglect spring and fall clean up: Whether you have a weed problem or not it’s important to give your landscape that once-over every fall and spring. A neglected or overgrown garden attracts weeds.
  • Get regular landscaping maintenance: Some weeds like crabgrass and rhubarb are difficult to get rid of. Regular weed treatments and landscaping maintenance will effectively eliminate your problem.

Whether it’s a medical complex, retail property, commercial building or HOA, maintaining a weed-free landscape is not easy. Weed spores from the neighboring property or a stubborn variety can ruin your curb appeal. An experienced landscaping company with proven organic weed control treatments will restore health and vibrancy to your commercial landscape.

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Posted in Landscape Renovation, Lawn Care, Sustainable Landscaping | No Comments »

How much water do you need to avoid landscape and hardscape damage?

Sunday, April 17th, 2011

Water efficiency in landscaping means knowing exactly how much water you need. Did you know that overwatering causes more damage than the lack of it? The key to a healthy landscape is providing the right amount of nutrients, especially water.

Here are some of Flora Terra’s tips for determining how much water you need:

  • Get to know your landscape: Identify areas of sun and shade. Sheltered areas need less water than those in the sun. Slopes require shorter intervals but more frequent watering than flat surfaces.  If you notice puddles or run offs in certain sections, reduce the amount of water you’re using.
  • Understand soil and climate: How much water you need for plants is linked to the type of soil and climatic conditions. Knowing whether your soil is clay, sandy or loamy gives a better idea of how much watering should be done. Also cooler periods require less water than prolonged hot, sunny days.
  • Identify plant requirements: Pay attention to the water requirements of different plants. Irrigation is not a one-size fits all process.
  • Install water-efficient irrigation equipment: Drip irrigation and SMART sprinklers ensure that your landscape gets all the water it needs without over saturating it. The latest sensors allow you to water based on climate and soil water levels. Remember to adjust automatic controllers according to weather conditions.

Protect your landscaping investment by watering properly.  Not sure how yours compares?  Give us a call – 800-455-0304.

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5 Things You Can Do To Avoid Water Runoff

Thursday, March 24th, 2011

Avoid water runoff by providing the just the right amount of irrigation for your landscape. Water is a precious resource and one that is fast depleting. Watering wisely not only promotes conservation but also improves plant and turf health.

Did you know that water run off washes away vital nutrients from the soil? It also causes ponding and swamp-like conditions which encourage rotting. Puddles or runoffs on your sidewalk, patio and driveway lead to a premature deterioration of your expensive hardscapes.

5 things you can do to avoid water runoff

  1. If it does not need to stay green, don’t water it! Keep sprinkler heads from unnecessarily spraying your foundation walls, driveway, patio and other hardscapes. Concrete, asphalt and brickwork will wear out faster when constantly sprayed with water.
  2. Look for signs of ponding and soggy soil as you walk around your landscape. It’s a sure sign of overwatering and can certainly be damaging. Watering correctly saves time, money and plants.
  3. Get a landscape survey to determine your growing conditions and apply the right amount of water. Knowing the soil type, grading and climate will help formulate a proper irrigation plan.
  4.  Check your watering system for leaks. A broken, clogged or malfunctioning irrigation system is a common cause of water wastage and runoffs.
  5. Install water-efficient irrigation systems. Drip tubes and SMART controllers allow for more precise watering to ET rates, eliminating the risk of ponding and runoffs.

 Water efficiency will not affect your curb appeal. Plants and grass develop stronger roots and are more resistant to temperature fluctuations when you use the right irrigation techniques. Watering wisely will also lower your usage and bills significantly. Ask an established landscaping and water management service to determine your exact requirements and help you avoid water runoff.

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It’s Time to Think “Drought Tolerant Planting”

Friday, February 18th, 2011

Many areas of California face drought or desert-like conditions. A landscape with high irrigation requirements is expensive and often disappointing. Flora Terra’s trained team of drought-tolerant landscape design architects can create a sustainable commercial outdoor space. We use colorful native plants and trees that thrive in your growing conditions and are easier to maintain.

What to consider in drought-tolerant landscape designs:

  • Original ideas: Artistically shaped flower beds, creatively designed hardscapes, and mood lighting all contribute to a beautifully designed landscape. You don’t need a sprawling lawn or large water features to have unique curb appeal. Knowledgeable drought-tolerant landscape design architects use refreshingly creative ideas to make your outdoor space look stunning. Think oranges, reds and yellows for color. Combine with beautiful cactus and different types of rocks for texture and depth.
  • Extensive selection of plants: Make use of a wide variety of native flora and fauna to add interest and appeal to your drought-tolerant landscape design. A careful combination of attractive ground covering plants, plants with colorful leaves and ornamental grasses can achieve pleasing results. Replace your high-water need plants with exotic local varieties that will perk up your landscape.
  • Proper installation: Proper installation by a team of drought-tolerant landscape design architects will prevent possible dead plants, poor soil conditions, or less than desired results. 
  • Meticulous maintenance: No matter what type of garden you have, routine maintenance keeps it in top shape.

Flora Terra’s drought-tolerant landscape design architects aim for reduced maintenance, but regular care ensures the best results. We can take care of landscape management to keep your commercial outdoor space looking great throughout the year.

Posted in Spring Plant Care, Sustainable Landscaping, Water Use Reduction | No Comments »

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