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February 10, 2014 By Reputation Local

Emerald Ash Borer update

This is one of the best summaries I have read regarding this new pest in Colorado. Please click here to review the article by Susan Clotfelter in the Denver Post.

We are at the beginning stages of dealing with the challenges of this pest in Colorado, and many of us will have to make some choices about the ash trees in our landscapes in the future. For now, if you are not in the immediate quarantine, or adjacent area, you probably do not have to make any decisions about your ash trees. However, it is time to become familiar with EAB, and it’s potential for destruction. Consult a qualified arborist if you have concerns about this or the health of any of your trees.

If you are considering planting new trees in your landscape, it’s time to consider alternate species. Please consult this list compiled by CSU. Diversification of our urban forests is a good idea. This list has some terrific trees that are currently underused. I would love to hear which ones are your favorites.

Filed Under: Pests and Disease Tagged With: emerald ash borer, garden design, gardening in Denver, sustainability, trees

August 28, 2013 By Reputation Local

Regular water conservation: the new normal

IMAG0816Recently, I was energized to have a conversation with Kristen Fefes, Executive Director of the Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado (ALCC). The ALCC is the industry trade organization for landscape contractors, who become members of the organization by agreeing to a code of conduct with respect to Best Management Practices. These BMPs relate to commercial and residential landscape installation and maintenance care throughout Colorado.

This year, the number one topic on the industry plate was the watering restrictions imposed by our recent drought. How, as an industry, do we serve our customers as well as make money for our businesses, and families when our fortunes are so dependent on weather issues?

In my comments with Kristen, I advocated that the water utilities, such as Denver Water, and others, take a longer term view of the problem of landscape water scarcity, and regularly (annually) encourage homeowner and landscape conservation efforts through educational and public awareness events.

Teaching homeowners to conserve landscape water as much as possible in any give year, helps the entire community move to a new paradigm. Rather than take draconian measures in one year, and create the wrong emphasis on the problem (I am using less water, and I get to pay more for the privilege!!!??), I would suggest that through regular water conservation practices, we treat each year as an opportunity to find new water savings in our landscapes. While it might take 10 years or so to convert homeowners and their HOAs to a new look, I would advocate that this is the right approach for the long term health of our communities amidst certain future water scarcity issues.

Certainly those who work in the landscape industry have the knowlege to share different water-saving practices with their clients.

Here’s a suggested survey: Look at what outdoor activities actually take place around your home. Define practical turf zones to accommodate the volleyball net, croquet set-up, or just a place to use the summer slip and slide. Move the swingset to a corner of the lot (within view of Mom’s kitchen window) and place the structure on a non-irrigated (and more forgiving) mulch bed. Use hardscape near the backdoor to define an outdoor eating and living area, or deck.

After assessing your individual needs, choose to regularly irrigate only the practical turf areas, and provide less, or no water to those areas in your landscape that don’t require water. Invest in a good irrigation audit. Find, and fix the leaks, address sprinkler coverage issues, (often this just means adjusting, or replacing a head), and be a better outdoor water consumer. Use mulch, and follow other sustainable practices that improve the health of our landscapes.

We (and our plants)struggled through the beginning of the summer on a two-day per week watering schedule. Now that we’ve added a third day to our watering schedules, I’m very impressed with the health of much of our plant material. Even though we have had extended hot weather – another 95 degree day is forecasted for the Front Range – we have learned that deep, infrequent watering works. It is a best practice that we all can embrace.

Let this be a lesson for future summers. It won’t be long before sprinklers are blown out, and the garden put to bed for the winter. Remember the success of this summer,and resist the urge to change your clock next spring.

You’ll be helping your landscape, as well as conserving water!

Filed Under: Maintenance, Sustainability Tagged With: gardening in Denver, sustainability, water restrictions

May 5, 2013 By Reputation Local

A Few Hardy Souls

imageMother Nature hasn’t been kind to the Denver Metro Area recently.  Heavy snows, and late record cold temperatures followed a winter (and summer and fall!) of drought.  It was great to see this display of garden resilience in one of my client’s gardens as I was doing the spring clean-up.  What made the difference here? 

Mulch.  My sustainability tip #1.  Mulch, in many forms can provide the following benefits:  it retains soil moisture, and reduces soil evaporation, reduces weed growth, and reduces soil temperature fluctuations.  The latter can cause heaving of shallowly rooted plants during a freeze/thaw cycle.  3-4″ of mulch is recommended as an organic, sustainable practice of weed control because the depth of mulch helps prevent weed seeds from setting as easily.  Less weed seeds means less likelihood of the need for later chemical control.  During a drought year, with watering restrictions, retaining soil moisture is the most important benefit of mulch.  

Perennial gardens, and other landscape areas look beautiful with a uniform layer of organic mulch.  Sourcing the mulch locally, or using a recycled product from an arborist or tree company is an additional way to promote sustainability.  As perennial gardens mature, and spreading plant material or groundcover plants fill in the bare areas, less mulch is needed.  Vegetable gardeners may choose to use straw, or grass clippings as organic mulches.  With the latter, it’s best to let the grass clippings dry before application to prevent matting.  Grass clippings from lawns treated with herbicides should not be used as mulch. 

When using organic mulch, it’s also a good idea to test for nitrogen deficiency in the soil occasionally.  As organic mulches decompose, surface soil nitrogen is used in the decomposition process.  If a soils test shows the need, nitrogen can be added to those areas where soil deficiencies occur.   

Check back for other sustainable garden maintenance ideas.

Filed Under: Maintenance, Sustainability Tagged With: garden maintenance, gardening in Denver, mulch, sustainability

March 28, 2013 By Reputation Local

Drip, drip, drip

IMAG1307 editedDenver Water recently announced a Stage 2 drought, which is serious stuff. The snowpack from the two watersheds on which they rely for their supply is at a ten-year low at 59% and 73% of average respectively. In addition to conserving household water use, all consumers will need to do their part in outdoor water conservation in order to prevent an outright ban on outdoor landscape water use.

Mandatory watering restrictions begin April 1, meaning Denver Water customers may only water two days a week and must follow this schedule:

Single-family residential properties with addresses ending in even numbers: Sunday, Thursday
Single-family residential properties with addresses ending in odd numbers: Saturday, Wednesday
All other properties (multi-family, HOAs, commercial, industrial, government): Tuesday, Friday
In addition, customers must follow the standard annual watering rules:

Do not water lawns between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Do not waste water by allowing it to pool in gutters, streets and alleys.
Do not waste water by letting it spray on concrete and asphalt.
Repair leaking sprinkler systems within 10 days.
Do not water while it is raining or during high winds.

Additionally, trees and shrubs may be watered with a hand-held hose or drip irrigation on the assigned watering days. Spray irrigation is only allowed on assigned watering days.

Annuals and vegetables may be watered any day with a hand-held hose or drip irrigation.

Although painful, Denver Water is implementing rules that should encourage homeowners to pay attention to their outdoor water use and address wasteful irrigation techniques. With the restrictions that begin next week, they are encouraging less-wasteful drip irigation and handwatering over spray irrigation.

This season is a great time to get to know your irrigation contractor well. An investment in an updated irrigation system will provide a lasting benefit to the long-term health of your landscape. Check back here for other ideas to protect your landscape under low water conditions. Please check out Denver Water for further information.

Filed Under: Maintenance, Sustainability Tagged With: denver water, drip irrigation, sustainability, water restrictions

March 2, 2013 By Reputation Local

Practicing Sustainability in the home garden

IMAG0143Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a seminar titled, “Green Strategies for Colorado Landscapes.” presented by the Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado (ALCC). Designed for green industry personnel, it was a great way for attendees to learn how to share practical sustainable ideas with their clients. The speaker, Tony Koski, Ph.D., is an Extension Turf Specialist with Colorado State University, and is well-recognized throughout the country as a leading horticulturist. Tony delivered a terrific talk full of researched-based information on how to cope with the challenging landscape conditions in Colorado in environmentally sensitive ways.

Adopting one definition from the University of Minnesota, Tony defined a sustainable landscape as one that is “functional, maintainable, environmentally sound, and aesthetically pleasing.” The important principles that he included were:

Landscaping in harmony with the natural conditions in Colorado
Reducing waste and recycling materials
Nurturing healthy soils
Conserving water, energy and topsoil
Using integrated pest management
Reducing stormwater runoff
Creating and preserving wildlife habitats

Many of these topics can be adapted to the home, and backyard environment. Every gardener can create a “sustainable” landscape, incorporating some of these principles. As we head into the gardening season, look for more posts on this important topic!

Filed Under: Sustainability Tagged With: environment, gardening in Denver, gardening research, home garden, sustainability

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