Benefits of an Urban Forest

Urban Forests = Cleaner, Cooler Air from ASLA on Vimeo.

July 1st marks Smart Irrigation Month - Water Wisely

Today’s irrigation systems include sophisticated controllers that allow you to easily adjust
watering schedules to fit different needs.
• Get in the zone. Schedule each individual zone in your irrigation system to account for type
of sprinkler, sun or shade exposure, and soil in that section. Different zones will almost
always need different watering schedules.
• Consider soil type. Type of soil determines how quickly water can be absorbed without
runoff. Watering more than soil can absorb causes runoff and waste.
• Don’t send water down the drain. Set sprinklers to water plants, not your driveway,
sidewalk, patio or buildings.
• Water only when needed. Saturate root zones and let the soil dry. Watering too much and
too frequently results in shallow roots, weed growth, disease and fungus.
• Water at the best time. Watering during the heat of the day may cause losses of up to 30
percent due to evaporation. Prevent water loss by watering when the sun is low or down,
winds are calm and temperatures are cool — typically between the evening and early
morning.
• Water more often for shorter periods. For example, setting your system to run for three,
5-minute intervals lets soil absorb more water than watering for 15 minutes at one time,
reducing runoff.
• Adapt watering to the season. Familiarize yourself with the settings on your irrigation
controller and adjust the watering schedule regularly based on seasonal weather conditions.
Or invest in a smart controller so your system can make these changes automatically.

Smart Irrigation Month is an initiative of the Irrigation Association, a non-profit industry
organization dedicated to promoting efficient irrigation. Learn more at
www.smartirrigationmonth.org.

Trees Can Positively Impact Your Home's Energy Efficiency

Energy Efficient Home Landscapes from ASLA on Vimeo.

Lawn Be Gone Program

For quite some time now, water agencies have offered rebate incentives for converting those high water using lawns to drought tolerant plantings. Watching grass grow is like watching paint dry, not too exciting. So not only does the conversion save a bunch of water (which equals water bill reductions), but you will get far more enjoyment from the color, contrast, and texture of plantings, in addition to the wildlife it attracts.

For more information, please see the links below:

For Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency (basically north of Palo Alto/Fremont)
http://bawsca.org/water-conservation/residential-water-conservation-programs/lawn-be-gone/

For Santa Clara County Water District (San Jose and surrounding areas)
http://www.valleywater.org/Programs/LandscapeReplacementRebates.aspx

With several lawn conversions under my belt, please let me know if you have additional questions I can answer....spring is coming!