Posted by admin to Irrigation, Landscaping on 2008-03-05, 09:00:38

No matter how “Green” we may think we are a survey conducted by TechnoMetrica Market Intelligence found that Americans have little taste for conservation - that’s the conservation of water.

The survey looked at the attitudes and the activities of 105 million US consumer households. The finding showed that one out of three households had ZERO plans to conserve water in their gardens or yards for the upcoming season.

One in four or approximately 21 million plan on using the least efficient way to water plants or irrigate! They plan to water by hand. Here’s 10 Tips to Improve your Irrigation

Anytime the economy turns people may not have the same money to travel but look to stay home and make improvements around the house. The survey showed the same thing.

Plans for major landscape upgrades to not only improve the look but landscaping can also improve the property values of a home. Tops on the landscape upgrade include renovating the patio landscaping or deck, installing water gardens and building sheds. Don’t forget improving the watering system with installing irrigation.

Almost half plan to grow some garden vegetables but 1/3 did not think very much about fertilizer needs. One in five plan on going the natural or organic route.

This speaks volumes to me. Plants are a way of life for many of us, but as consumers we have a long way to go in the basics - that being watering plants indoors and out along with using safe natural controls for pest to make our environment safer.

What are your plant plans for the summer. Is an updated patio in your future or even a garden?

Posted by admin to Irrigation, Landscaping, Outdoor Color on 2008-02-13, 05:34:43

The prices in real estate seem to continually keep creeping one way or another up and down. The whole home real estate market bounces around like a ball. Some areas find selling a home a hot commodity and other regions across the country find slow sales.

No matter what a home may be worth you cannot “tap into” the money inside the house unless you decide to refinance or sell. There are things you can do inside to make the house appraise higher for the refinance, a coat of paint can go a long way. But what about outdoors… in the landscape.

Adding some landscaping or upgrading the backyard landscape with ideas could not only enhance the look but add to the value for refinancing or make the sale easier.

Usually the return on investment for what you put in not only returns in money later but you can gain the benefit of shade and privacy. If you add fruit trees you may also enjoy nature’s foods. Flowers also make the landscape more appealing.

Where do you start in the landscape design path?

First ask yourself what are you looking for? Do you want shrubs for privacy or for beauty.

Borders offer a low cost solution that can add a lot of punch, either on entry ways or in front of hedges.

If your neighbors are close, placing a line of shrubs or a hedge at the property line can “define” the property. When you’re looking at shrubs don’t pick things based on “likes” but also what is best in terms of soil, sunlight, water, and other factors. Make sure you take into account the exposure of light available. Sunny or shady will affect your plant selection.

Water is becoming more and more of a precious commodity. You never know what can happen in terms of drought. Putting plants in the landscape is good but also consider the long term maintenance in water and care. Consider putting in an automatic sprinkler system, the long term benefits is not only watering the plants regularly but also it adds to the “salability” of your home.

From personal experience I’ve watched small landscape jobs of $2500 - $4000 increase the value of a home between $10 -12,000 dollars. Last time I checked that’s a pretty good return on investment!

Posted by admin to Irrigation, Landscaping, Lawn Care on 2007-12-29, 10:21:53

Lawn care treatments are usually performed using granular products. This granular treatment many times is done with a fertilizer spreader or equipment similar. Once these products are applied they normally need some form of irrigation in order to be effective and begin “release the chemicals they hold.


Rain during or after a lawn treatment will be beneficial and will usually be enough as the necessary irrigation. It depends of if it is a quick shower or an good soaking rain.

Many of the products utilized for the control of weeds and some pests are systemic. Systemic products get absorbed into the plant’s system (yes grass is a plant) both by spraying, where the the leaves absorbing the spray material or by saturating the root system. Systemic products are usually prefered more effective because once they enter into the system of the plant they cannot be washed away.