That's What I Call Recycling!

Follow the link in the title...

This is a great story about how one company was able to recycle a whole building that was no longer needed. It will make you think twice about discarding old items and what impact it could have on another persons life.

We need more stories like this!

Benefits of micro-irrigation

Irrigation systems that were installed during new construction were designed based on the layout of the landscape at the time of installation. The problem is that the landscape will change or evolve over the years, and some contractors fail to take into account the plant growth patterns of pre-existing landscapes. Often times I see only one sprinkler head along the home foundation to water the whole planting bed. This works on new plantings, but as the plants grow they will eventually start blocking that spray head. As we run across more and more systems like the one’s mentioned above, it become more evident that we need to educate our clients on the benefits of micro-irrigation.

I try to stress the benefits of having micro-irrigation installed in all planting areas to my clients. The two main advantages of having micro-irrigation in planting areas are reduced water use and direct application to root zones for healthier plants. Spray heads do have their place in covering larger areas, but in most beds using spray heads also deliver water to areas that don’t need it. With micro-irrigation, tubes with fittings on the end are run to individual plants or specific areas. These tubes are easily spliced for additions, or you can move them to different areas of your planting bed as plants are moved or added. This makes it easier to change the layout of your system as your planting beds grow and change.

It is usually recommended that you don’t mix various heads on the same zone, but don’t worry if you already have a system installed. Manufacturers are now coming out with products that allow you to switch a spray head within a zone into a micro-irrigation point. In the DFW area temperatures hover around 100 degrees during the summer, so help us save water and irrigate your plants roots using a micro-irrigation method. Your plants will thank you.

Your landscape & hardscape team:
Landscape Escapes LLC

Are electric lawm mowers really green

I'm not sold on the fact that electric lawn mowers are really all that green.

The one point I can't refute is the fact that gas powered mowers have emissions, but I have a hard time believing a 30 minute jaunt using a small gas powered engine has any more effect on global warming than me baking a roast all day. This is especially true if you maintain the equipment properly and keep it running at peak performance. This includes changing the oil and spark plug at least once a year and also keeping the blades sharpened. The amount of maintenance will depend on how frequent you use the equipment.

I remember when electric mowers were first introduced there were a lot of complaints on how much electricity they actually used. I'm sure there have been technological advances since then, but they are still burning electricity that may be produced from a coal burning power plant. Either way you are using fossil fuel to power them. Many estimate that it takes twice as long to mow a small yard with an electric mower than the gas powered version.

Some will argue that using an electric mower is the equivalent of burning a 100 watt light bulb. That's great, but a 100 watt light bulb is only good for so many hours, starts loosing efficiency and ultimately needs to be replaced. Just like light bulb repairs, there is not a big demand for electric lawn mower repair. Gas engines last on average at least twice a long as electric mowers, so gas powered mowers are least likely to be filling up our land fills.

After all, you can always give a small gas powered engine a 2nd life for something fun, like building a go-cart! Nothing says quality time with the kids like a go-cart ride in the spring.

Grass won't grow?

There are certain instances were we encounter problem areas where grass won't grow in certain spots, no matter what we do. Often times we will recommend planting a ground cover to replace the grass, some type of ivy will usually work.

Yes, it would not make sense in every application, but an alternative solution to a common problem.

Another option would to be use drought tolerant plants, assuming that lack of water was original problem for grass not growing.

Do contractors have a right to get mad when the client is late?

We are sometimes at the wrong end of a clients scorn because our schedules get messed up occasionally, well I guess it happens often. Most days we are pulled in ten different directions, so we can occasionally get out of balance, but sometimes our schedules get off because of clients make us late.

Every time I have been late to a meeting I always call in advance to let them know my situation, but it usually turns out they are not understanding and the meeting starts out a little rough.

I bring this up because every single one of my bids today ran late because the client was not home at the agreed upon time. That definitely is a rarity, but each one was actually dismissive to the fact that I had other things to do today. How come when we are late we are inconsiderate of others time, but when the client is late they make us feel like it is still our fault...what our time is not as valuable?

How do I plant that...

We have a lot of questions on the proper method of planting trees and shrubs. It may seem trivial enough to us, but the old adage “Plant it low it won’t grow, plant it high and it will die” holds true.

Ideally, you want dig your whole to a depth of about 1” below the top of root ball. You will also want to dig your whole about 1.5 times the width of your root ball, with the top of the whole transitioning towards the bottom of the whole. This will make adding new soil a breeze.

Make sure to water regularly the first few weeks and you will now have a great addition to your property and made the world a better place!

What are you asking your landscape contractor?

There is a lot of confusion on what people expect from the initial visit with their landscape contractor, or at least there seems to be confusion on what services to ask for. The three most common initial services and their definitions:

1) Free Estimates - these are usually given on established plans and based on the clients ideas. The contractor would give you an idea on what it would cost to bring those ideas to life.

2) Consultations - there is a broad range of services in this category (diagnose problems, give ideas) that fall under this category and usually incur an hourly fee.

3) Landscape Designs - This is where the contractor will give you a full plan and estimate, including plant selections, hardscape and water features, etc. We typically charge a flat fee based on the projected budget. The larger the budget, the higher the fee.