From the President, Spring 2010

Hello everyone,

Spring is here! SF Landscapes has had a very productive winter, helping our many maintenance clients and taking on some interesting new installations as well. As temperatures warm and rain abates, we are hitting the ground running, and we’d like to remind you that this is a great time to start thinking about summertime.

If you’re planning to put in fruit trees, right now is the perfect time of year. Also, this is a great time to start a food garden, the most local food possible.

Reducing the need for municipal water is a big part of sustainable landscaping. Your water conservation plan can include a number of different methods and systems, all of which are within SF Landscapes’ circle of competence and expertise.

Rainwater catchment systems channel rainwater that falls onto a roof into covered storage via a system of gutters and pipes.

Greywater is wastewater generated from domestic activities such as laundry and bathing which can be recycled on-site for landscape irrigation. Greywater comprises 50-80% of residential wastewater generated from all of the house's sanitation equipment (water from toilets, the kitchen sink, and the dishwasher is designated sewage or blackwater and can’t be used for greywater).

Drip irrigation, also known as trickle irrigation or microirrigation, is an irrigation method which saves water and fertilizer by allowing water to drip slowly to the roots of plants, either onto the soil surface or directly into the root zone, through a network of valves, pipes, tubing, and emitters.

Draught-tolerant plants can be incorporated into your landscape; they’ll require less water. We are very knowledgeable with regard to both native and non-native species.

As the heat rises and the rain slows, we hope you’ll consider these ways to conserve water and to protect your environment.

Brett Stephens
President