Landscape and Miscellaneous
ELS Landscape Corner
ELS Landscape Corner Winter 2009-10.pdf
Turf Transition
During the coming weeks, we will begin our spring turf transition. As temperatures rise, dormant Bermuda grass will begin to emerge and the Perennial Ryegrass will start to die off.
There are several things we will be doing to enhance the Bermuda grass:
1) Reducing the amount of water to stress the ryegrass.
2) The mowing height will be lowered to reduce leaf area and cause the rye to use up food storage in the roots. The lower height also opens up the canopy for direct heat absorption-----which favors the Bermuda by warming the soil.
3) Fertilize the turf areas with a fast-acting fertilizer (21-0-0) to increase growth. This application will weaken the ryegrass and revive the Bermuda.
These tips can help any homeowner with grass to help their Bermuda grass.
Overwatering
With the amount of rain the Villages had seen last week and the promises for more rain in the coming week please remember to adjust your watering times. Below are some watering guidelines supplied by our community’s landscape maintenance company ELS. This will help you save money not only now on your water bill for water usage but in the future as well for your sewage bill. Over watering your landscape is not necessary just because we live in the desert.
Watering Guidelines
Formal Pruning or Natural Pruning?
Since ELS has started maintaining the common area landscape at The Villages at Queen Creek, They have been requested to switch to natural pruning practices.
To convert from formal pruning to natural pruning there is a rejuvenation pruning process and critical timing consideration to take into account.
Mid to late February is considered an optimal time to accomplish rejuvenation pruning. The following article from Mr. Dennis Swartzell w/ Mountain States Wholesale Nursery and Arizona State University speaks of pros and cons regarding formal pruning and Natural pruning:
Research at Arizona State University indicates that frequent pruning weakens plants by reducing the capacity to produce carbohydrates and take up nutrients. Formal pruning means a loss of flowers. Many plants produce flowers on the previous year’s growth. Shearing (formal pruning) inhibits the natural flowering cycle. As a result, we see minimal floral displays, especially on Texas sage and similar species.
People often ask what to do if you have a project that has been formally pruned? According to Swartzell, do rejuvenation pruning.
In this procedure, reduce the shrub size by pruning very hard, to ground level. The shrub will generate new shoots on the stubs, much like the cuts that produce new shoots at the branch tips. The growth is glorious, fresh and new. The massive root system is capable of producing nutrients for the revived shrub. Over the next few months, nip here and there to keep the shrub to its general shape.
Rejuvenation pruning works well on just about every shrub except junipers and rosemary. Try it on sages, indigo bushes and fairy dusters.
Don’t mind the bare stubs left behind. If pruned at the onset of new growth in the spring, the plant will rapidly bounce back. Employ this method on shrubs that are damaged by cold or insects. By pruning hard every second or third year, the shrub produces new growth not favored by insects.
Rejuvenation pruning throughout the property may be a drastic change for many homeowners. The renovation will start this year with the Texas Sages along Village Loop Road and Sierra Park Blvd. from Ellsworth to Village Loop Road. The remainder of applicable shrubs will be renovated next year. We ask all homeowners to keep in mind this is being done to keep the community looking its best in the long run and keep the shrubs that are already planted in the community healthy. Please feel free to call the management office with any questions or concerns.
The Board of Directors would like to thank Greg Parker, Richard Tucker and Steve Prize of ELS for all their help and research with this project.
Thank you to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s office for this information.
Graffiti Prevention
Graffiti is Vandalism and Graffiti is a crime that can lead to other Criminal Behaviors if not prevented.
Every year millions of dollars are spent cleaning up graffiti from neighborhoods across the country and other nations.
Graffiti hurts everyone even though some consider graffiti, art. Defacing public or private property is not a form of accepted art. Graffiti lowers neighborhood appeal, lowers property values, drives away prospective home buyers and businesses and has other negative impact upon the community.
There are four types of Graffiti:
TAGGER/HIP HOP, GANG, HATE AND GENERIC
Most difficult graffiti to deal with are acid etchings and tagger/hip hop graffiti because surface restoration can be expensive. Paying attention to the small quality-of-life issues such as graffiti pays big dividends and can prevent the downward slide of society.
Here are some things that you can do to help prevent the proliferation of graffiti in your neighborhood:
REPORT:
Report any suspicious behavior to the Sheriff Office at once. If you see someone about to write graffiti or commit any other crime, take note of the suspects description such as clothing, age, vehicle description if any and route of departure, Call the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office immediately at (602) 876-1011. In an emergency, dial 911.
QUESTION TEEN REQUESTS FOR SPRAY PAINT PURCHASES:
Many merchants support the control of spray paint sales to minors under 18. If you are approached by teenagers do not buy spray paint for them. Find out how the paint is being used before you purchase it. Maintain supervision of your teen’s use of paints. Be suspicious and take note of any paint that may be on teen clothing or skin after “hanging out with friends!”
TEACH YOUR CHILDREN:
Teach your children responsibility and respect for themselves, their environment and the property of others. They need to know that graffiti on private and public property is disrespectful.
Teach pride in the community, Parents, teachers, and community leaders are needed to help deter graffiti writers, including some youth. Graffiti becomes a way of life with its own code of conduct, jargon and aesthetic standards. Tagging is believed to lead to more serious crimes.
GRAFITI PREVENTION:
Keep your property well maintained. Remove graffiti immediately after receiving confirmation from the Sheriff Office.
Plant clinging vegetation like ivy to protect walls and other large flat surfaces.
Plant thick or thorny bushes and fences in front of large walls.
Eliminate anything that could encourage loitering after hours such as benches, abandoned vehicles, and etcetera.
Limit access to roofs and move commercial dumpsters away from walls. Cover drainpipes to buildings to prevent vandals from scaling them.
When painting your (commercial) property consider darker colors that are less attractive to graffiti vandals.
Increase lighting around your property; Use motion detector lights to draw attention to movement.
Textured walls are a deterrent to graffiti writers. Consider texturing outside walls if you are a regular victim of graffiti.
Consider applying a protective coating which provides a barrier between your property’s surface and the graffiti. Several different brands and prices are available at home development and hardware stores.
It is very important that graffiti be removed as quickly as possible. Check the telephone directory for Graffiti Removal Services if the project is too large for a person to handle!
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