There’s no doubt that it’s becoming noticeable throughout the bay area—that brown is now a common part of our lawns, with noticeable stressed patches of grass, that were once upon of time vibrant and green. With the drought going on its 4th year now, there’s no doubt that many property owners and managers are looking for cost effective solutions that will improve their properties aesthetics, water efficiency and maintenance.
So, now is the time to consider your options, by replacing your grass for cash with drought-tolerant plantings that conserve water.
Below we’ve come up with 7 ideas to consider.
Take a look and see if there’s an alternative that fits your needs. Also, before you begin your lawn conversion/ renovation, consider the project as a whole. Take a look at some alternatives that are in line with your budget and the environment. Keep in mind the savings will result from water-efficient landscaping, irrigation upgrades and mulching, and consider these factors as part of your decision making process.
Here, some lawn conversion ideas to keep in mind for your landscape management:
1. Renovating your existing turf
There is no doubt that replacing your lawn is the quickest and easiest fix, but will cost the most in terms of maintenance and water. As a matter of fact, replacing your lawn may not last as long as you might think and may end up costing you significantly more in the long run, especially if the cost of water continues to rise. In fact, many traditional turf suppliers are offering drought resistant blends that fit in the category of low maintenance since they don’t have to be watered and maintained as much as traditional grass.
2. Lawn Seeding
Seeding requires lots of water to get it properly established and isn’t always the best move in light of the drought, especially with watering restrictions coming into play, and from a water conservation point of view it isn’t good for the environment or your pocket book. The seeding option may look attractive from a budgeting prospective but could be counterproductive with increased water costs and future renovation needed; you may end up paying a lot more than you might think.
Important: if you decide to go with one of the two turf renovation options, this would be a great time to review and upgrade your irrigation equipment.
Both of the above options are not the most practical for areas that have water restrictions. Options 3-7 are best.
3. Mulching, Most affordable – Best Value
The least costly way to cover up brown grass is to cover it with mulch—. In terms of conserving water, this is the best option of the three, but mulch can only do so much for the aesthetics of your property and is probably a temporary solution that will require future landscaping and replacement.
4. San Jose Landscape Management – Drought Friendly
Another option is to have your landscape management company remove your brown lawn area and replace it with drought friendly landscaping like Rhaphiolepis, Aloe Vera, Dietes, Arbutus and Dracaena. You should always consider the surrounding landscaping design to make sure that everything flows together.
Another thing to consider during your renovation is replacing old sprinkler heads with water efficient drip irrigation during the renovation phase.
5. More Drought Plants – Extending Plant Beds
Commercial landscape service consider drought tolerant plants as an option, you might consider adding additional plants into the adjacent lawn zones by replacing traditional lawn with similar type landscaping. Again, consider the irrigation system and possibly upgrade it to a more water efficient type system like drip that is designed for conserving water.
In terms of best choices, we feel this choice will bring about the value for your investment. On the flip side of the coin, if your original landscaping doesn’t fit into the drought tolerant category, it may compound your problem.
6. Diversify your Design –With Drought Friendly Landscaping
A water wise approach involves extending you’re landscaping with drought tolerant verdant plants, and consider replacing outdated less efficient irrigation with smart irrigation technology. This is the best choice when it comes to replacing declining plant material, and provides the best alternative to water conservation in the landscape.
7. Make it Appealing – Incorporate Hardscaping
In the finale, it would be prudent to add some interesting substrate materials into the landscape, materials that include colored gravel, paving stones, cobblestone and concrete.. Most importantly you want to take into consideration the foot traffic pattern and the overall design theme. This type of design tends to cost more than traditional landscaping but extends itself to water conservation and improved aesthetics.
In Conclusion
When doing large renovation projects, be sure to verify the local ordinances that pertain to your area, especially since there are attractive incentives that can off set your costs. Usually these incentive programs require that you replace traditional lawn with qualified drought resistant plant material. Some water agencies have varying differences in their rules and regulations.
As it appears, it looks like the drought will be with us for years to come, so be prudent in your choices and planning, making the best decision for your pocket book and the environment.
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Bay Area Landscaping for Office and HOA Landscaping
FloraTerra provides commercial landscaping services and corporate landscaping in and around the bay area , providing a complete range of services, including sustainable landscape improvements, landscape water management for Shopping Centers, Retail Mall Landscaping, R & D Developments, Luxury Apartment Landscaping, Residential Estate Landscaping, HOA condominium Landscaping Company, Condominium Developments and Commercial Office Park Landscaping Company, Corporate Campus Landscaping. We provide services throughout the greater bay area.
ABOUT FloraTerra Landscape Management
FloraTerra of Silicon Valley and its affiliates, are based in San Jose, California. As a leading contractor and landscape Maintenance Company of commercial and multi-residential properties, since its origin the company and its affiliates have installed and maintain some of the most prestigious properties in the bay area. For more information about FloraTerra please visit http://www.floraterra.com.
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