3 Reasons You Should Consider Turf Conversion

Silverado CA - Before Conversion

From California to the Southwest, the drought conditions continue. As we suffer through yet another year of harsh climate, property managers will find it a challenge to keep turf grass green and healthy. In addition, higher water costs and frequent water restrictions have us reevaluating landscape maintenance options.

With no end to the drought in sight, we have to think more proactively of ways to landscape with less water. What can you do to:

•    Maintain the beauty of the landscaping on your property?

•    Use less water in your landscape?

•    Keep your plants alive and healthy?

One of the best ways to accomplish these goals is with a turf reduction conversion.

What is Turf Conversion (or reduction)?

Turf reduction or landscape conversion involves replacing selected sections of turf grass with drought resistant, native plants or other landscape materials. Turf reduction conversion doesn't mean covering your property in pea gravel or monkey grass.

With the vast selection of beautiful native plants with low water needs, creative design and use of alternative landscaping materials, you will not miss the turf areas.

Native Plants and Xeriscaping

Based on the climate and layout of your property, you can use a variety of low-growing ground covers such as Asiatic Jasmine and Lamb’s Ear that can take the heat and have low water requirements. Water-wise perennials and ornamental grasses will also add color and texture to the landscape design.

Landscape Alternatives
Crushed granite, mulch and river rocks are a few landscape alternatives to replace irrigated turf grass in areas that are long and narrow or small and odd-shaped.



Silverado CA - After Conversion

Why You Should Consider Turf   Reduction Conversion

1. Uses less landscape water and reduces watering costs

Did you know that landscape watering accounts for nearly 30% of your residential water bill?

Everyone loves the look of a beautifully manicured, lush, green turf area on their property. However Turf reduction can substantially reduce your water needs.  Because of the rising cost of landscape watering, many municipalities offer a rebate for reducing the turf areas on residential and commercial properties. Silverado HOA saved more than $5,000 in water costs first year of installation.

2. Is turf grass the best choice for certain areas?

The best use of turf grass is on areas where people will be sitting or playing. Ask yourself: Is it necessary to have turf grass in parking strips/islands or on south-facing slopes? Why pay to water turf in these hard-to-maintain areas, when that water can be used for the most valuable things in your landscape: trees.

3. Sustainability and being green

Today, being water-wise and sustainable are not just buzzwords. Irrigation modifications, using native plants and xeriscaping design are not only good for business, but reducing your water usage is the right thing to do.  This can help with property values and attractiveness to tenants who value sustainability.

Is turf reduction right for your property?
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Service Projects - Earth Day Celebrations Submitted by Cristin Tarr- TerracareAssociates

It’s Your Community!

Community - what do you think about when you hear this word? Most everyone feels they belong to a community. Simply, it can be the neighborhood where people live. It can also bring one a feeling of being unified with others and working together for a common goal.

Now let's take it another step and think of a business community. Do you get the same feeling of working together? Businesses are a reflection of their community through their actions. Companies have a role to play in society and collaborating with other business and community partners can make a positive impact on local challenges. Planet, a professional landscape care association, encourages collaborative community projects through their yearly Planet Day of Service. Our company, Terracare Associates, is involved in a big way.

A true community celebration, caring for our earth, is April's Earth Day, coincidentally bearing a resemblance to our company's name Terracare. We at Terracare Associates believe it is a responsibility to give back to the communities where we live and work. There is no better way for a business to be part of the community than giving time, talent and/or treasure. Even more impactful is sharing expertise to help a local nonprofit, creating a win-win philanthropic effort.
 

During the incredible month of April, Terracare Associates participated in six different service projects, sharing a total of 85 hard-working service hours and over $10,000 inkind donations covering two states. In almost every community service endeavor we participate in, we involve our employees and promote team work. We also may donate equipment or supplies and help reduce costs for the community partner. And, we share our knowledge; bringing important expertise needed to numerous outdoor maintenance projects.

Terracare Associates President Dean Murphy, sincerely believes in giving back as an integral part of living and working in a community. “This is what we do as a company, we have established roots in our community and we need to give back. Our company can make a difference, it is part of our core values – we do this because we want a better community for everyone.”

So how do we do this? I am glad you asked. Here are some of the projects we worked on in the April’s Earth Day Celebration:

Columbine Memorial, Littleton Colorado

 

Several years ago, Dean Murphy’s daughter was playing softball at Clement Park and came up with the idea that her dad’s company should get involved with the Columbine Memorial, the company has been helping ever since. This outdoor memorial was beautifully built in 2007 to commemorate the tragic shooting at Columbine High school. The foundation did not have continuous funding to maintain the perennials, trees, pavers, mulch and mowing. Now with a year round upkeep, both our employees at Terracare Associates, and the community as a whole, benefits from the landscape maintenance. Each year in April, just before the anniversary, our company’s field staff ensures the memorial is a beautiful peaceful place for remembrance.

Elk Grove Community Garden, Elk Grove California

The Elk Grove Community Garden and Learning Center provides a place where individuals and families can successfully grow fresh, healthy produce along with a perfect place to meet and learn about gardening. In April , Terracare Associates, assisted with a renovation of the Community Garden, including irrigation upgrades, and retrofitting and plant installation along the perimeter of the garden.

Hagemann Farm – Livermore, California

Hagemann Farm is the oldest working farm in Northern California. Home to a program for children with walking and other disabilities who work with horses to improve life skills. The City of Livermore (including the Mayor) is heading up this volunteer project. About 100 or so volunteers, and Terracare helped to organize the volunteers into productive groups to accomplish a “clean up” of the farm as well as a landscape enhancement for the entryway.

Riverside Cemetery – Brighton, Colorado

Riverside Cemetery, founded in 1876, is Denver’s oldest operating cemetery and is designated as a national historic district. The cemetery currently faces challenges due to the loss in 2001 of its “handshake agreement” to water rights from the South Platte River. Terracare Associates teamed up with Colorado Association of Lawn Care Professionals (CALCP), to remove dead trees, and aerate, amend, and seed, native grass seeds and plantings over several acres to return the land to its native use while offering a beautiful landscape.

Thanks for letting us share our love of community with you personally. Let us know how your organization is getting involved.  Post on our facebook or comment on this blog.   Let’s all share in the success because ~ It’s our community!

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