June-July 2013 Issue

June/July 2013 • Volume 31 • Number 3

Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association • Serving Colorado, New Mexico, & Wyoming

Using Water Wisely in Our Semi-Arid Climate

7 Industry Experts

Share Best Practices for Conserving Water

16 Watering Wisely —

Intelligent Irrigation for Growers

10 Important Takeaways

from the 2002 Drought

20 Key Messages & Longterm Water Policy Positions

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DWF Growers Supply 4800 Dahlia Street, Denver, CO 80216 Phone: 303-399-3235 Fax: 303-376-3125 Toll-free: 1-800-829-8280 LooseLeaf June/July 2013

Our Mission Professionals growing for a better tomorrow... your growing resource.

Cover Photo Courtesy of David Winger, WingerPhotography.photoshelter.com

In This Issue

15 CSU Update: Best Ornamental Grasses for

4

Calendar, New Members & Advertisers

5

Classified Ads & Announcements

6

Board Message: Water – Our Most Precious Resource

the Colorado Climate

16 Wise Resource Management: Watering Wisely – Intelligent Irrigation for Growers

18 Safety Corner: Proper Techniques to Prevent Back Injuries

7

Industry Experts Share Best Practices for Conserving Water

20 Environmental & Economic Benefits of Healthy Landscapes 21 Longterm Water Policy Positions for Colorado 22 Key Drought Messages for Homeowners

10

Important Takeaways from the 2002 Drought

Board Of Directors Dan Gerace, CGG, President Welby Gardens Company, Inc. 303.288.3398 dangerace@hardyboyplant.com Bill Kluth, Vice President Tagawa Greenhouse Enterprises, LLC 303.659.1260 x205 bkluth@tagawas.com Jesse Eastman, CCNP, Secretary/Treasurer Fort Collins Nursery 970.482.1984 j.eastman@fortcollinsnursery.com

Stan Brown, CCNP Alameda Wholesale Nursery, Inc. 303.761.6131 stan@alamedawholesale.com

Terry Shaw, CCNP Harding Nursery, Inc. 719.596.5712 hardingoffice@aol.com

Steve Carlson, CCNP Carlton Plants 303.530.7510 scarlson@carltonplants.com

Dan Wise, CCNP Fort Collins Wholesale Nursery 970.484.1289 dan@ftcollinswholesale nursery.com

Sarada Krishnan, Ph.D. Denver Botanic Gardens 720.865.3679 krishnas@botanicgardens.org Monica Phelan, CCNP Phelan Gardens 719.574.8058 monicaphelan@phelan gardens.com

Publishing Info

Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association 959 S. Kipling Pkwy., Ste. 200 Lakewood, Colo. 80226 303.758.6672 or 888.758.6672 Fax: 303.758.6805 info@coloradonga.org coloradonga.org The LooseLeaf is produced by CNGA and Keystone Millbrook Printing Company 3540 West Jefferson Hwy. Grand Ledge, Mich. 48837-9750 Fax: 517.627.4201 keystonemillbrook.com

www.colorado nga.org

24 Key Drought Messages for Water Providers

Lynn Payne, N.M. Chapter Senator Sunland Nursery Company 505.988.9626 ld@paynes.com Sharon R. Harris, Executive Director CNGA 303.758.6672 or 888.758.6672 sharris@coloradonga.org

Ex-Officio Members Jim Klett, Ph.D. CSU Dept. of Horticulture & Landscape Architecture 970.491.7179 jim.klett@colostate.edu

EDITORIAL Sharon R. Harris Executive Director Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association 303.758.6672 sharris@coloradonga.org The LooseLeaf feature writer and editor is Tanya Ishikawa of Buffalo Trails Multimedia Communications buffalotrailsmultimedia.com Visit coloradonga.org for classified advertisements, plant publications, upcoming events, a member directory, and much more!

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dr. Bill Bauerle

Dan Gerace

Tanya Ishikawa

Dr. Jim Klett

Amy Statkevicus

ADVERTISING INFO Contact for current advertisers: Michelle Munoz, CNGA 303.758.6672 mmunoz@coloradonga.org Contact for new advertisers: Edward J. Mueller 309.277.8608 ejm@ejmueller.net

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2013

calendar

Outreach and Member BBQs

Thursday, July 11 at Nick’s Garden Center & Farm Market, Aurora, Colo.

Friday, July 26 at Bingham Hill Farms, Fort Collins, Colo.

Friday, August 23 at Eagle Springs Organic, Silt, Colo.

Thursday, August 29 at Kiwanis Reservation Area, Albuquerque, N.M. Thursday, Sept. 12 at Harding Nursery, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Join your CNGA friends at our free member BBQs around the region this year. Tours of member locations begin at 3:30 p.m. with the BBQs following from 5 to 7 p.m.

Thank you to our sponsors: Pinnacol Assurance, Richards Seeley & Schaefer, and Wells Fargo Insurance Services

Colorado Certified Nursery Professional (CCNP) Seminars

Women in Horticulture Luncheon

Thursday, Sept. 19 • 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Lakewood Country Club, Lakewood, Colo.

An annual tradition for the ladies in the green industry – come and enjoy a great speaker, lunch and networking with your peers and friends.

Thank you to our sponsors: Pinnacol Assurance, Wells Fargo Insurance Services, Welby Gardens, and Little Valley Wholesale Nursery!

CNREF & CFF Golf Tournament

Monday, Sept. 23 • Noon shotgun start Red Hawk Ridge Golf Course, Castle Rock, Colo.

Visit the Events page of the CNGA website. Sponsorships available – sign up now to get the biggest bang for your buck.

Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Fort Collins, Colo., July 23, Perennials Seminar at Gulley Greenhouse July 30, Tree Seminar at Fossil Creek Nursery August 6, Shrubs Seminar at Fort Collins Nursery August 13, Landscape Design Seminar at Colorado State University August 27, Exam at Colorado State University

Email: info@coloradonga.org For more information, registration and directions, go to coloradonga. org and click on the Events tab to view the Calendar.

Plant Walk 2013

Thanks to the following event sponsors!

Thursday, August 15 • 3 to 5 p.m.

The Broadmoor Resort, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Enjoy a tour of the gardens and greenhouse at The Broadmoor Resort and learn how they continue to make the Broadmoor a spectacular destination year after year.

Register for calendar events with CNGA unless otherwise noted. Tel: 303.758.6672 or 888.758.6672; Fax: 303.758.6805;

new MEMBERS Amy Saunders Longmont, Colo.

303.651.1854

Doug Abe Farmington, N.M. 505.215.3999

Andrew Garcia Santa Fe, N.M. 505.570.9005

Dr. Willard’s P.O. Box 4040 Rapid City, S.D. 57709 605.343.8100 drwillard.com

Anthony Pomo Albuquerque, N.M. 505.897.1606 Butterfly Pavilion 6252 W. 104th Ave. Westminster, Colo. 80020 720.974.1874 butterflies.org City of Westminster 4800 W. 92nd Ave. Westminster, Colo. 80031 303.428.5545 ci.westminster.co.us Country Fair Garden Center 2190 S. Colorado Blvd.

Denver, Colo. 80222 303.757.4949 countryfairgarden.com Denver Zoo 2900 E. 23rd Ave. Denver Colo. 80205 720.377.1572 denverzoo.org

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Malara Gardens 7190 Kipling St. Arvada, Colo. 80004 Roxie Malara, owner 303.424.1452 malaragardens.com McCord’s Garden Center and Landscaping 780 Hwy. 105, Suite F Palmer Lake, Colo. 80133 Ryan & Margaret McCord, owners 719.375.3573 mccordgardens.com Pinnacle Gardens, Inc. 13431 Sable Blvd.

Brighton, Colo. 80601 Traci Serna, owner 303.655.8180 pinnaclegardens.net The Garden Nanny 1865 Tramway Terrace Loop NE Albuquerque, N.M. 87122 Leslie LaBry, owner 505.288.1622 dooleylandscapedesigns.com

Tierra Verde Landscapes 1210 Plain St. Las Cruces, N.M. 88001 James Basler, owner 575.522.3446 Tina Jones Littleton, Colo.

303.906.5479

Watering Rocks 10101 Highland Meadow Cir., #102 Parker, Colo. 80134 James Whitis, owner 720.840.4093 watering-rocks.com Willoway Nurseries, Inc. 4534 Center Rd. Avon, Ohio 44011-0299 David Dickey, Colo. sales rep 440.315.9671 willowaynurseries.com

advertisers American Clay Works & Supply Co. . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Baxter Wholesale Nursery, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Britton Nursery, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Circle D Farm Sales, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Clayton Tree Farm LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 DWF Grower Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Fort Collins Wholesale Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Harding Nursery, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Hash Tree Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Jayker Wholesale Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 McKay Nursery Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Oregon Association of Nurseries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 LooseLeaf June/July 2013

classified ADS

member NEWS

For Sale

Plant World’s Koonce Earns MBA

Greenhouse – For Sale by Owner Turnkey greenhouse facility located in sunny Las Cruces, N.M. 56,000 Sq. Ft. Gutter Connect greenhouses, all concrete/rolling benches, hot water and natural gas heating/evaporative cooling; 11,000 Sq. Ft. Warehouse/ loading dock / two enclosed offices/ large walk-in cooler; 2.92 Acres of land; 3 wells with16 acre feet water rights/10,000-gallon storage tank, also connected to city water, fertilizer injector and insecticide application systems, plumbed throughout.

CNGA member Kim Koonce was recently awarded the Ken Blanchard Executive M.B.A. from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Ariz. She was also presented the Student Excellence Award and selected by her peers to receive the program’s Servant Leadership Award. Koonce is the trees and shrubs buyer at Plant World in Albuquerque, N.M.

Established market/Trained employees. Price: $650,000.

First NMCNP Certifications Earned

Please contact Lynn Payne at ld@paynes.com or 505.988.9626.

Connie Barnhill and Tino Lopez of Jericho Nursery in Albuquerque became the first candidates to earn the New Mexico Certified Nursery Professionals Certification in March. The New Mexico Chapter of CNGA developed the certification program over the past year and a half, and offered the first seminars and exam in early 2013.

The certification provides companies and employees with essential knowledge and tools for business success.

CNGA offers free posts of online classified ads to members, including items for sale or lease and job openings. For more information on the posting above and to see other current postings, visit coloradonga.org, click the Resources tab and click on Classifieds.

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availability password: hotwings 2224 North Shields Street Fort Collins, Colorado 80524 970-484-1289 | fax 970-484-1386

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5

MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD

Water —

Conserving Our Most Precious Resource

By Dan Gerace CNGA Board President

“We all need to be thinking about the best management practices when it comes to water.”

Weather patterns in our region are erratic at best, giving us an opportunity to come up with a different term to discuss our weather. We seem to have Weather Variations, be it from season to season… year to year… or even day to day.

We always are swinging out past the extremes on either side; we never know what we are going to get. If nothing else, it keeps us on our toes, never expecting the same thing twice.

Whether you believe in climate change or not, here we are again with minimal moisture.

Ten years ago, we all knew that this would come again. We made adjustments; all water users did. We conserved water even when the reservoirs were in good shape. Is there room for improvement? Sure, we can always strive for improvement. The more we study plant-water interaction and develop new technologies, the more efficient we can get.

Water is our most precious resource: if it is not being limited by weather variations, the population increases alone will mean that we need to be thinking about the best management practices when it comes to water. It is hard to say when droughts will hit or how long they will last, but when your livelihood is on the line or being threatened, we all need to pull together and figure out ways around it. In this age of information, let’s make sure our information is consistent, accurate and communicable.

CNGA and other GreenCO executives began meetings with water providers last fall to start discussing water restrictions. Although there was some frustration and back-and-forth dialog, in early April we felt we had come to a more science-based resolution than we had during the last drought. The best management practices were actually cited and many municipalities are right on track. Let us hope that reasonable resolutions continue. Thank you to all that took part on our behalf.

more science and training we can provide, the better everyone will understand the importance of a healthy landscape. Colorado State University’s commitment to our industry has been unwavering.

I serve on two departmental advisory committees, Bioagricultural Sciences & Pest Management and Horticulture & Landscape Architecture. Both committees met this spring to discuss the wide variety of issues they are dealing with on campus and throughout the state. I was encouraged by the fact that the College of Agriculture will be adding four new faculty positions relating specifically to water. Both departments also acknowledge the importance of more research in this area, especially as it relates to plant health.

It also seems like every existing Horticulture faculty member has worked water into their research programs since our last drought.

Water-related issues are woven throughout the college’s main initiatives going forward. Many individuals feel that CSU is positioning itself to be a national leader in water-related topics.

Let’s make sure we do our part by supporting student scholarships and research dollars, pushing our understanding further.

Continue the rain dance – we are shooting for a rain schedule of an even amount, four nights a week Sunday through Wednesday (not so much that it hurts the professional landscapers), with a good dry down for the weekend retail sales.

Best of luck with summer sales!

It is very important for our entire industry to continue to support water-related research. The green industry will always be at a higher risk related to water restrictions than others, but the

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LooseLeaf June/July 2013

Industry Experts Share Best Practices for Conserving Water When it comes to water-wise landscaping practices, misconceptions abound. To many customers, Xeriscape means “Zero-scape” and xeric means nothing at all (except perhaps the largest city in Switzerland). Water restrictions sound daunting (and simplistically damaging) to the industry, while water conservation can sound just as daunting (and stressinducing) to the casual gardener or homeowner.

“The key to water conservation is through education. We live in a naturally semi-arid climate, where cyclic droughts are part of the landscape. It is possible to have a beautiful landscape with low water usage. We need to educate the public about this,” explained Sarada Krishnan, the director of horticulture and the Center for Global Initiatives at the Denver Botanic Gardens and a CNGA board member.

The Botanic Gardens educates through “leading by example,” Krishnan said. “We showcase many low water-use gardens, which create a visual statement to the public that beautiful gardens and water conservation can both be achieved simultaneously. We also offer many education programs and promote Plant Select® plants since these have been proven to perform well in our semi-arid climate.”

She credits GreenCO’s Best Management Practices (BMPs) for promoting the seven principles of Xeriscape and creating accessible landscaping standards for Colorado. A wide range of government agencies have adopted the standards and share them with their constituents.

Design the landscape appropriately.

Alison Peck, who owns Matrix Gardens in Boulder, Colo., has been providing Xeriscape landscape design and installation for 29 years. She was so inspired by permaculture that she founded the business to specialize in resource-conserving landscaping.

Peck said customers really need to understand that Xeriscape is not a garden style or a specialty garden, but is a system of important principles that all work together to conserve water in the landscape. Xeriscape can be used for a variety of garden styles, and her company has used it in formal victorian, naturalistic prairie and modern sculptured landscape designs.

“One of the joys of gardening is that you can do what you want and create the kind of outdoor space that suits you,” she said. “You can use Xeriscape principles to balance those individual tastes and create an appropriate landscape for each particular site.”

If people love lush landscapes, they can take the shady, north side of the yard and create an oasis. Then, design the rest of the yard for lower water use.

“I don’t think anybody should feel deprived in their garden.

I do have a bias against lawns, because they have been the fall back choice. If people don’t know what else to do, they put in a lawn,” Peck noted. “Each of us is comfortable with different aspects of landscaping. I don’t think one size fits all.”

Top photo: Courtesy of David Winger, WingerPhotography.photoshelter.com; Bottom photo: Courtesy of Denver Botanic Gardens

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Evaluate & maintain healthy soil.

Harriett McMillan, CCNP, of Echter’s Garden Center agrees that all Xeriscape principles are intertwined and important.

She finds customers lack the most knowledge when it comes to ensuring a good soil foundation, grouping plants with similar water needs, and properly designing irrigation systems. So, she emphasizes those points when sharing water-wise principles.

assistance that is especially relevant for prevailing conditions.

Our individual signage for plants provides useful information for customers; however, nothing substitutes for one-on-one interaction to answer questions and familiarize customers with Best Management Practices.”

“We are making every effort to give customers the guidelines and strategy for working within water restrictions. It is important to inform the customer about what they can do, rather than what they can’t do,” explained McMillan, who is Echter’s horticulture specialist and plant doctor.

Andrew Lisignoli, the vice president of sales at Trees of Corrales in New Mexico, added, “Wholesalers need to grow or carry the appropriate plant materials for the environmental conditions, and provide an inventory of lower water usage plants versus the higher usage options. Sales staffs need to be more attuned to the differences and educate customers, as well as be aware of which drought-tolerant plants are good substitutions for more water-using plants.”

Peck of Matrix Design added that one of the really important points to remember when advising customers about Xeriscape is that they can start small – they don’t have to go for a full renovation right off the bat.

In central and northern New Mexico, the Apache plume is a good example of a drought-tolerant shrub, not known to many customers but attractive with single, white, rose-like flowers throughout the summer, he said.

Limit turf areas as appropriate.

Water efficiently with a properly designed system.

“People come into garden centers wondering, ‘Can I water this year?’ You can help them by focussing on places where their lawns tend to be dry and struggling, and finding something else to put in there,” Peck said. “A lot of times people think about perennial flower gardens as a way to move towards a more water-conserving landscape, but in reality most homeowners want low maintenance landscapes. If they have to replace their lawns which only need mowing once a week with flower gardens that need frequent weeding, it will drive them crazy.”

Matrix Gardens’ yard renovations primarily replace grass lawns with dense, mixed shrub beds which require minimal maintenance especially weeding. Peck said a wide variety of 18 to 40 inch shrubs can be used and supplemented with some flowers or fruit plants and ornamental grasses. Dense plants taller then 12 to 18 inches tall have the best chance of outcompeting weeds, and a well established shrub bed is the lowest maintenance landscape she has found.

“In Colorado and New Mexico, microclimates make such a difference and allow us to select a wider range of plants based on how each micro-area affects water consumption,” she said.

“If your heart is set on planting aspen, there’s probably somewhere in your yard where it will work.”

At the same time, most of Colorado and New Mexico have low water availability and using plants that do well in this environment to create water-conserving landscapes is “a way of celebrating the natural beauty of where we live. Afterall, a lot of us live here in part because we find it beautiful,” she commented.

Select the right plants & group by water use.

It’s important to help customers pick the right plants for the right places, and understand plant establishment and care beyond establishment, said McMillan of Echter’s.

“We should make sure customers have the tools, tips and techniques needed for success,” she said. “Echter’s employees are knowledgeable about the care and cultural needs of plants, and provide

Because different types of plants have different water needs, a “huge way to decrease overall water use is to have an irrigation system that separates zones to match the water requirements of like plants. For instance, trees would have their own zone,” he said. “There are added upfront costs for sure, but in the long run, it will save on water and make the landscape sustainable.”

Watching water consumption levels and adjusting your irrigation based on the needs of the plants is a really important message to share with customers. Lisignoli thinks people can get even more satisfaction out of their personal landscapes when they get attuned with them and pay attention to how the environment and weather patterns impact them.

Many customers don’t know that landscapes can survive using less water. He and the other CNGA members interviewed for this article agreed on the necessity of sharing this message with the public.

“Often, we can cut back on water and not see negative results,” he said. “A lot of plants that people think are water hogs have been shown in CSU studies to not need as much water to grow.”

Peck recommended that homeowners do audits of their irrigation systems to find out whether they are working properly, have the most efficient nozzle heads, and are not leaking or watering sidewalks and non-plant surfaces.

“In terms of tuning up an irrigation system, customers need to be reminded that watering deeply and less frequently helps encourage all plants to establish deep root systems,” she said.

“Drip irrigation will always be more efficient than sprinklers because they won’t have drift or evaporation. There are even subsurface drip irrigation systems for lawns with soaker lines that are half-inch diameter pipes with emitters inside, laid out in an under-lawn grid, deep enough so that lawn aeration won’t damage it.”

Use organic mulch to reduce water needs & weeds.

Customers also need to understand how they can dramatically reduce the amount of water use as well as increase the soil health by mulching. The moisture benefits of wood mulches

Photo Courtesy of Pat Hayward of Plant Select

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LooseLeaf June/July 2013

or even straw and lawn clippings are not as obvious to some, who consider them as just decorative options.

Photo Courtesy of Fort Collins Nursery

Lisignoli said there needs to be a lot more awareness of why organic mulch is preferred to gravel. “Down here, I think we’re suffering from overuse of rock and underuse of organic matter as mulch.”

He added that landscapers create water catchments as a normal practice in his area, and more homeowners and commercial property owners are starting to use them as well.

In New Mexico, use of rain barrels and gray water is also widely allowed as a way of reducing overall water use.

Protect your investment with proper maintenance.

“Albuquerque gets about eight inches of rain a year. We live in a constant drought,” he said. “As green industry professionals, we have to confront this reality face forward and make customers aware of their landscape options under these conditions.”

Many residents in northern New Mexico are afraid to landscape because they think it will die due to lack of water, he observed.

“Our associations and all of us need to help both our customers as well as government officials and regulators understand that we can water our landscapes appropriately and not lose them, so that we can maintain their integrity and all their benefits.”

“Echter’s customer base represents a community of homeowners who take pride in their homes and landscapes and invest in their properties individually, but collectively they are part of the urban forest. There is a concern among customers when trees, shrubs and other plants exhibit stress due to restrictive watering practices,” said McMillan in Arvada.

“Our focus is to define what might be the cause of the problem and offer a solution that will result in a positive outcome.

When the problem is related to drought or climate, the solution is usually to pay closer attention to a xeric principle.

It may involve better plant selection or location, improving the soil, adding mulch, or adjusting water practices,” she said.

Trees, plants & grass have major benefits.

Her garden center strives to show customers the benefits of maintaining plant-filled landscapes, with positive messages like, “Echter’s, because life should be beautiful!” Its newsletters often speak to the benefits of gardening that include physical exercise, adding to the value of the home, growing fresh food, reducing stress, engaging children and interacting with the natural world.

“We emphasize that gardening is an enjoyable endeavor – not WORK. The great byproduct of the green industry is that we are helping not only to beautify, but to improve the environment,” McMillan said. “The stress is on the positive outcome of landscaping from the aesthetic improvement of the home environment as well as the physical and emotional benefits that come from gardening. It also confirms the positive effects of investing in landscape as it relates to raising the value of property with attractive and functional landscaping.”

She concluded, “The main focus of our business is providing plants and products that enhance our customers’ lives and lifestyles. Individually, we are stewards of our little pieces of the planet. The bigger picture of environmental benefit is compounded when we sell more plants and encourage good stewardship through proper plant selection and maintenance.”

www.colorado nga.org

Resources for Educating Customers on Water-Wise Principles CNGA customer education: plantsomethingco.org CNGA Plant Guides (Colorado Planting Guide, Rocky Mountain Plant Guide, Rocky Mountain Landscape Design Guide, Annual and Perennial Plant Guide, and Front Range Tree Recommendation List©): www.coloradonga.org/publications.php or contact CNGA at 303-758-6672 or info@coloradonga.org.

Lawn care by CSU Professor Tony Koski & V. Skinner: www.ext. colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07202.html Water Wise Landscape Design: Selecting Turf Options: www.cmg. colostate.edu/gardennotes/412.pdf Xeriscape tips in Planttalk Colorado: www.ext.colostate.edu/ptlk/ ptlk1900.html Drought-related tips in Planttalk Colorado: www.ext.colostate.edu/ ptlk/ptlkdrought.html GreenCO Best Management Practices (English and Spanish): www. greenco.org/current-bmps.html Water-Wise Landscape Handbook and other yard remodeling tips: www.denverwater.org/Conservation/Xeriscape/ Xeriscape information on the Colorado Water Wise Council website: coloradowaterwise.org/XeriscapeColorado Center for Resource Conservation Water Division educational resources: conservationcenter.org/water-home/ Good Graphic about Xeriscape: www.bouldercolorado.gov/files/ Utilities/Water_Conservation/xeriscape.pdf Center for Landscape Water Conservation homeowner and school resources: www.xericenter.com/main.php How to Xeriscape by Colorado Springs Utilities: www.csu.org/pages/ how-to-xeriscape.aspx Xeriscape educational materials: farmingtonsc.nmsu.edu/xeriscape. html N.M. State University video about Xeriscape demo garden in Colorado Springs: www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQOOzrxKmSY City of Albuquerque water conservation and Xeriscape information and resources including free xeric design templates: www.abcwua.org/content/view/73/63/

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Important Takeaways from the

2002 Drought As the region anticipated drought conditions this summer, several CNGA members shared some lessons learned during and after the 2002 drought, which are helping them operate more effectively in extreme dry conditions as well as in the region’s semi-arid climate.

Customer Education, Natives & Cultivars From Mark Phelan, Owner Phelan Gardens, Colorado Springs, Colo.

The 2002 drought made it easier for us to communicate about water conservation, which has always been a part of our company values. This spring, we began promoting it on our Facebook page, with this list:

3 Watering plants with the amount of water that they actually need will make the plants flourish and reduce water waste.

4 Replacing Kentucky bluegrass (the most common lawn turf) with sustainable plants adds to our wildlife habitat and can provide food for the homeowner.

5 Reducing our landscape water needs allows for more water to be stored for drinking, food preparation and bathing.

1 We believe that pure, clean, drinking water for future generations is one of the greatest gifts our planet has to offer.

6 We will all become more educated about soil health and caring for our environmental resources.

2 It is our responsibility to grow the beautiful plants adapted to our semi-arid climate.

When the 2002 drought came, all of a sudden customers weren’t having trouble with dead plants due to overwatering.

Photo Courtesy of Denver Botanic Gardens

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LooseLeaf June/July 2013

Our customers had to water less so they were actually saving some plants from drowning, and the habit seems to have stuck.

Another change that came out of that time was our plant palette, which moved a bit toward more drought-tolerant varieties. It’s changing more this year due to re-planting the burn area west of Colorado Springs. We’re offering additional drought-tolerant options as well as deer-resistant ones.

In my mind, natives are absolutely beautiful in their own environment, which can be quite harsh. If we grew nothing but natives in our home landscapes, the plants appear to be too small and not showy enough. Fortunately, botanists were able to enhance the size and beauty of our natives without increasing the plants water needs significantly. Now, if we properly amend the soil and place mulch over the root zone, the cultivar will use the same amount of water as its native counterpart but with a lot more color.

A good example is the Liatris pycnostachya or Kansas Gayfeather. Found on our prairies, it has a beautiful lavender flower late in the season. It grows on its own in sandy soils and is tough as nails, but only gets to 12 inches high and that’s it. A botanist got ahold of it and created a cultivar. Now, we have a variety that grows 24 to 30 inches tall, and has blooms that are 300 percent larger than the native.

Using more natives and cultivars, rather than grass lawns, is a good way landscape with less water. If you can keep bluegrass alive with watering restrictions in place, then you should be able to keep every other plant on your lot alive.

Multiple Markets & a Strong Water Portfolio From Mike Jeronimus, Former Co-Owner Boxelder Creek Nursery, Hudson, Colo.

I had been in the nursery business about 20 years when I experienced my first drought in 2002. We lost a lot of business that year, and more difficult to overcome, was the loss of our augmentation plan on our wells at McIntyre. We could no longer operate our business there, so moved the whole operation to a new farm at Boxelder, where we had very secure water rights.

We educated customers about wise water use in their landscapes, like putting in drip systems, but it was hard to convince people to do it. The municipalities and water districts were not very encouraging, and said property owners could only water for so many minutes whether it was with sprinklers, drip systems or any method, which doesn’t make sense.

After the drought, some new neighborhoods developed better covenants with water-conserving options. There was a little more emphasis on xeric plants, and homeowners were given the right to catch water off roofs in some areas.

The 2002 drought was a really hard year on the retail side, so having a wholesale business was really helpful. The districts and municipalities put a moratorium on new planting. We were lucky we did business in multiple markets, and could ship our plants out of state and up to the mountains here. The mountain towns like Vail, Steamboat and Aspen were our savior. We probably did 50 percent of our wholesale business in the mountains with contractors, garden centers, nurseries, and the full gamut of users up there.

That experience taught us that you need to make decisions earlier when you see difficulties coming. If you need to cut back buying or personnel, do it early. You can always buy more plants or hire again, but you need to be ready. You’re always hoping for a real wet spring, but you have to be ready for the other possibility. The motto in our business was always: plan for the worst, hope for the best.

I think we became much better stewards of our water than before. The drought definitely made us focus on it a lot more and be more efficient. It always saves you money, and you use less labor and less everything.

However, Colorado water law requires that you use it or lose it. That drought sure got us focused on water rights and getting our water portfolios secure. A nursery in Canon City lost its water and went out of business. We lost our water rights on McIntyre Street in Golden. We had an augmentation plan underway, but the state engineer said he couldn’t support it so we had to stop growing there.

Photo Courtesy of Matrix Gardens

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Photo Courtesy of David Winger, Winger Photography

I would recommend any grower understand their water portfolio.

Figure out your risks and where you are in the water system, and plan accordingly.

If you are going to lose 50 percent of your water, change your crop or go out and find more water.

Due to our good water planning, our property became a strong asset, even after we closed our business. Good water rights allowed us to sell the ground and retire. Now, a developer plans to build 196 homes soon on our former McIntyre property.

Strong Policy & Inventory Decisions

By Bob Pennington, Owner Agua Fria Nursery, Santa Fe, N.M.

By the time the so-called 2002 drought hit, we had faced several years where mid-season sales collapsed as a result of unusually hot and dry conditions, so we were not looking at anything which we hadn’t faced before, but there were differences. Our city government was beginning to talk about water and planting restrictions. As a result, the more progressive nurseries, landscape contractors and a few other interested professionals began a series of meetings to decide how to deal with the problem. We also began to develop a good relationship with the water department and city council.

When the city began to propound its water restriction plans, we were involved in the process, and more rational plans and results were instituted. We did learn that we could and must maintain a working relationship with the water and planning authorities.

On the other hand, the one thing we did which was highly damaging to our bottom line was to cut inventories and not

maintain our normal selection of materials. We never sold willows, birches, and other excessively water-hungry plants, but we did cut back where we should not have and our yards looked empty. People simply went to other businesses which had not cut back. Austerity was a bad idea in the sales yard and as an operational attitude.

We did sell increasing amounts of mulches, and a few plants like Russian Sages, but overall we cut our own throats by being too cautious. Plus, when we and our customers cut our water use, the city responded by allowing more building permits, which while it was good for plant sales, sent a message to us that water conservation was only for fools.

A positive side benefit was that for years customers had been experiencing yellowing of trees, which they insisted was a result of iron deficiencies, yet when they cut back on watering, miraculously their trees were greener. So some people did learn that appropriate watering was better than too much.

On the other hand, the panic brought on by the bark beetle attacks upon the Pinon trees resulted in willy-nilly applications of Sevin and systemic poisons, which saved very few trees, but seemed to be the beginning of a significant die-off in bee populations. For some, this series of events was the precipitating of a thinking process that allowed for a broader understanding of the interrelatedness of the whole environment.

Xeriscape has been an unfortunate name for wise-water or low-water use gardening. In the minds of many, it conjures up either “zero water” or “zero plant” images. Somehow many come to the conclusion that there are Xeriscape plants, which one can just plant and forget.

Our selection of plants has matured over the years, we have sold more and more moderately to extremely drought-tolerant plants, while selectively eliminating those which are high water users. Also, I have used my own extremely low-water garden as an example, teaching classes focusing on my plant selections, which in many cases have not been watered for a decade or more.

Industry-Government Cooperation & Smart Technology Use From Brent Mecham, Industry Development Director Irrigation Association, Falls Church, Va.

In 2002, I was the landscape water management and conservation specialist at Northern Water. Looking back at that drought, a lot

Photo Courtesy of Harriett McMillan, Echter’s Garden Center

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LooseLeaf June/July 2013

of attention was focused on not watering lawns, and lots of focus was given to keeping trees and shrubs alive. Colorado State University extension did a great job of providing some excellent guidance on how much water trees and shrubs require.

Colorado is unique in its ability to handle issues like the drought, because the state is a leader when it comes to collaboration between parts of the green industry, which is better now than then. GreenCO has their best management practices for landscaping and watering that were actually written before the drought happened. I think the leadership of the various organizations was very forward thinking. The BMPs got finished at the right moment, and they have been updated and modified since. If everybody cooperates and uses BMPs, then water resources will be used much more wisely.

Because of the drought in 2002, I personally have worked on a lot of strategies for lawn watering, especially Kentucky bluegrass lawns since they are so predominate in the Colorado area. The good news is that bluegrass is incredibly resilient, meaning it could withstand long periods of no watering. The key is to make sure it doesn’t transition from summer dormancy, which is a golden yellow color, to perhaps a permanent wilting point when the grass goes to a dull, mousey brown color and makes recovery more difficult.

During dormancy, it is important to restrict activity on the grass and greatly reduce the amount of mowing and fertilizing.

I think the lawn can be in this summer dormancy state for about eight to 10 weeks, especially if the soil was prepared properly before the lawn was installed. However, the lawn will need to be watered and revived again in late August and September to prepare for winter dormancy. It is a gradual process and you don’t want to apply all of the water saved by soaking the lawn excessively for two weeks straight. Just resume normal watering.

The key to most of the drought management strategies is setting realistic customer expectations for how their lawn is going to look, and the limited use of the lawn that will take place. CSU turfgrass extension has some great resources for landscapers and homeowners to use.

There’s been huge improvements and introductions of new irrigation technologies such as smart controllers and improved nozzles. However, smart controllers are made to water landscapes appropriately. When there’s not enough water to irrigate appropriately, then the need for water management strategies needs to be executed, including perhaps not watering.

Some people have installed drip systems to use water more efficiently. It’s important to make sure drip systems are working properly and emitters are where they need to be. You can still waste water if the systems are not installed and maintained properly. The first priority in irrigation, whether it is manual or automated, should be to make sure there is no wasted water.

Best Management Practices Based on Research

By Dr. James E. Klett, Professor Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colo.

The 2002 drought provided increased motivation to scientists and faculty at CSU to study the water needs of landscapes in our region. We realize that understanding how best to grow plants in our semi-arid climate has longterm and widespread benefits. So, we have spent the past decade conducting research on water requirements of many landscape types: annuals, perennials, woody plants, and turf.

Annuals: CSU conducted research studies on the water requirements of annuals at three Colorado locations: Fort Collins, Denver, and Grand Junction. We discovered that annuals need a two to three week establishment period, depending on spring climatic conditions. After establishment of the annuals and if they are planted according to their watering needs, as little as a half inch of water can be added per week on some annuals and they will perform well.

Some examples of annuals that grow with a half inch of additional water per week are Petunia, Vinca and Scaevola.

Others like Calibrachoa, Geranium and Verbena do better if given one inch of additional water per week, and still others like Impatiens, Canna, Coleus and Fuchsia do better with one and a half inches of additional water per week.

Growing exceptional annual flowers takes a lot less water once plants are established, and other best management practices are implemented. This can result in major water savings along with less weed growth and fewer pest problems.

Woody Shrubs: Two studies were conducted to answer the question of whether woody shrubs require less or more water usage compared to a traditional bluegrass lawn. The first study utilized more xeric shrubs and the second utilized more mesic shrubs.

Both studies had establishment periods of four to eight weeks, and then treatments started based on evapotranspiration (ETO). These studies concluded that most of these woody shrubs performed well once established, with 25 percent to 50 percent of the ETO rate required for a bluegrass lawn.

We confirmed that having less turf by adding some shrub beds can actually save water, once shrubs are established and when other BMPs are followed. We also learned that even more mesic shrubs, like ninebark, redtwig dogwood and blue arctic willow, perform well at 50 percent or less of the ETO required for bluegrass lawns.

Perennials: Again, research showed that once established, many herbaceous perennials will grow adequately with less water. Many will grow well with a half to one inch of additional

Photo Courtesy of Colorado State University

www.colorado nga.org

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Photo Courtesy of Harriett McMillan, Echter’s Garden Center

water per week during peak hot summer months, once they are established. Many landscapers are currently overwatering established shrub beds and perennials, which can mostly perform excellently with less water.

Water Conservation & Drought-Related Resources CNGA resources (Landscape Drought Savvy Practices, USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, and other information links): coloradonga. org/pro-knowledge.php Statewide government site with information on water restrictions and related topics: coloradodrought.com

Overall Lessons Learned since the 2002-03 Drought

Colorado drought response portal: www.coh2o.co

1. Landscape designs in Colorado need to change and follow best management practices.

Drought-related Resources: www.ext.colostate.edu/drought/index. html and www.planttalk.org

2. One needs to choose appropriate plant materials and proper grouping of plants to their water needs (hydrozoning), which will ultimately save water.

Research: www.flowertrials.colostate.edu and farmingtonsc.nmsu.edu

3. Water quantity will always be a concern in Colorado, but landscape can still be very effective with less water applied as demonstrated from many research findings from the past decade.

Tree care resources on annual conference website: thinktreesnm.org/ resources.html

Water restrictions spreadsheet: greenco.org Xeriscape Council of New Mexico website: xeriscapenm.com/

4. Drought will continue to occur in Colorado and green industry professionals need to apply BMPs in all our operations, so we can demonstrate we have been proactive in saving water in both xeric and mesic years.

5. Green industry members need to always be ahead of the curve in promoting water-saving devices, so we can demonstrate we are always saving water in both wet and dry years.

Photo Courtesy of Denver Botanic Gardens

Cold-hardy specimen trees.

Shade, flowering and evergreen.

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LooseLeaf June/July 2013

CSU UPDATE

Best Ornamental Grasses for the Colorado Climate Though ornamental grasses have been utilized in landscapes for decades, their increased presence in commercial, public and homeowner landscapes can easily be seen in new plantings popping up throughout Colorado. One reason for this proliferation may be due to pure aesthetics. Ornamental grasses have more than one season of interest and have varied colors, textures and sizes. Their unique ability to capture light and the wind’s movement is truly second-to-none in ornamental plants.

From a horticultural standpoint, however, it takes more than good looks to make the grade in Colorado landscapes. Ornamental grasses have general features, which make them desirable in our tough climate. Many species have low nutrient and water requirements, and are adaptable to poor soils. In addition, maintenance is relatively low, and disease and insect problems are few.

Despite the rise in ornamental grass usage, there have been few studies or evaluations examining their ornamental or cultural characteristics, especially in western climates, and no trial work to assess their ornamental qualities. Colorado State University is conducting two separate but related studies, which will evaluate cultivars to obtain pertinent information to allow growers, retailers and consumers to make more informed decisions when choosing these grasses.

CSU has the only Rocky Mountain region trial site in the National Ornamental Grass Trials, coordinated through the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Seventeen regional sites will be evaluating 22 cultivars of Panicum amarum (Bitter Switchgrass), Panicum virgatum (Switchgrass) and Schizachyrium scoparium (Little Bluestem) for general landscape characteristics and sustainability with minimal cultural inputs. Data collection will include plant size, overall growth habit rating, floral impact, foliage color, fall color, selfseeding, winter survivability and pest problems.

The grass cultivars were planted at the Plant Environmental Research Center (PERC) in July 2012, and data collection will continue for three years. The results will determine which cultivars are best suited for Colorado and which have

superior landscape features. Results from this study will be compiled and available to the industry and public.

In tandem with the trials, another study will evaluate water use in three separate species of ornamental grasses: Panicum virgatum ‘Rotstralbusch’- Rotstralbusch Red Switchgrass, Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Blaze’- Blaze Little Bluestem, and Calagramosis brachytricha - Korean Feather Reed Grass. The grasses were planted in June 2012 at the PERC trial plots; data collection will start in summer 2013. These plants will be evaluated in the same manner as the National Ornamental Grass Trials plants and assessed for water use by instrumentation, which examines drought tolerance and soil moisture content. This data will help determine where the grasses access water in the soil profile, as well as indicate which grasses are able to maintain high ornamental qualities under drought conditions.

The trial information and the detailed water use evaluation are anticipated to help growers, landscapers and consumers make better decisions on which plants will work best in landscape situations, especially where available water is an issue.

By Dr. James E. Klett, CSU Professor & Extension Landscape Horticulture Specialist

& Jane Rozum, Master’s Candidate, CSU Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture

Ornamental Grass Trials information may be found at www.grasstrials.com.

Little Bluestem cultivar ‘Blue Heaven’™ is a cultivar with blue leaves during the growing season, which turn burgundy red in the fall. Photo credit: Mary Hockenberry Meyer, Professor and Extension Horticulturist, University of Minnesota

www.colorado nga.org

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WISE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Watering Wisely —

An Intelligent Irrigation System for Growers

By Dr. Bill Bauerle

Using data from wireless measurement devices for real-time, intelligent irrigation scheduling is the key to developing a system that can water wisely.

Horticulture operations are under continued pressure to apply more efficient water management practices in order to conserve this vital resource.

Irrigation in nursery and greenhouse operations can be difficult to manage because many plants are grown in fairly small pots that may need to be watered several times per day. Water management methods must be adaptable to improve plant development and minimize waste.

Since most nurseries and greenhouse operations grow a wide variety of crops, adjusting irrigation for every crop based on actual water use is time-consuming for growers. An automated, crop-specific water application system would advance irrigation scheduling and optimize nursery and greenhouse water use.

Crop-Specific Irrigation Recent years have seen significant technology advances in wireless nodes that can collect and transfer sensor data long distances. Currently, the nodes can be configured into wireless sensor networks that are well suited for data collection in intensive horticulture systems. To take advantage of the technology, scientists and industry leaders are collaborating to improve the efficiency of existing irrigation practices. The team has constructed an intelligent irrigation system capable of supplying water on a crop-specific basis.

Wireless Measurement & Scheduling A wireless sensor network is used, which consists of individual nodes that each monitor multiple sensors, record data, and actuate irrigation events.

In addition, each node has a built-in receiver and transmitter capable of sending and receiving wireless information. Collectively, as a network, the nodes transmit sensor data to a central base station (see Figure 1). Data from the base station can then be made available via the internet.

The ability to use wireless nodes as measurement devices is not new and has been demonstrated in production nursery and greenhouse settings.

However, using the data for real-time intelligent irrigation scheduling is the next key step to

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developing a “Crop-Specific Irrigation Scheduling System” that can water wisely. The team of collaborators have developed a system to do just that. They integrate physiologically based crop-specific simulation models (analogous to a series of linked equations) that use the sensor data from each node to calculate crop-specific water use.

Next, crop-specific model estimates of water use are used to schedule irrigation without human intervention. They accomplish this by sending signals from the base station to the nodes that actuate the irrigation system. An irrigation decision support system integrates sensor measurements with crop-specific physiology and morphology, and estimates real-time and forecasted plant water use to schedule irrigation to match crop-specific water requirements.

As a result, transpiration – the amount of water the vegetation uses to stay cool – is replaced according to crop use, enabling intensive horticulture operations to optimize water use, which can reduce the environmental impact and operating costs. Overall, simulation models deployed by the scientists greatly extend the capabilities of a sensor network, making it a smart system and allowing better management of water resources in horticulture production systems.

Flexible, Low-Cost, Easy-to-Install Infrastructure Biological process models are algorithms that calculate crop-specific water use. Weather and soil moisture data are the key environmental information used in models to predict a change in the crops water use rate. Wireless nodes shuttle the weather and soil moisture information specific to the crop and its location, allowing model calculations to occur in real time. The configuration allows crop water use responses to be accounted for as they constantly change in response to weather and substrate moisture conditions. The complexities of the biological process models are built from sound physical and physiological principles. Thankfully, software LooseLeaf June/July 2013

masks the intricacy and allows the end user to operate in a simplified user-friendly Windows environment. In so doing, the software interface integrates the substrate-plant-atmosphere information to improve the efficiency of existing irrigation practices.

Part of Bauerle’s research program focuses on the development of spatially explicit physiologicallyand genetically-constrained models. The models are used to predict and scale whole plant water use. Bauerle can be reached at bill.bauerle@ colostate.edu and 970-491-4088.

Ultimately, sensor networks coupled to decision support models provide a low-cost, flexible, and easy-to-install infrastructure that can be used to autonomously schedule irrigation on a crop-specific basis – a key next step for intensive horticulture operations. By retaining a greater proportion of irrigation and precipitation water in the root zone, water will be conserved, nutrient runoff minimized, costs reduced, and plant growth maximized. Economists on our team estimate that cost savings would likely surpass system costs within the first year of application.

Resources:

About the Author Dr. Bill Bauerle is a professor in the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo.

www.colorado nga.org

To find out more about the research project for managing irrigation and nutrition via distributed sensing, go online to http://smartfarms.net/ Lea-Cox, J. D. 2012. Problems, Perspectives and Challenges of Agricultural Water Management. Using Wireless Sensor Networks for Precision Irrigation Scheduling. Chapter 12.

M. Kumar (Ed.) InTech Press. Rijeka, Croatia. pp. 233-258.

Kohanbash D., A. Valada and G. F. Kantor.

2011. Wireless Sensor Networks and Actionable Modeling for Intelligent Irrigation. Amer. Soc. Agric. Biol. Eng. 7-12th August, 2011. Louisville, KY. Paper #1111174. 7p.

WISE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Irrigation in nursery and greenhouse operations can be difficult to manage.

Figure 1: a schematic of a farm-scale wireless sensor network for precision irrigation scheduling. Image credit: Lea-Cox, J. D. 2012.

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SAFETY CORNER

Proper Techniques to Prevent Back Injuries From Pinnacol Assurance

Lifting, reaching, bending, pushing, pulling — these simple functions can put employees at risk for back injuries if done improperly. In addition, back injuries can occur when employees are working in the cold, using a computer for extended periods or standing for long periods without a break. Slips and falls are also common causes of back injuries. The good news is that back injuries are very preventable.

All industries, from agriculture to administration, have employees who are at risk. Here are some ways employees can avoid back injuries:

Workstations • Provide adjustable workstations and fit the workspace to the employee.

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• Design computer workstations and accompanying keyboards that encourage a natural posture.

Lifting • Do not carry loads that are too heavy. Know your weight limits.

• Keep heavy materials close to the work area.

• Ensure that items to be lifted are stored at a level that is between hand and shoulder height.

• Avoid twisting your body when lifting materials.

• Lift with your legs, not your back.

LooseLeaf June/July 2013

SAFETY CORNER Standing • Encourage employees to wear shoe insoles that cushion the foot.

• Provide cushioned floor mats at workstations.

• Offer sit/stand stools and foot rests so employees can shift their posture.

Reaching/awkward posture • Place needed tools or other items in front of employees, below shoulder height and as close to the employee as possible.

• Position items for the shortest arm reach to avoid over-stretching while reaching up or down.

• Position shared items to accommodate both taller and shorter employees.

Pushing/pulling • Do not push or pull loads that are too heavy.

Again, know your weight limits.

• Ensure carts, dollies and hampers are in proper working order with wheels that run straight and smoothly.

• Push/pull items along a straight path. Avoid turns, stairs, doors and inclines (if possible).

• Clear all pathways of debris and ensure they have dry, even surfaces.

General • Provide regular break periods and encourage employees to stretch.

• Rotate employees to tasks that require different body movements.

• Regularly remind employees of safe working procedures. Conduct new hire training, as well as regularly scheduled safety training.

Resources • Pinnacol offers policyholders a free “Proper Lifting Techniques” poster to help prevent back injuries in the workplace. This poster is available in both English and Spanish. You can also order a free copy of the “Office Ergonomics” DVD to help you establish an effective office ergonomics program. To order these and other free materials, go to the Resources section of our website at Pinnacol.com.

Slips and falls are also common causes of back injuries.

If you have any questions about the resources Pinnacol can provide to help you and your employees prevent lower back injuries, contact your Pinnacol marketing representative.

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KEY MESSAGE

Environmental & Economic Benefits of Healthy Landscapes Trees, grass and plants don’t just look good, they have important jobs – enhancing our environment, increasing property values, and improving our health and quality of life. As Colorado braces for another year of drought, it is important to recognize the value and importance of plants in our communities and do what we can to keep them alive and healthy.

Here’s why:

Attractive landscapes translate into the economic value of property.

Landscapes Clean & Cool the Environment Reducing air pollution: • The leaves of trees and other plants remove dust from the air and absorb other air pollutants, such as ozone, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide.

• Trees take in carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. An average tree absorbs 26 pounds of carbon dioxide from the air each year.

Grass provides the same function. One tree or a 2,500-square-foot lawn each release enough oxygen each day to supply a family of four.

Cleaning our water: • Green spaces cleanse our water. When water is allowed to run through landscapes, it typically exits cleaner than when it entered, reduces storm water runoff and keeps pollutants out of ground water. In contrast, impervious surfaces like asphalt and concrete simply move water and the pollutants into the storm water system.

Outdoor air conditioning: • Trees in cities mitigate rising temperatures by shading hot pavement and cutting energy consumption in buildings. The front lawns of eight houses have the cooling effect of about 70 tons of air conditioning. As a comparison, the average home has an air conditioner with just a three or four ton capacity.

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• A turf grass lawn will be 15 degrees cooler than bare soil and 30 degrees cooler than pavement or rock.

Landscapes Increase Property Values • Attractive landscapes translate into the economic value of property in terms of the curb appeal that draws homebuyers, shoppers, and other customers. Businesses with attractive and well-maintained landscapes enjoy more retail traffic, higher occupancy rates and reduced crime.

• Landscaping can add as much as 14 percent to the resale value of a building or home and speed up its sale by as much as six weeks.

Landscapes Provide Health Benefits • Locally, home-grown food is putting more healthy food on our tables and saving consumers money.

• Meditation or healing gardens are a source of refuge for many, which help reduce stress and improve mental health.

• Gardening provides stress relief and exercise.

• Healthy plants reduce the need for chemical intervention to control pests. There is a direct connection between the health of well-maintained plants, trees and grasses and the judicious use of pesticides and fertilizers. A healthy lawn that is properly fertilized, mowed and irrigated will typically outcompete most weeds, have fewer insect problems and avoid diseases.

LooseLeaf June/July 2013

Longterm Water Policy Positions for Colorado It’s imperative to re-educate the public on how to reduce outdoor water use. Also of great importance is how to keep trees, plants and valuable landscapes alive during dry conditions.

Thanks to solid science and best management (or xeric) practices, it’s possible to do both.

Water providers need thoughtful longterm policy that incentivizes conservation and uses a more balanced consumption/billing approach known as water budgeting. With water budgeting, a homeowner is allowed so much water and it’s up to them to decide how to use it.

The use of gray water should be strongly considered for irrigation in more applications and areas in the state. The most current research on what types of gray water (recycled, reclaimed, gray) should be used when deciding how and what to irrigate.

River compacts are extremely complicated and in many cases were based on apportioning water at levels that are no longer flowing in our rivers. This requires thoughtful discussion and collaboration among western states. Arizona has no water restrictions this year, despite a severe drought in the headwaters state where its water comes from.

Water storage in Colorado is critical to make sure water to which we own the rights is not leaving the state. Several projects in planning stages would help us capture water in wet years to use in dry ones (e.g. NISP, Windy Gap, etc.).

Additional storage could help mitigate longterm problems caused by drought and should be investigated.

www.colorado nga.org

KEY MESSAGE

Water conservation is important everywhere – indoors and out. Some water providers say that it’s pointless to talk about indoor conservation during a summer drought, but we need citizens to shift their thinking. Focusing only on outdoor watering is not a balanced approach – indoor water consumption happens everyday for 12 months versus six to seven months for outdoor water use. Indoor water-saving messaging is also crucial to conservation and should be part of an ongoing, consistent focus on water conservation.

Water restrictions need to be based on science and horticultural practices. You can attain required savings by using these guidelines. Arbitrary limits on how many minutes or prescribed watering days don’t necessarily save water, and certainly don’t educate consumers about how to water when the landscape needs it. We understand why water providers have to set the limits they do, but we don’t agree with many of their policies because they don’t follow horticultural practice nor do they teach sustainable practices and thinking.

The economic impacts of drought are felt by everyone – water providers, property owners and the green industry. Keeping landscapes alive and maintaining property values should be a priority for policy makers.

The economic impacts of drought are felt by everyone.

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KEY MESSAGE

Key Drought Messages for Homeowners Landscapes can survive using less water. CNGA and GreenCO members can help you train landscape plants to use less water and still be healthy and vigorous. Plants and our yards enhance our quality of life. Gardening is an extremely popular and healthy hobby. A beautiful landscape and outdoor water conservation are not mutually exclusive if you learn how to use water wisely.

CNGA and GreenCO members can help you train landscape plants to use less water.

Protect your investment. Most people have a good amount of money invested in their yards.

Attractive landscapes translate into the economic value of property in terms of the curb appeal that draws homebuyers, shoppers and other customers. A 5 percent investment in landscaping can raise the value of a home by 15 percent.

Businesses with attractive and well-maintained landscapes enjoy more retail traffic, higher occupancy rates and reduced crime. Landscaping can add as much as 15 percent to the resale value of a home and speed up its sale by as much as six weeks. Don’t depreciate your property values by letting landscape go in a drought.

Xeriscape is not a garden style; it’s a system.

Xeriscape isn’t a specialty garden, rather a system of important principles that all work together to conserve water in the landscape.

Key elements of this system include: • Design a comprehensive landscape that accounts for water drainage, exposure and soil types.

• Evaluate soil and improve if necessary.

• Group plants according to water needs.

• Water efficiently with a properly designed irrigation system.

• Use mulch to reduce surface evaporation.

Technology, technology, technology. Nowhere in landscape is technology making more of a difference than in irrigation. The development of “smart” controllers that base water on the needs of the plants and soil, and new sprinkler nozzles and equipment can make landscape watering more efficient than ever. Find a professional to help you benefit from this new technology. Check with your local water utility to see what types of rebates and services they are offering for irrigation technology upgrades

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– they’re well worth the investment in the water savings, and the rebate is an excellent added incentive.

Watch your consumption and adjust. Ten years ago, it was often quite difficult to see consumption on a regular basis. Many water providers were billing once a month or even once every two months. Now, in many locations, it’s possible to see consumption much faster, which allows for better and quicker adjustment of irrigation systems.

Having landscape pros help consumers and HOAs with watching bills and saving water has made a big difference in consumption. With new irrigation technology, it’s easier than ever to adjust your sprinkler clock. Learn how – and make sure you’re watering according to the weather conditions.

No water means dead grass; low water means dormant grass. Kentucky blue grass is one of the most drought resistant plants in the landscape.

It can go dormant (i.e., turn brown) in the heat of summer, but don’t worry about a few brown spots. It will return to green in the fall.

GreenCO’s Best Management Practices (BMPs), that include the seven principles of Xeriscape, have become the state standard.

2002-03 really raised awareness about drought in Colorado. As a result, our industry Best Management Practices have become the standard for outdoor water use and management via the Colorado Water Conservation Board, the Statewide Water Supply Initiative (SWSI), the Governor’s Office of Energy Management, state law and various city codes and ordinances.

Not caring for landscape during drought will devastate our urban forests. Mature trees are virtually irreplaceable and are an important community asset. Denver is considered to be one of the 10 best cities in the U.S. for it urban forest, according to the American Forests.

American Forests defined urban forests as “ecosystems of trees and other vegetation in and around communities including yard trees, vegetation within parks and along public rights of way and water systems. Keeping these urban forests alive and well provides communities with environmental, economic and social benefits and habitat for fish and wildlife.

LooseLeaf June/July 2013

KEY MESSAGE The economic impacts of drought are felt by everyone – water providers, property owners and the green industry, who contributes more than $2 billion to the state’s economy and employs 40,000 Coloradoans. Keeping landscapes alive and maintaining property values should be a priority for policy makers.

Trees, plants and grass all have major benefits to the environment. Plants create shade, which reduces energy use, produces oxygen and absorbs carbon dioxide. One tree or a 2,500-square-foot lawn each release enough oxygen each day to supply a family of four.

Trees in cities mitigate rising temperatures by shading hot pavement and cutting energy consumption in buildings. The front lawns of eight houses have the cooling effect of about 70 tons of air conditioning. Green spaces cleanse our water. When water is allowed to run through landscapes, it typically exits cleaner than when it entered, reduces storm water runoff and keeps pollutants out of ground water. In contrast, impervious surfaces like asphalt and concrete simply move water and the pollutants into the storm water system.

www.colorado nga.org

We saved more water outdoors in 2002-03 than was saved indoors, say water providers. That’s really something when you realize that outdoor water only happens for part of the year.

Consumers continue to demand water conservation and participate in conservation measures, even 10 years later. The green industry really is part of the solution; 10 years later we are ready to help consumers learn or re-learn how to care for their landscapes during drought.

The green industry of Colorado contributes more than $2 billion to the state’s economy and employs 40,000 Coloradoans.

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Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association 959 S. Kipling Pky, #200 Lakewood, CO 80226

KEY MESSAGE

Key Drought Messages for Water Providers Align your water restrictions with industry Best Management Practices (BMPs).

Landscapes actually help conserve water by cooling the air.

• GreenCO’s Best Management Practices, developed in cooperation with Colorado State University, Denver Water, Northern Water Conservancy District, the Colorado Department of Agriculture, Wright Water Engineers, several other water utilities, and experts in our industry, have become the standard for outdoor water use and management via the Colorado Water Conservation Board, state law on new homes, and the Governor’s Office of Energy Management.

• Water conservation achieved through BMPs is based on science.

Landscapes can survive using less water.

Discourage people from abandoning their landscape or landscaping in 2013. With good planting practices, we can train plants to use less water and still be healthy and vigorous.

Our BMPs demonstrate that a beautiful healthy landscape and wise conservation are not mutually exclusive. Landscapes actually help conserve water by cooling the air.

pop-up sprays and rotors.

• Water should be hitting the landscape and not streets or sidewalks.

• Healthy soil is key to a sustainable landscape.

Properly amended soils soak up water and prevent water run-off; mulch also prevents moisture loss.

• Cities and municipalities should require soil amendment and inspect it, as that is the first step in soil health and moisture.

Encourage people to protect the urban forests.

Mature trees are impossible to replace and have immeasurable environmental benefits. People need information on how to keep trees alive in a drought. (Note: The nonprofit conservation organization American Forests declared Denver as one of the ten best cities for urban forests.)

The economic impacts of drought are felt by everyone – water providers, property owners and the green industry. Keeping landscapes alive and maintaining property values should be a priority for policy makers.

Water conservation is not only achieved by watering two days a week. Please advocate and encourage the following measures: • Use rain sensors and ‘smart’ irrigation controllers.

• Water plants correctly using the right technologies – drip irrigation, microspray,

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LooseLeaf June/July 2013