Landscaping Tip of the Month: Switch to Pressure Regulated Sprinklers
Spray heads are designed to operate at 30 psi and rotors are designed to operate at 45 to 50 psi. When sprays and rotors operate at pressures higher than designed, both flow rates and inefficiencies increase dramatically. By using pressure-regulated sprinklers flow rates are reduced, misting is reduced and efficiencies increase by 10 to 30 percent. […]
Let’s Imagine a Day Without Water
Benjamin Franklin once said, “When the well is dry, we know the worth of water.” For our community, water is so easy to get that the concept of a “dry well” is hard to imagine. On October 20th we “Imagine a Day Without Water.” The purpose of this national day of action is to raise awareness to the fact that not everyone has immediate access to water. For this reason, it’s important to appreciate and protect this precious resource. […]
Aspiring Gardeners – Now’s the Time to Start
While in most areas of the United States people think of fall as the harvest season, here in the Coachella Valley fall is the best time to do your planting. Most trees and plants have their best shot at surviving our tough summers if they are planted now and have time to get established before the heat returns. This is true for beloved citrus trees as well. […]
Plant of the Month: Engelmann’s Hedgehog (Echinocereus Engelmannii)
Englemann’s Hedgehog, or Echinocereus Engelmannii, is a short clumping cactus that stops traffic when its large, brilliant, magenta flowers appear in May. A single plant may reach up to 12 inches high and 8 inches across, but clumps can eventually spread several feet wide. Its long gray, downward-pointing spines show bands of red after a rain. It accepts some shade. It is native to the Sonoran Desert. The canopy coverage is approximately 28 square feet. […]
Let’s Say Thanks to Water Workers
The first week of October in California is Water Professionals Appreciation Week. From October 1-9, let’s thank all the water and wastewater pros – especially those in the Coachella Valley – who work hard to provide safe and reliable water, wastewater and recycled water. […]
Landscaping Tip of the Month: Drip Conversions
When spray heads are replaced with low-volume drip systems, water is applied much more efficiently, directly to the root zone, with an efficiency as high as 90 percent. By comparison, spray nozzles efficiency ranges from 50 to 60 percent. […]
