The higher rainfall this winter has many drought-weary Californians breathing a sigh of relief. The precipitation is truly welcome across California in hopes it will help our drought conditions. According to weather.com, there is more rain coming this winter and being prepared can make all the difference.
With a pattern of consecutive dry seasons, many trees, including drought-sensitive as well as species that are normally considered drought-tolerant, can exhibit symptoms of drought stress.
Roots can be damaged, especially the feeder roots and root hairs, which are in the top 12 inches of the soil and are responsible for uptake of water and nutrients. These are the first portion of the root system to be affected by drought since they are very sensitive to drying.
Damage to the root system can also trigger metabolic changes which can affect growth. In addition, drought stressed trees are predisposed to secondary invaders and opportunistic pests. All of this weakens the tree, from the roots to its branches. Have your trees checked by a professional for drought stress. Trimming trees before heavy rain could prevent random breakage and help the tree avoid secondary problems.
The following are some measures for homeowners to keep their property ready for winter weather:
Have your trees checked and trimmed, beginning of winter is ideal
Clean gutters, downspouts, and drains
Invest in a generator in case of power outages
Turn off your automatic watering system unless it's a Smart Meter
Add mulch to your plant beds to increase the absorption of water
Taking these steps ahead of time is a good idea. In addition to preparing your property, remember to put together emergency supply kits for your home and car. Enjoy the rain! Our experts at Pacific Vista Landscape Services are here for all your landscaping needs!
Is your landscape smart? It can be. Technology originally developed for golf courses and park departments, smart irrigation controllers and rotating sprinklers, are available for all types landscaping from commercial to residential. They do a great job keeping your landscaping healthy, and they also save money!
Smart Irrigation Controller
A smart irrigation controller automatically adjusts watering schedules in response to changing soil and weather conditions. It gathers information about temperature, rain, wind, humidity, soil moisture, and figures the right amount of water to keep your plants and landscape looking healthy.
They work a variety of ways. Some controllers are connected to sensors and measure solar radiation, temperature, humidity, rainfall or soil moisture. Some use historical weather data for your area to project the amount of water needed. Other controllers receive data by satellite or the internet from a network of weather stations.
Rotating Sprinkler Nozzles
Sprinkler technology has evolved too. The latest nozzles rotate, have greater coverage, and are more uniformed in their spray. Their spray is less likely to evaporate in the air from wind, reducing water run-off. In many cases, you can update your existing sprinkler heads with rotary nozzles without having to replace the entire sprinkler body.
New Irrigation Design and Build / Irrigation Retrofit
Pacific Vista Landscape Services can design and build and irrigation system for your commercial or residential project. We establish baseline data based on a digital base plan of existing/original irrigation and landscape in support of the planning process and ROI measurements. This provides an accurate digital record of the location of the existing irrigation equipment [valves, lines and heads] to allow the designer to accurately depict the configuration of the new more efficient system.
We then have an accurate digital record of the location of the existing plants, which allows our irrigation and landscape designers to accurately depict which plants will be retained or replaced. As cost reduction strategy, irrigation designs may include use of existing infrastructure when possible.
Contact Pacific Vista Landscape Services today for smart irrigation installation or retrofit!
Updated: Oct 5, 2021
When backflow protection is necessary, customers are required by their local water company, for instance LADWP, to have an approved backflow prevention assembly installed and tested annually by a certified company. Pacific Vista Landscape Services is proud to be certified in installation, repair, and testing of all approved backflow prevention assemblies in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
Protecting the public water system from contamination is essential for the safety of our water supply. Cross-connections of pipes between the public water system and private water systems can lead to backflow issues in which untested and possibly unsafe water goes the wrong direction due to backpressure, and can contaminate the public water supply system.
To protect against this, there are Backflow Prevention Programs like LADWP's Backflow Protection Program by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and the County of Ventura's Resource Management Agency's Backflow Prevention Program.
As explained by the Los Angeles County Waterworks District, "A cross-connection is any connection between a safe drinking water system and any other untested water source, system, or equipment that may contain unsafe substance. LACWD’s public water systems are designed to keep water flowing in one direction—from LACWD’s water main to the customers’ connections. When an undesirable condition known as backflow occurs, water is allowed to flow in the opposite direction and may bring contaminants or pollutant into the public drinking water supply through a cross-connection.
Backflow is caused by a back siphonage or a back pressure condition in the public water system. Back siphonage may occur when the pressure in the public water system drops below atmospheric pressure and creates a vacuum that may pull unsafe substance into the public water supply. Back pressure may occur when the pressure from a private water system becomes greater than the pressure in the public water system. This difference in pressure may allow unsafe substance from the private water system to enter the public water system. Approved backflow prevention assemblies are designed to prevent backflow of contaminants or pollutants from entering the public water systems."
AT Pacific Vista Landscape Services, we offer low rates to our clients with backflow requirements and also specialize in custom protective cages for the backflow assembly, repairs to existing devices, and offer a free annual reminder for testing and certification. Emergency and after hour service is also available. Contact us today for installation, repairs, and testing by our professional, certified backflow prevention service team and let us ensure your property is in compliance!
