A big part of what makes the Town of Palm Beach what it is; isn’t the mansions, luxury cars, and spectacularly wealthy people; it’s the landscaping. When you drive through the 12 mile long town, it appears that every blade of grass and every leaf are right where they belong. The complexity and beauty of the landscape layers amazes visitors as they drive at 10 miles an hour under the speed limit and gawk. Many properties have full-time gardeners with a staff to help. They do so much work, the town government has a daily pickup for tree and plant trimmings. All that landscaping creates a problem however. Property owners use over 2 billion gallons of water per year for irrigation.

Currently, Town of Palm Beach households, with their larger properties, use a median of 1,343 gallons per day [Range 800 - 2,800] compared to the rest of Palm Beach County where water use averages a mere 515 gallons per day. Town-wide, the 3,300 property owners are using an average of 6 million gallons a day. There is a solution. The plants and grass don’t need that much water. If property owners implement smart irrigation, the Town can lessen the need for a new dedicated desalination water plant, currently estimated to cost $220 million, by conserving over 40% of what is used for irrigation. Smart irrigation, using Smart Controllers, is a major part of the answer.

If a cut of 40% is achieved, town-wide consumption drops to 3.6 million gallons per day. 60% conservation and total consumption drops to 2.4 million gallons a day. That saves over a Billion gallons a year in the Town of Palm Beach. The Civic Association in the Town of Palm Beach has announced a public awareness and education campaign including Smart Irrigation Workshops, email blasts, direct mail, civic group presentations around town, and a property owner telephone call program to implement smart controllers and irrigation in the Town.

At the workshops, representatives from the Town of Palm Beach Public Works Department and smart controller vendors will present their latest technology to help cut water use significantly town-wide. The Town will also ask property owners to register for the Smart Irrigation Pilot Study to measure the results of smart controller use.

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About the Author:
R. Michael Brown is an internationally published writer, producer, speaker, and digital marketing and PR consultant at Brown Ltd.  He is the recipient of a 1989 New York Film Festival Award and cover stories on PC Magazine, New Media Magazine, and others – plus exposure on Good Morning American and the Today Show – for an IBM multimedia production he produced to show what the Web would be like when it went “live” in 1995.  His productions have been shown to the Premier of China for a $1.2 billion order, Craig McCaw to launch Nextel, and the Vatican for a $50 million order.  His team was honored with the International President’s Award from the World Wildlife Fund for a campaign to “Save the Planet” that appeared on Discovery Channel.  Mike has hands-on experience in multiple industries, leading in-house and external teams to launch and build brands and increase positive press, traffic, leads, prospects, and sales; using traditional and emerging sales, marketing, and public relations methods and technologies.
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Simple lawn mowing techniques protect and beautify.  To maintain your lawn’s healthy green turf it is necessary to understand some basic lawn mowing tips.  Factors such as grass cutting height, lawn mower blade sharpness, and lawn mowing patterns all play an integral role in the success of your lawn.  Some estimates attribute 65% of all lawn maintenance problems to improper lawn mowing techniques.  Well maintained yards and lawns help retain curb appeal and property value.  Implementing these lawn care strategies will showcase your property’s natural beauty.  Essentially your neighbors will have lawn envy.

Before we get started it is important to know your yard’s grass species and the corresponding ideal mowing height.  Many Homes in Florida use St. Augustine grass because of its resistance to drought and durability.  St. Augustine grass should be mowed at a height of 2.5 inches.  Several Midwestern states use Kentucky Blue grass which is beautiful and soft on the foot.  Kentucky Blue grass should be cut at a height of 4 inches to preserve enough moisture.  Several other species of grasses exist with an average mowing height of 3 inches.  In every case the general rule is never cut more than 1/3 the height of the grass.  This may mean you will have to mow with more frequency, but the end result will be worth the effort.  Maintaining your grass at the right height will reduce water usage and decrease the chances that weeds achieve germination.

Proper mowing height can reduce the buildup of grass underneath the mower, but to ensure your mower disburses cut grasses always check the underside of your mower to make sure it is clean.  IMPORTANT! Never touch the blade or the underside of the mower unless you have unplugged the spark plugs.  It is also a good idea to wear gloves when inspecting and cleaning your mower.  Another option to handle an unclean mower is to contact a Sarasota pressure cleaning service to ensure the longevity of your mowing equipment.  

Keeping your lawn mowing blades sharp is crucial to having a clean and healthy cut yard.  Blades should either be replaced every year or sharpened to properly slice through a blade of grass.  Since sharpening blades and the use of lawn mowing equipment can be exhausting and dangerous seeking Sarasota lawn service companies like Alligatorlawns.com is recommended.  Sometimes the rigors of Florida lawn maintenance in the summer should be delegated to the pros.  There are plenty of articles explaining tree removal and trimming, but again it is a good idea to just use a search engine to find a local expert service rather than risking injury to person or property.

Finally to help your grass look their greenest you should vary the pattern used to mow your lawn.  You can mow in circular patterns, diagonal lines, or go for a checkered look.  Either way the pattern is bound to give the home an edge and the lawn a sense of purpose.  In addition to giving your lawn a bold look, the changing patterns help facilitate photosynthesis by changing the angle of the blade of grass.  This fluctuation in the grass is what gives some baseball diamonds their signature checkered look.

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About the Author:
Article writing service etc. seogainseeker.com
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A well-maintained lawn looks beautiful and attracts attention at once. It is the place where people come out, lounge, play games, party, entertain, and spend a lot of time with family members and close friends. But, have you realized the fact that the lawn care methods can directly impact the environment of your entire home and lawn? Read on to get some useful tips on lawn care:

You need to work hard on maintaining the health of your lawn as it benefits the environment; Due to rainwater, chances are that your lawn grass may absorb various kinds of contaminants and airborne pollutants. If you spray the necessary compost into your lawn on a regular basis, the grass on your lawn will automatically convert carbon dioxide into oxygen, thus, it helps to clear the air.

Healthy soil:
A solid foundation pays in a longer run. Hence, you need to maintain the soil of your lawn with good texture that carries all the essential nutrients and acidity balance. Determine the kind of soil in your lawn and use organic compost, manure and grass clippings to improve the soil content.

Fertilize the Lawn:
It is important to fertilize the lawn every year in order to provide the much needed nutrients such as phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium. Always remember, over fertilization may cause problem hence, it is recommended to add a balance amount of nutrients into your lawn. Take help from the expert gardeners or read books on get more clarity on this task.

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About the Author:
To learn more, please visit Lawn Maintenance Orlando and get the details about Lawn Care Orlando
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Here come the Swallows, it must be spring.  Each year these beautiful birds begin to build their mud nests on our buildings, barns, homes and other areas like bridges.  The eave of your home provides the perfect nest building spot for swallows; providing protection form the elements and predators.  Each year homeowners are plagued with swallow nests and the mess and debris they bring with them.

It is worth noting that in the United States, all swallows are classified as migratory insectivorous birds under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.  Swallows are also protected by state regulations.  Once the birds have begun to build their nests it is too late to get rid of them.  Control methods should be enacted before the swallows return.  This will guard against potential fines for disturbing nests or injuring the birds.

Nesting Sites:

Swallows will usually build their nests in a nice shady spot such as under the eaves of a home, bridge or overpasses, and other areas with right angles to the walls.   The swallows will choose a wall texture that is easy to “stick” their nesting material to such as wood, stucco, masonry and concrete.

Damage:

Swallows like to nest in colonies thus causing a large problem for building and homeowners.  Thousands of dollars of damage is caused each year from their droppings and nesting debris.  Not only is the droppings left behind by swallows unsightly, it can be hazardous; carrying diseases that can be transmitted to humans.  The nests will eventually fall to the ground where there is a chance that the bugs, fleas, ticks and mites found in them can spread to domestic animals such as dogs and cats.

How to Deter:

Exclusion is the best method of deterring pest swallows.  You must make it impossible for the birds to build their nests.  There are several methods of exclusion that can be used.

Bird Netting: A plastic netting with a 3/4 ” mesh can be hung from the outer edge of the eave of the home down to the side of the wall creating a 45 degree angle.  This will keep the swallows from getting into the favored sheltered space under the eaves of homes and buildings to build their nests.  Note: Install the netting before the swallows arrive.  It may be left up all year or taken down after the nesting season.
Bird Spikes: Installing plastic or stainless steel birds spikes at the junction where the wall meets the home keep the swallows from getting a foothold on the wall and attaching their nesting material.  Bird spikes are easy to install using adhesive or screws.
Slippery Panel: There are products available that create a smooth surface under the eave of your home so that the swallows are not able to “stick” their nesting material to it.  These products are generally made of a PVC plastic that is attached under the eave with adhesive. Creating a slick surface on the nesting walls will discourage the birds and they will look elsewhere to find a good nesting spot.
Swallow Guard (No Nasty Nest) is anew product on the market that uses a fine clear wire attach to a clear Plexiglas base that is ready to adhere to the eaves of your home or business.  The swallows will not fly through this “distraction” and therefore not build their nest in areas protected by swallow guard.

NOTE: Do not use a sticky gel to deter Swallows.  The gel should only be use for ledges where birds land, not walls.

The best advise to keep swallows off of your home or commercial building is to do something before the swallows arrive.  Put up netting, bird spikes, slippery panels or other means of deterring nest building before the swallows begin to build.  Once the birds arrive and start building their nests, it is nearly impossible to get rid of them.  Some will try to hose down the nests at they are being built to no avail.  The swallows are tenacious birds and will just keep building and building if the spot is ideal for them. You must also be aware of the laws that protect these birds; you do not want to be fined!

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About the Author:
Fran Prisco lives and writes in Southern California. She has been in the bird control industry for over 8 years. Her areas of interests span from running and bicycling to volunteer work and golfing.
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Having a great looking lawn is easy and wont cost you a fortune. Before starting my own business, Somerville Lawn and Landscape, I was your average homeowner in Grand Rapids, Michigan who had a strange obsession with beautiful looking lawns.

Having a great looking lawn can be one of the easiest and quickest ways to increase your homes value and leave your neighbors envious. I’m going to show you some easy tips that will leave your lawn looking wonderful and doesn’t break the bank.

Spring:

First, you need to give your yard a spring cleanup. This can cost anywhere from $100-$500 if you hire a contractor. By doing this yourself it shouldn’t cost more than the expense of a rake, trash bags, and trash fees. (Shouldn’t cost more than $50)

- What you need to do is remove any of the debris that has accumulated over the winter season. This includes leaves, sticks, dead grass, etc…The easiest way to do this is with a rake. A self propelled de-thatcher can be rented from most rental stores for anywhere from $60-$120 for a day which makes the job much easier.

Second, aerate your lawn. This is one of the most important steps to a great looking lawn all year. Hiring a lawn company can run you anywhere from $90-$400 depending on the size of the lawn.

-You will need to rent a self propelled aerator which can range from $80-$150 per day. Make sure that the aerator is a pluger. This means that the machine pulls plugs of grass from the lawn instead of just putting small holes into the lawn. (almost all self propelled aerators are pluggers)

-The reason that aeration is such an important step is as follows. Aeration loosens compacted soil, breaks up thatch, increases oxygen to the roots, encourages new and deeper root growth, and reduces water run off.

Third, overseed your lawn. Overseeding your lawn every spring will help fill in any dead spots that have occurred over the winter. This can be done easily with grass seed and a spreader. Depending on type of grass this can range anywhere from $5-$100 per 5 lb. bag. (figure on $12 per 5lb. bag for most average grass seed) This should be spread at a rate of 2-4lbs. per 1,000 square ft. for most grass.

Fourth, Fertilize and spread pre-emergent granular on your lawn. I recommend the scotts fertilizer which can be found at most retailers for $20 per bag (covers 5,000 sq. feet) Pre-emergent crabgrass control should be applied at this time as well.

*Lawn should be mowed at 3″ all season long*

Early summer:

Broadleaf weeds are a problem at this time of year. I would recommend spreading a scotts broadleaf weed and feed granular to the lawn. This should kill off most of your weeds and gives the lawn a small dose of fertilizer all in one.

Summer:

Apply an application of fertilizer and check for insect problems in your lawn. A combination of fertilizer and insect control can be purchased in these cases. Summer is the time of year that can put the most stress on your lawn. Make sure to water your lawn when it starts to show stress. If the lawn was aerated earlier in the spring your lawn should have less water run off and decrease your water bill.

Fall:

This can be one of the most ideal seasons for lawn growth. Cool nights, rain, and morning dew restores most lawns to its full beauty after the summer stress. Apply another application of weed and feed to the lawn during this period of time. The nitrogen in the weed and feed should be stored throughout the winter and show its worth next spring.

Your Costs for entire season (10,000 square ft. lawn):

-spring cleanup $50

-aeration $80

-overseeding $48

-fertilizer/weed control $80

Total: $258 for a beautiful lawn all season long.

These are just a few easy tips that will give you a nice looking lawn at a reasonable price.

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About the Author:
Chris Somerville is the owner of Somerville Lawn and Landscape in Grand Rapids, Michigan. For more information on lawn and landscaping visit www.somervillelawncare.com
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