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Landscape

Earthco’s Best Practices: Management of Kikuyu Grass

Kikuyu grass is an extremely aggressive weed of ornamental plantings and turf throughout California. It thrives within our micro-climate and is very fast growing. It usually turns brown in November and remains dormant until February or March, depending upon the temperature. Its negative impact is vast. Within planting areas it invades ground covers and flower beds; and if not managed, completely chokes them out. It can also invade low-growing shrubs, reducing much-needed light for the plants to remain healthy. Within …

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A Season to Plant

The season within the landscape maintenance industry most commonly associated with growth, is waning. The additional sunlight and warm weather we have had, helped to promote plant growth as well as unwanted weeds. Keeping the landscape trimmed and flower beds weed free continues to be a big challenge this time of year. The end of summer and the beginning of fall becomes one of our busiest and challenging seasons as our enviable warm weather usually moves right through mid-October. This …

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This Seasons Plant Recommendation: Manzanita

Various species of Manzanita will appear on a variety of recommended lists of drought-tolerant suggestions, and still they are missing from many landscapes. It is hard to imagine this is the case with more than forty species, not including the subspecies and hybrids. Many local nurseries grow close to 60 to 70 different types of Manzanita. Manzanitas are varied, and grow from two inches, representing many of the coastal species, to twenty feel tall; for more interior species. Manzanitas are …

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California’s Unprecedented Minimum Wage Increase

The California legislature has passed an unprecedented statewide minimum wage hike. By 2023, the minimum wage across California will be $15 an hour. Adjusted for inflation, this will be higher than any statewide minimum wage in U.S. history. It will also be higher than the national minimum wage of any country in the world. The real increase will be even greater in inland and rural areas that have lower costs of living. When fully implemented, this law will cover one-third …

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Landscape Tips for Winter

This is a good season to plant California Native Plants as it is the beginning of the growing season. It appears that the “frost” season may be behind us, but we had purposely stalled some of this planting, waiting for the down pour of rain to pass that was expected from El Nino. So, even though meteorologists are still predicting the rain, hoping for another “March Miracle”, we are beginning to plant, with concentration on water-wise, California native, and drought-tolerant …

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A Season of Growth

“The journey of a thousand miles, begins with a single step”. – Loa Tzu Well over a year ago, our team set some lofty goals and we wrote them down with strong conviction. We wanted to become the landscape maintenance firm that did a little more than we had to, even needed to, as we are constantly striving to help make the jobs of our clients a little easier. The economy is moving forward at a steady pace, and we …

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The Truth About Artificial Turf

Thinking about going synthetic? Think again! Natural turfgrass sod is BENEFICIAL to the environment! Just remember to water wisely, choose the correct variety for your area and use, and follow maintenance guidelines. Instantaneous beauty and immediate value with sod. Within just a few hours, sod transforms bare soil into a lush and beautiful carpet of grass. Landscaping with turfgrass from a top quality sod farm in California immediately increases the market value of property from 10-15%! Sod creates a healthy …

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Plant Spotlight

“Lady Slipper” The Pedilanthus macrocarpus, commonly known as Lady Slipper, is a slow growing plant that is part of a small genus within the Euphorbiaceae family. It is heat and drought tolerant, making it an ideal succulent for California’s dry climate. When planted among globular and pad-stemmed cacti, its pipelike stems and lime green color well-complement the various shapes of cacti and other succulents. It looks especially nice planted in linear groupings. It is also looks good and does well …

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Fall Is Here

  The daylight is beginning to diminish and the amount of local traffic and the daytime quiet within our neighborhoods tell us that the kids are back in school. Temperatures remain high, and the ever-familiar sounds of football echo from a bevy of restaurants, local football fields and neighborhood T.V’s. so it must be fall, and we welcome it! The beginning of fall can bring with it some of the year’s highest temperatures, yet this is usually short lived, and …

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Welcome Manuel Vargas As Account Manager

  As 2015 has marked a year of growth for Earthco Commercial Landscape, the firm has added a seasoned veteran, Manuel Vargas, better known as “Manny” to their management team, to serve as an Account Manager. Vargas earned a B.A. in Agriculture from the University of Guanajuato, Mexico and continued his education in pest control and water management. He received the “Water Winner” Award presented by the Irvine Ranch Water District three consecutive years; from 1999 through 2001, when he …

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