Landscape Installations, Renovations & Repairs

Q. Describe the most common types of jobs you do for your clients.

A. 20% of business is monthly maintenance accounts both residential and commercial.

50% of business comes from new landscape installations, including turf, as well as desert landscape.

15% is irrigation services and repair calls to include system troubleshooting, and backflow inspection and repair.

15% is project management, either assisting with the knowledge of proper cultural practices and industry standards during a project the homeowner decides to tackle or full blown project oversight of either commercial or residential projects with budgets in excess of $100,000.

Though big projects fall our way from time to time, we are primarily on thumbtack providing a resource for small to medium projects.

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. The least expensive price may not yeild the desired results.

Cliche right?

For example, when planting trees it is of utmost importance to properly irrigate, especially in our arid climate! This does NOT mean two drip emitters leaning on the trunk of the tree! This means investing a few more dollars per tree to get good wetness coverage for existing and FUTURE root zone.

Your extra investment will pay off in a few years when your shade tree is 5x as big as your neighbors tree, which is still leaning on that 1" planting stake.

Hire a landscaper who makes wise decisions based on sound knowledge and proven industry standards.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. Any inside secrets?

90% of all landscape problems are lack of water.

Lawns struggle due to poor coverage or changes in a homes water pressure over the course of a few years. This can be attributed to construction and having a greater demand for water from new neighbors and businesses in the area. Visually inspect your irrigation and adjust, replace, or upgrade accordingly.

Trees struggle due to infrequent or underwatering. Standard drip emitters flow at a rate of 2 gallons per hour. (you MAY have 1 gallon per hour). Most home owners consider 20 minutes of tree watering sufficient.

Quick math:

20 minutes : 1/3 of an hour.
2 gallon emitters at 20 minutes run time: .66 gallons an hour.
2 to 3 emitters per tree by "lowest bid" installer: 1.3 to 2 gallons per run time.

3 run times per week typically: 4 to 6 gallons per week.

4 weeks in a month: 16 to 24 gallons a month.

What does this info mean to you? Of course every tree is different, soil, location, directional exposure: but one can reasonably conclude that the watering requirements of a medium to large tree is not 16 gallons a month. As well and even more importantly, mature established trees, even ones in the desert, prefer infrequent, deep watering. Every 3-4 weeks with the ever popular mesquite tree here in Las Vegas.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. I like renovating and making a landscape more aesthetically appealing and usable. It's a balancing act accomplishing both. I take pride in making people happy with the transformation of their home and doing so at a fair price.

Landscaping is labor intensive but rewarding when things go right and as planned. It is always much easier when you are educated and have real world experience.

Would you feel comfortable walking into an advanced physics class at UNLV? Where would you start? Want that same feeling lingering while there is a crew digging up your backyard!? I enjoy working with the customer, and keeping them informed so they know their landscape from the inside out, and that physics feeling is nowhere to be found.

Q. What do you wish customers knew about you or your profession?

A. Landscaping takes knowledge, and doing things right is not accomplished on accident. The landscaping industry is a science and is often discarded and looked down upon.

Did you know that horticulture and turf grass programs are offered in every university?

Did you know that Penn State has probably the most renowned turfgrass program?

True or false: you can get a masters degree or even a PhD in horticulture? TRUE

Landscaping incorporates decades of experience, knowledge, and science, cultural practices, and artistic touches while incorporating emerging technological advancements in the industry.