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The Guild Report:  
Spring Irrigation Maintenance   
February 2013 
In This Issue
Point of View
Irrigation Spring Start Up
Our Global Water Supply

 
 





Point of View  
With Employee Owner
Paula Tusler 

  

"I started at Gardeners' Guild this year and was so excited to find a company whose values fit mine - including caring for the environment.  I love that our work is top-notch and that everyone works as a team to deliver for our clients.  
 
 
As our East Bay Sales Representative I am seeking out clients who appreciate quality work from a local company.
 
***
We are pleased to have Paula on board.  She is a terrific addition to our team.  Her background:  Masters in Horticulture from UC Davis as well as twenty years industry experience specializing in commercial landscaping. 
 

















 







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Greetings!

Top
 It is the last week in February.  Mother Nature has been teasing us throughout the month offering her intermittent spring-like weather and now - she is getting serious. Spring is upon us.
 
The wet pummeling we got last fall and winter is but a memory.  And though I contemplate possibilities for substantive moisture in March and April, alas, it seems our hibernation period is ending.
 
The afternoon temps are trending upwards of 68 degrees while mornings and evenings are still quite cool.  Lots of sunny days; blooming Plum and Acacia trees.  
 
This can mean only one thing...
 
It's time to have an annual irrigation system check for spring!
 
It's something we highly recommend.  Better that we find any leaks than you taking the risk of property damage from a malfunctioning system.
 

Below is a primer on what to expect of an irrigation start up.  It's a good investment. Plus we're friendly and knowledgeable.

 

If there are any other topics you would like covered - let me know.    

 

All the best,
signature
 
Suzanne Harris
510-439-3728

Spring Irrigation Start-Up!

 

Your System Needs Help Waking Up

 

Most likely it's been inactive through the winter and should be inspected prior to starting up this spring.  You can do it yourself, but, depending on whether this is your home or a commercial property, (the latter more complex), it is worth taking this annual step with a landscape professional who understands what to look for.

 

The Examination Basics

 

We will flush your system

 

First - we remove spray nozzles and/or end caps from drip lines

Next we turn the system on till a clear steam of water flows from each head or drip line.  Then we check nozzles, filters (depending on whether it is sprinkler or drip system), then reassemble the system.

 

What we look for:

  • Broken sprinkler heads
  • Leaning sprinkler heads
  • Overspray (hitting pavement etc)
  • Rotors not rotating
  • Misting around spray heads (means pressure is too high)
  • Uneven coverage
  • Spray patterns blocked by plant material
  • Clogged nozzles or drip emitters
  • Leaking drip lines, separated drip lines and missing emitters
  • Opportunities to incorporate the latest irrigation technology which will save save water and improve the health of your plants. 

The Results 

  • The entire examination is documented
  • We provide a detailed report and recommendations for system repairs or upgrades. 

About our Technicians

 

They are all certified and have been trained by the late Corey Crossgrove, who we considered to be the best irrigation technician in the bay area.  Our irrigation division is headed by another stand-out talent, Paul Thunstrom.  

 

Whatver your questions about irrigation, water management or troubleshooting, he will have an answer.

 

Paul is Landscape Industry Certified, has a Landscape Architecture degree from UC Berkeley, most recently completed coursework in LEED for landscape architecture at UC Berkeley and has over 24 years in landscape and irrigation design.

 

Call us with any questions about your irrigation system:

510-439-3700 

 

 

 

Our Global Water Supply*

Less than 3% of the world's water is fresh, the rest is seawater and undrinkable.

Of this 3% over 2.5% is frozen, locked up in Antartica, the Arctic and glaciers and not available to man.

Thus - humanity must rely on this 0.5% of all of man's and ecosystem's fresh water needs.

Water is essential to health:  3,900 children die each day due to dirty water or poor hygiene.

In many developing nations, irrigation accounts for over 90% of water withdrawn from available sources.  In England where rain is abundant year round, water used for agriculture accounts for less than 1% of human usage. Compare to (same continent) water used for irrigation in Spain, Portugal and Greece. This exceeds 70% of total usage.



*Taken from a document published by:
The World Business Council on Sustainable Development. This organization engages leading companies to enhance awareness in the business community of critical water issues