Prevention and Control of Top 7 Invasive Weeds The top 7 invasive weeds that we highlight this month are predators that will leach water and nutrients from your desired plants. Some of them are highly flammable. Our treatment recommendations for getting rid of the top 7 emphasize the least toxic practices. Getting rid of these […]
2 Reasons this Urban Multifamily Community Garden is Thriving People are growing their own food in bigger number than ever before. In urban areas this trend is surging, particularly in multifamily communities. These communities include apartments and condominium associations. It enhances the sense of community and increases property values. An NYU study in 2006 (the […]
Primary Landscape Trends for 2019 We notice some landscape trends return year after year. They remain on the list because their popularity is still soaring. Like edible and community gardens. These two are big – and encouraging. More people are embracing plants – indoors and out. Millennials are spending a lot of money on plants. […]
Rose Pruning is Easier Than You Think! Our tips and tools give you all the basics to make it easy. We tell you when and how. Plus advise you on the best tools to make it safe. And, easy. Straight from the experts. Including a video. The Goal of Rose Pruning We call it the […]
How to know when you should replace your plants How do your plants look? Are they attractive, healthy and vigorous? There are a few factors that deterrmine how they look. Your plant’s maturity. Are they in the beginning or end of their lifecycle? Are they planted in the right place? This will determine how […]
8 Easy Drought Tolerant Plants for Your SF Bay Area Climate. And, how to care for them. These plants are beautiful and tough. They will save water and add color to your garden. One of these 8 plants will work for your SF Bay Area climate. Whether you live in the hottest inland part of […]
Prevention and Control of Top 7 Invasive Weeds Using the Least Toxic Practices Our report on the top 7 invasive weeds in the SF Bay Area was re-worked from one I posted in 2016 weeds typical in the San Francisco Bay Area including the most invasive weeds. The top 7 invasive weeds is focused on […]
What’s new in landscape and gardening? Every year there are numerous reports on the latest trends in plants, hardscape, irrigation and even color. From technology to outdoor living. Designers, Landscape Architects and Green Industry pundits weigh in on what’s hot. There are several sources for this article. The people at Gardeners’ Guild have chimed in […]
SFPUC Local Regulations 10% voluntary reduction in water use compared to 2013 – all SFPUC customers. 25% reduction of landscape watering lifted as of July 1, 2016 Revert wastewater flow factors back to their original adjustments, effective July 1, 2016. Prohibited water activities (State Requirements) Watering outdoor landscapes that causes runoff to sidewalks, streets, and hardscapes […]
Imagine for a minute. You go to the store to buy strawberries. There you discover that strawberries are not available – ever. It could happen. Not likely, but it could. Not just berries, but apples, oranges, lemons, limes, carrots, avocados, cantaloupes, cucumbers, alfalfa and almonds – all gone. No more guacamole. Goodbye apple pie. How […]
Every year journalists in the industry forecast what is new for the next year. What I saw when digging around (no pun intended) were subtle offshoots of similar themes over the past few years. This post tries to make sense of what experts are forecasting and why homeowners and property managers should be interested. Trends […]
I heard a report this week on KQED about the drought outlook going forward into spring, 2016. The good news is Northern California had a lot of rain. Bay area residents can attest to the high winds, torrential rains and ensuing tree falls; power outages typical of heavy winter weather. Many of us were sighing […]
Their Place in Nature Weeds are not all bad. They provide some benefits (listed below). The definition for weeds is “a plant out of place”. But considering most people welcome weeds as much as they do taxes, this definition seems more fitting: “plants whose undesirable qualities outweigh their good points.” (Taken from Penn State’s website) […]
We have not seen the last of El Niño. Episodes of heavy rain and winds will likely continue over the next few months. If your landscape on a slope, there are some actions you can take now to prevent the damaging effects of erosion. Short Term Actions (Your can do […]
Your trees can suffer a lot of damage and can also do serious damage to your home or vehicle. They can also knock out power. Drought stressed trees are more vulnerable to the high winds and heavy rain of an El Niño winter. Limbs can break off and go flying. The bigger the tree, […]
The increase was approved in 2013 but it is now in effect. The 9.5% increase is the second highest increase in two years. EBMUD (East Bay Municipal Utility District) says the reason for the increase is for pipe and equipment maintenance that has been deferred since 2008. Many of the districts pipes are more than […]
We are especially proud of our construction division this year. Gardeners’ Guild received three awards for a construction project in Mill Valley. National, State and Regional landscape trade organizations have recognized our exceptional work! The National Recognition was first place. The property is situated on a steep slope overlooking the Mt Tam. The homeowners wanted […]
A group of dedicated Richmond residents are working hard to beautify their community park called the Solano Playlot. Located at the corner of 38th and Solano Avenue, the park has been successful in getting the support of the city for improvements. Gardeners’ Guild got involved earlier this year when we volunteered to develop a plan […]
For those of you who have lawns, you know they are time consuming to care for in terms of water, fertilization and weed abatement. Does the grass feel spongy under your feet? Do you notice it has brown patches? The brown patches can be an irrigation problem, pest or a cultural issue. Or – it […]
New State of California legislation will affect a large number of building owners. Assembly bills 1103 and 541 adopted by the California Energy Commission December 2012 will begin phasing in this July for nonresidential buildings. It requires owners of nonresidential buildings to disclose energy consumption through the Energy Star Portfolio Manager software as part of […]
Below are photos of our sheet mulching project on Carlson Blvd, Richmond Annex! Located between San Pablo Avenue/El Cerrito to the east, Carlson Boulevard is the main thoroughfare through what is referred to as the the annex, connecting downtown Richmond with downtown El Cerrito. Some sheet […]
Richmond Annex is a neighborhood in southeast Richmond. It is mostly residential and located between San Pablo Avenue/El Cerrito to the east. Carlson Boulevard is the main thoroughfare through the annex, connecting downtown Richmond with downtown El Cerrito. This corridor is experiencing a rebirth and Gardeners’ Guild won the bid to install the landscape into […]
Upon being told that the Cherry trees were in bloom at UC Berkeley, I made sure to head over there the very next day and take pictures. What Cherry trees? And, where? They are located at the Westgate entrance at UC Berkeley. Gardeners’ Guild planted them – thirty-five of them! It is a project to […]
This is Phase 1 of a complete landscape renovation project in Emeryville, for a condominium association. It is being done in conjunction with a building renovation This phase includes an irrigation upgrade, excavating all the soil in planter beds, new shrubs, trees and ground cover. It is scheduled for completion around the end of February […]
This year, Gardeners’ Guild has been honored with two prestigious awards this year for its work on a full-scale landscape renovation for a home in the Oakland Hills. The national award, presented by the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET) is a first-place award in its category. The California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA) presented the state award […]
This was an article written by one of our managers and was recently printed in an industry trade journal. It speaks volumes about our company’s irrigation know-how. By Paul Thunstrom As an irrigation technician, you will be viewed by your clients and colleagues as a technically advanced problem solver. You will be expected to […]
An irrigation audit – essentially – is an evaluation of an irrigation system’s performance. The results provide a road map on how to improve irrigation performance. It takes a trained professional, knowledgeable in irrigation and the audit process, to develop an effective irrigation audit. There are three steps in developing an irrigation system […]
We receive calls from many people throughout the San Francisco Bay Area who have poor soil. It happens enough that we thought people might be interested to know more about the process of rebuilding. If you have the following problems chances are poor soil is the culprit: Soil is cracked and dried in the summer […]
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