Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Changes in Landscape Irrigation Regulations


Below is an exert from the 1/23/2009 Denton Record-Chronicle

Aren't you glad you don't live in a Texas city of 20,000?


Installing lawn sprinklers in Denton and other Texas cities costs more this year thanks to new state-mandated regulations aimed at saving water.

Denton nearly tripled its irrigation permit fee to recoup the cost of newly required inspections, joining other cities that have increased fees in recent months.

The state required cities with populations of 20,000 or more to pass landscape irrigation rules by Jan. 1 that are at least as strict as Texas Commission on Environmental Quality standards. Among the changes, people installing sprinkler systems must present plans for city approval, and cities must inspect systems to make sure they comply with the rules.

“In the past, we have never asked for plans for sprinkler systems,” said Kurt Hansen, Denton’s building official. “Our biggest concern was that the irrigators install the backflow prevention device correctly. Now the irrigators, before they start a job, need to come and bring us a plan.”

Also, beginning next year a licensed irrigator or irrigation technician must be present when a system is installed or repaired. Homeowners still will be able to perform the work on their own property without a license.

Norman Werback, who runs a Corinth-based irrigation business, called the regulations “the biggest changes in the industry since state-mandated licensing.” He supports the state’s overall goals but shares the fears of many in the industry that the changes will drastically increase the cost of new systems.

“There’s a lot of unknowns, including how it affects repairs,” said Werback, who owns Wet Dog Irrigation. “I want homeowners to understand that we didn’t triple our prices just because the economy went bad.”

With the rules, irrigation systems join the ranks of electrical, plumbing and other systems in homes and commercial buildings that must be inspected and held to specific design standards.

The plan reviews and inspections are forcing some cities, including Dallas, to hire additional staff. Some are hiking their permit fees significantly — in some cases tripling or quadrupling their fees to $175 or more.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Featured Plant - January



Copper Canyon Daisy, Mexican Bush Marigold, Shrub Marigold, Mount Lemmon Marigold





Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Tagetes
species: lemmonii

Form: Shrubby herbaceous perennial forming rounded mounds of 2-4 ft high and wide
Hardiness: USDA zones 8a - 11
Exposure: Native to Southwest United States and Mexico, place this plant in Full Sun in the hottest area of the garden
Blooms: Color is yellowish-orange, blooms best in the Fall, but will have some blooms from Spring to Fall
Water: Drought tolerant and suitable for Xeriscaping
Soil: Adaptable, prefers alkaline soil but does well in mildly acidic soil
Propagation: Seeds or stem cuttings
Notes: Attractive to bees, butterflies, and some birds. Resistant to deer. Foliage is strongly aromatic with hints of licorice, anise, and citrus fragance.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Texas Master Gardener State Conference


April 23-24 & 25, 2009
Marshall, Texas

Registration Information Forthcoming!!!
Our Goal - To have registration information up by January 1st!

Make plans to join us for the 2009 Texas Master Gardener State Conference, that will be held in beautiful East Texas. The conference will feature world class azaleas, dogwood and crape myrtles, as well as unique bed & breakfast establishments, just to name a few. This year, something new, the Earthkind Rose Workshop, an all-day session will be presented the day before the '09 conference and will feature some of the most renouned experts in the earthkind rose field!! Information on registration for this workshop will be added to the regular registration form, come a day earlier and don't miss-out on this added feature!
Keep checking back often!!