Turf Talk from Charlie
A record-breaking drought surely made it tough on all of us this past year. Let’s hope the worst is over and that we’ll get some much-needed rain in the coming months. As you already know from our pre-pay letter, King GREEN is not raising our prices at this time. This is despite tremendous pressures to do so. Our fertilizer costs have practically doubled. I don’t have to tell you about fuel, because we all fill our cars or heat our houses. And, of course, we like to pay our employees well so that we can keep good, competent people on the phone and on your lawn.
If for some reason you haven’t gotten our pre-pay offer, you can save money and avoid the hassle of writing checks throughout the year by paying in advance. For the price for your services, give us a call or e-mail us.
While I’m thinking of it, we’re trying to collect as many of our customers’ e-mail addresses as we can…especially if this is your preferred method of communication. We promise not to fill your inbox with a bunch of spam, and it does save us postage, etc. when we’re trying to get in touch with you. You can e-mail us or just write your e-mail address on your invoice with a note if that is the best way to get in touch with you.
Once again, we all want to thank you for being our customer. We value your business and look forward to a great year.
King Green is Committed to Water Conservation!
The drought has led to trying times for all of us, and we want you to know that we’re all in this together. At King GREEN, we’re determined to help your lawn
make a comeback from the drought. We’re also determined to do everything
we can to preserve our precious natural resources. Below are two water conservation techniques that we’d like to share with you.
More Ways That
You Can Help!
- When washing dishes by hand, don’t let the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water.
- Run your washing machine and dish-washer only when they’re full, and you could save 1,000 gallons a month.
- Install covers on pools and spas and check for leaks around your pumps..
- Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Compost instead and save gallons every time.
- Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap for cold drinks, so that every drop goes down you and not the drain.
- Wash your produce in a sink or pan that is partially filled with water instead of running water from the tap.
- If your shower can fill a one-gallon bucket in less than 20 seconds, then replace it with a water-efficient showerhead.
- Collect the water you use for rinsing produce and reuse it to water houseplants.
- We’re more likely to notice leaky faucets indoors, but don’t forget to check outdoor faucets, pipes and hoses for leaks.
- Periodically check your pool for leaks if you have an automatic refilling device.
- When you shop for a new appliance, consider one offering cycle and load size adjustments. They are more water- and energy-efficient than older appliances.
- Time your shower to keep it under five minutes. You’ll save up to 1,000 gallons a month.
Greywater Recycling. Greywater is wastewater from bathtubs, shower drains, sinks, washing machines and dishwashers. Greywater accounts for 60% of the outflow produced in homes. It contains little or no pathogens and 90% less nitrogen than blackwater (toilet water). Because of this, it doesn’t require the same treatment process. By designing plumbing systems to separate it from blackwater, greywater can be recycled for irrigation, toilets and exterior washing, resulting in water conservation. This can significantly reduce a home’s wastewater treatment requirements, resulting in cost and space savings.
Greywater recycling systems generally consist of a three-way diverter valve and a treatment assembly such as a sand filter, a holding tank, a bilge pump, and an irrigation or leaching system. The holding tank cools the water and temporarily holds it back from the drain hose. Systems can either be custom-designed and built, or purchased as a package. Techniques include recessed or raised planter soilboxes, water injection without erosion, a gravity or pressure leach chamber, and irrigated greenhouses. Some system components can retrofit existing irrigation systems.
Rainwater Harvesting. High-density developments have a big impact on municipal water sources and aquifers. Clean water is becoming a precious comm-odity in some regions. Here’s a simple technology that you should know about that can make a big difference. Rainwater harvesting techniques can provide a free water source once the initial investment in collection and storage systems is recouped.
The parts of a complete system include the catchment area (a roof), a rainwater conveyance system (gutters and leaders), holding vessels (cisterns), a roof-wash system (usually the first 10 to 20 gallons of rain are diverted from the cistern), a delivery system (pumps), and a treatment system (filters and/or purifiers). Systems can be custom-designed and built or purchased as a package. The components may be added by retrofitting existing gutter/leader and roof systems.
For more information on water conservation techniques, and to learn about how King GREEN can help your lawn cope with the drought, give us a call today.