Irrigation Bonanza

Our second workday was on March 27th and took place because of the generosity of Rainbird. They supplied our irrigation components and have been an incredible sponsor of this project.



The majority of the day was spent pulling up the existing irrigation lines. I should mention that this workday was rather informal and we had not invited volunteers. But sure enough as we we working the neighbors came over. With the help of their strong backs we were able to cut through roots and pull up a lot of old pipe. This was a lot of work but it's nice to be nearing the end of our demolition activities.



The photo above shows the old valve assembly and various irrigation laterals running out to the existing irrigation system. We will be replacing all the valves and lateral lines as part of this project. We have chosen a mix of overhead and drip irrigation components that will water the yard with great efficiency mimicking nature as much as possible. We will also be installing a smart controller with real time weather based programming.



In the photo above you can see Janice installing nozzles on the spray bodies. You might be surprised at the size of these sprinklers. The largest spray bodies we are using house a 12 inch riser. The reason for this is that we want the risers to get up above the surrounding plant material in order to water effectively to their full range of 13-18 feet.

Stay tuned for further updates!

Step Up For Sustainability - Workday 1

On March 6th Urban Green and the Swaisgood family teamed up with about 10 volunteers to continue implementing our sustainable front yard design. The day was overshadowed with the chance for rain and eventually we did get wet but not before we accomplished all we had set out to do.



The plan was to clear the yard to pave the way for the rest of our work to be done on future work days. This meant removing existing hardscape elements and debris including removing brick headers laid in concrete, removing the existing lighting components, and removing the large mound of mulch remaining from their removed trees. We also broke up and removed a paver walkway at the side yard and we removed all of the existing turf with a sod cutter. It was hard work but everyone had a great time learning.



With sustainability at the forefront of our efforts we tried to minimize sending anything to the dump. The bricks and pavers will all be re-used either on site, sold/given away or or otherwise recycled. The mulch was given to one of our faithful volunteers (it pays to help out on our projects, you never know what you might come away with for free). The old lighting elements will unfortunately need to be thrown away and the sod was not in a condition to be sold or given away either.



We finished up the day with a nostril burning trip to the dump to unload our sod cuttings and Janice was given the homework assignment of rototilling the yard. As I understand she tilled the front yard will gusto the very next day and the stage has been set for our next steps. In the coming days and weeks we will be removing the existing irrigation system, grading the yard and bio-swale, installing drainage components and new irrigation system. Our goal is to have everything ready to plant the garden in April or May with a big volunteer and education event teamed up with our partner Sustainable Scripps Ranch and all of our sponsors.

Special thanks to all of our volunteers, big thanks to Navid Mostatabi of Mostatabi & Associates for your expertise and BJs Rentals for helping us out with equipment rental.

Sponsor update: So far we have our irrigation system and smart controller donated by Rainbird, bio-swale plantings donated by Green Meadow Growers, and various native plantings donated by Miramar Nursery. Stay tuned for further sponsor updates and work day opportunities!

The Latest Sustainable Front Yard Design

Another opportunity to design a sustainably focused front yard has come up in the Scripps Ranch community. This project has the interest of the Sustainable Scripps Ranch group. As such they have shown a desire to provide volunteers and community support for the project which will be another example of how to live sustainably in the neighborhood.

Here is the design:



The idea here was to encompass several elements of sustainability while enhancing the overall aesthetics of the front yard. The more sustainable elements include the bio-swale, the native and adapted plant selection, increased permeable surface and some additional shade over the driveway. Some other sustainable elements will come with the installation such as purchasing local materials, using recycled materials and having a smart irrigation controller and drip system.

Some of the more aesthetic and tactile elements include the use of bold plant material (Agaves), building a narrow trellis along the garage, and incorporating a small bench, pots and flagstone pathway to a seating stone. Digging out the bio-swale will generate some excess soil which will be perfect for creating a small earthen mound with boulders and some medium sized shrubs. These different topographical elements of the front yard design will create interesting bio-diversity for year round enjoyment.

As of now the front yard has been cleared of existing plants and we are ready to move forward. Stay tuned for updates on the installation as it progresses!