4.22.25 landscaping minutes

Important dates:

  Irrigation troubleshooting Wednesday 4/23 at 7:15.

  Sunday 4/27 11am tree planting party 

    Saturday 4/26 11am   Emily hosts:

   West berm weed whacking and mulching

 Saturday 5/3 11am   Kellie will host

   East berm weed wacking

Action items:

  Kellie: Ask amy for four more trees (in addition to the three we are already receiving)

Present: Vicky, Robin, Alex, Emily, Kellie (notes)

Topics discussed: Budget utilization, Irrigation, Tree planting, Weeding, Pollinator Grant, ACM committee report, Meeting format

Need to follow up at a later time: 

  -Start the process to get 3 bids from arborist companies  in September, and hopefully start the tree work late fall/ winter. 

  -Add water meter devices to some red hydrants to better track usage? 

Budget Utilization

  What are our priorities? We were awarded $5000 (breakdown on the wiki here)

Discussed priorities based on our budget breakdown. Remember, budget is a guidemap, we have to stay under $5000 but we may distribute the budget differently than we predicted when we made the budget request.

   Tree diapers 

     Go around the base of the tree to retain water. Can purchase wholesale through Tree Utah for about $32/each last count.      Good idea to buy more. Decided to get 15 more for about $500. 

    Lawn seeding

       We set aside money for grass seed in the budget. It’s too late to reseed in the spring, perhaps we could work in the fall… but there’s a big event in autumn that might make blocking off the lawn difficult ;)

     The clover has really taken off in the front lawn.

      The square of grass between the common house and laraine’s unit is going pretty bald, could seed just that area this autumn

        

   Contract arborist work  

      Robin expressed concern about large branch that goes over Emily and Michael’s roof
    How to prioritize? 

      Alex: The arborists who have visited in the past advised that Siberian elms need maintenance and re-evaluation every year. Spots where branches were cut resprout with vigor the following year.

      Per the large spend process we would need to get estimates from three different companies. In the past we worked with Arbor concepts. Who did vinnie’s tree? Maybe arbor plus. 

       If we can get tree work done in the winter, they will often have discounted weights, in part because the tree is storing less water and thus the cut branches weigh less. 

          Decided: start the process to get 3 bids from arborist companies  in September, and hopefully start the tree work late fall/ winter. 

  

Metering Hydrants? 

 Alex suggested we put a water meter device on every hydrant (the ones with big red handles) so we can more accurately track output and find leaks easier. They run about $100-200, and she recommends the analog rather than digital devices. 

   Table for next year, or we could start with just 2? Is it a landscaping or maintenance expense?

  How to make sure they don’t walk away, can we build a wood cover for it? Could build and design ourselves with wood we already have. 

  

  

Irrigation 

  The goal is to get the irrigation turned on in may, but since many lines are connected to each other, if we discover a leak that whole segment will need to be turned off until it can be fixed. 

  A group of landscapers (currently Kay, Kellie, Robin and Chelsea Davis) have been working an hour at a time to test the system for leaks. They welcome volunteers to make the job go faster, no experience required, next irrigation troubleshooting is Wednesday 4/23 at 7:15. Let Kellie know if you’d like to join future irrigation testing, as the next irrigation troubleshooting date is determined by those in participation. 

   The closest hydrant to the driveway on the east side is on, the hydrants behind the common house has also been turned on. Were they never turned off? Did someone turn them on? Hmm

Amy mentioned (via text) that our section of the valley is exceptionally dry this time of year, and we also receive heat from industrial areas nearby that exacerbates the drought. Trees need supplemental water right now, we have had a very dry spring. 

   

  

Tree Planting

Sunday 4/27 11am tree planting party 

  What do we want to plant this year? 

   Already planned to do something in front of chelsea earhart’s unit, and three under story trees in the wild area to replace what was cut down last year.
    Put some in the space between cheryl and alex’s unit? Alex mentioned there is a drain there so we don’t want something that collects things in the drain

    Vicky and Emily request four total trees, two by each of their units and they will care for them. 

     They will defer to Amy’s expertise, they just request trees that can tolerate eastern sun, drought, and won’t have invasive roots, due to the proximity to the foundation and parking lot.

 Asked if Amy can identify best places around the property to plant trees. 

  It would be nice to say a few words at the dedication of Carol’s tree as a memorial to her. 

  Kellie: Ask amy for four more trees (in addition to the three we are already receiving)

Wouldn’t say no to more shrubs in the west berm, like sumac, elderberries, golden currants. The west berm would do well if covered with sumac over time. 

Weeding

 Lots of weeds on west berm and east berm

Decided on two work parties:

  Saturday 4/26 11am   Emily hosts:

   West berm weed whacking and mulching

  Saturday 5/3 11am   Kellie will host

   East berm weed wacking

   Will weed, then put down cardboard along with mulch.  Ask if people have cardboard large pieces, put it as an additional barrier. Can be placed near the dumpster or in Emily’s yard.       Please remove the plastic tape beforehand.

     Can ask someone to get large boxes from bike stores but have to schedule it.

   Alex can call around, Vicky is willing to pick up

Special note: Tobi and Coleman put in incredible work to remove the siberian elms from around the swale by the common house mailroom. We are extremely grateful to them!

Pollinator grant

   Laura alerted us about the pollinator grant program,and Renae submitted an application, but as far as we know there hasn’t been a response. 

   ACM committee report

Want to take advantage of ACM committee reports to keep the community informed and solicit participation. 

  Vicky can be there and will provide report:

        We are continuously working on getting irrigation turned on, by working 1-2 hours at a time, one night at a time to test the irrigation before turning it on for the season. We welcome volunteers, let Kellie or another landscaping committee member know. No experience needed. 

        LOTS of weeding needed around the property, specifically around the west and east berms. Most can be done with a weed wacker (unless very close to plants we do want). Join us for the next saturday weeding party: Saturday May 3rd, 11am, east berm.
  We are looking for people to “host” weeding parties after cafe. All that means is you commit to meeting people in front of the common house and weeding one area around the property. Landscaping/ Kellie can provide suggestions, contact Kellie if interested. 

        

          

 

Meeting format

  Last year we had lots of participation in work parties, but meetings were sparsely attended. If people have spare time, we’d rather have them spend it working during the busy season. 

   Would like to see some “working” meetings where we weed and talk.  We have planned out a lot of what we need to do ahead of time, so there is less that will need to be discussed and a lot we need to do.