Introducing New Landscape Design Services

Santa Barbara Landscaping company

Down to Earth Landscapes Inc in Santa Barbara

Down to Earth Landscapes Inc Introduces New Landscape Design Services in Santa Barbara

Local specialists for a broad range of landscape services, Down to Earth Landscapes Inc. has just announced that the company is now adding a new free lawn and garden evaluation to it’s landscape design services. By adding this new evaluation service  to their comprehensive suite of solutions, the Santa Barbara landscape company can ensure that each client is provided with a custom-based approach to landscaping that helps make their garden design dreams come true.

Property Walk-through

The  Santa Barbara company’s new service begins with a property walk-through by a certified professional. The organization’s landscaping professionals will visit the property in order to determine the scope of the project and assess how best to meet the homeowner’s unique landscaping requirements. During this time the company’s team will evaluate  the condition of the homeowner’s   lawn, garden and related systems. This includes drainage, sprinklers, soil quality, plant health and much more.  This initial evaluation is complimentary and acts as the precursor to a final a  recommendation  which is also complimentary. If the homeowner choose to request a landscape design, this is also complimentary if the homeowner chooses Down to Earth Landscapes to build and install the new design.
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Santa Barbara Landscaping Contractor Offers Expert Vineyard Installation and Management Services

Vineyard Management Services

Vineyard Management Services

Santa Barbara, CA, January 30, 2013 — Industry leading Santa Barbara landscaping contractor Down to Earth Landscapes Inc. has announced they are now offering new services to local area vineyards. The company’s new vineyard installation and maintenance solutions are directed by their on-staff viticulturist, who will ensure that clients have an expert organizing their entire vineyard development and maintenance process.

The team at the Santa Barbara landscaping contractor, Down to Earth Landscapes Inc., offers vineyard owners a full range of services. The first element within this process will involve the company’s in-house viticulturist helping clients to select the wine grape variety that will work best for their unique planting needs. Once the requisite wine grape has been chosen, they will then work with the client to install and then plant the product within their vineyard. Because of the experience of the company’s staff, they can offer tips to ensure optimal growth within a broad range of environments.
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Santa Barbara Landscaping Company Introduces New Specialty Services

Secret garden and water feature

Secret garden with water feature

Santa Barbara, CA, January 19, 2013 — Leading Santa Barbara area landscaping company Down to Earth Landscapes Inc. has recently announced the addition of several new landscape services to their comprehensive scope of services. The organization is now presenting local area clientele with the opportunity to achieve unique garden designs and functionality through specialty landscaping solutions that are sure to enhance any home’s exterior.

Santa Barbara’s idyllic natural beauty makes the city the perfect place for homeowners to create the garden of their dreams. The area is home to many of California’s most attractive trees and flowers, mainly due to its climate, which is temperate all year round. Warmth radiates throughout the city, whether during the peak of summer or the middle of winter and many residents have found that the region is the ideal place in which they can create magical gardens for exceptionally memorable garden get-togethers.
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Santa Barbara Landscaping Company Offers Water-Wise Sprinkers and Irrigation Systems

Hunter Sprinkler systems

Down to Earth Landscapes Inc. Press Release

Santa Barbara, CA, December 13, 2012 –(PR.com)– Leading Santa Barbara landscaping specialists Down to Earth Landscapes Inc. has recently announced the addition of a new highly-demanded service to their list of landscape service solutions. The company will now be offering installation services for water-saving sprinklers and irrigation systems, which are designed to allow the modern homeowner to minimize their home water costs while still maintaining the look of the property.

In the last decade, the city of Santa Barbara has suffered many long-term droughts. As a result of these droughts, local legislators have placed restrictions on the amount of water that residents can use within their homes. This means that local area residents must now be proactive about securing cost-effective products that help to limit their water usage. This is where Down to Earth Landscapes Inc. can help.

The company now installs advanced water-efficient sprinkler systems. The company’s systems are engineered precisely to provide the right amount of water in order to help homeowners eliminate the water runoff that is a major cause excessive water usage on their property. The water conservation specialists at Down to Earth Landscapes Inc. are up to date on local water conservation regulations, so they are prepared to help homeowners conform to the latest rules set by authorities.

In addition to offering their new water-efficient irrigation systems to their clients in Santa Barbara, the landscaping company is also a valuable source of information on how to reduce water-usage over the long-term. Down to Earth Landscapes has created a list of guidelines to help clients achieve water-use efficiency. They recommend that clients use an automatic moisture sensor to determine when lawns need watering and the installation of a rain shut-off device to override the sprinkler system when it begins to rain.

To request an estimate and discover how cost-effective Down to Earth Landscapes Inc.’s services are, homeowners can visit the company’s website athttp://www.downtoearthlandscapesinc.com and book an appointment with one of their water-wise irrigation and sprinkler experts.

6 Tips for Planting Bare Root Fruit Trees

Santa Barbara and Fruit Trees

Planting Season for Fruit Trees in Santa Barbara

Fruit trees and Santa Barbara go together like peanut butter and jelly. Many of our streets are so named for the groves of fruit trees that used to grace the street that now house much of our community.

Olive, lemon, walnut, avocado: these are just a few of the trees that call Santa Barbara home. As with many of the coastal regions of Southern California, Santa Barbara fruit trees can provide some of the sweetest, tastiest fruit available. January is the best time of year to get those bare root trees in the ground.

Planting Tips for Bare Root Fruit Trees

  • Tip 1: Plant bare root trees within 24 hours of acquiring them. If you cannot plant them within a day, place tree into a pile of soil or a bucket of soil mix.
  • Tip 2: Soak the roots overnight in a mixture of water and Vitamin B1. Vitamin B1 can be found at your local hardware store. This will prevent the roots from going into shock.
  • Tip 3: Dig a whole in which to plant the tree. The hole should be approximately double the size of the root ball. It is not necessary to dig a hole deeper than the length of the rootstock. Soften and amend the surrounding soil. Refer to our previous blog on soil amendment if you are unaware of your kind of soil.
  • Tip 4: Place the tree on a slight mound in the middle of the hole, and then spread out the roots; don’t let them encircle the tree. Face the bud union of the fruit tree (where the root stock and fruiting section have been grafted, you’ll see the bump) to the north east, away from the direction of the sun. Use quality, rich soil amendment mixed with a slow release fertilizer for trees to backfill tree
  • Tip 5: Make sure that the tree is approximately 1-2 inches above grade. This keeps the tree from developing root rot and insect damage.
  • Tip 6: Make sure you install an irrigation system with the tree. We recommend a drip system. If you are unable to do so, you should check frequently for moisture. DO NOT ALLOW IT TO DRY OUT. When you do water, you should water deeply.

*Note: Some suggest that you should paint the tree trunk of a young fruit tree in order to keep the tree from becoming sunburned. This method is unnecessary in Santa Barbara, as the climate is moderate and unlikely to scar young trees.
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6 Easy Steps for Planting Bare Root Roses

January is Bare Root Rose Planting Season in Santa Barbara

It’s that time of year again in Santa Barbara. Before you prune any roses or tree you may already have (a blog that will be coming shortly in January), you should consider whether or not you’d like to include new roses and fruit trees in your garden this season. You will see them at every nursery and hardware store, but what is the correct way to prepare and plant them in Santa Barbara?

As always, our staff at Down To Earth Landscapes, Inc. is here to assist you with practical tips and suggestions on your latest project.

Like many other plant material, roses go dormant in the winter. They thrive in summer heat, but they also need their time to rest and rejuvenate. In California, we often need to force that sleep by cutting back the canes in a way that causes them to come back healthier. Roses that are cut back in that extreme way and are wrapped in plastic bag without soil in preparation for being planted or that come in cartons full of damp organic soil are called bare root.

The most important thing to note about these plants is this: the roots must stay moist. If the roots dry, the plants will die.

Our Six Step Approach for Planting Bare Root Roses

Step 1: Unwrap the rose, shake off the packaging material and cut off the tag. Prune broken root material. Plunge the rose into a bucket until submerged—for at least 30 minutes. Vitamin B1 can be found at your local hardware store. This will keep the roots from going into shock.

Step 2: Dig the hold in which you wish to plant your rose. The whole needs to be approximately two feet wide and one foot deep.

Step 3: Amend your soil. Refer to our previous blog regarding soil types and amendment (or give us a call) if you are unaware of the soil type you have. Use an organic matter specifically for roses in your soil amendment.

Step 4: Form a ten-inch-tall cone of soil in the bottom of the hole and center the rose on top of it. Spread the roots down the sides of the cone. Pull back fill into the hole, firming it with your hand (never your foot) as you go. Your hands will aerate the soil. Your feet will compact it.

Step 5: When the hole is filled, water until the soil around the plant turns to mud. Gently rock the rose back and forth to settle it in and to allow air pockets to bubble up through the mud. This process is known as “puddling in.”

When you’re done, the rose’s topmost roots should be barely below the soil surface, and the graft (the swollen part just above the crown), if the rose has one, should be well above the soil surface.

Step 6: After puddling, add enough backfill to level the soil. Make a three-inch-high watering basin about ten inches from the base of the rose. Stick a label in the ground beside the rose and you’re done.

If you follow these tips, come spring you will have beautiful roses. Roses bloom early in Santa Barbara. We often have first bloom by Valentine’s Day. Wouldn’t it be nice to give your sweetie a long stemmed rose from your own garden?

In our next blog, we will explore bare root fruit trees, as it is also the time of year for those.

And, as always, we are here to help if you need us. Share your rose garden challenges in the comments below.

Comparing a Landscape Contractor, Architect and Designer

Santa Barbara Landscaping Contractors

Down to Earth Landscapes Sr Team

When to Hire a Landscape Architect, Landscape Designer and/or a Landscape Contractor

As a state licensed landscape contractor, we value the role of each one of our fellow landscaping experts. We recognize that each of us have a role to play in making a project beautiful, functional and safe. Because this is the case, we thought it would be helpful to our readers to help you differentiate between a landscape disciplines to better prepare you for planning your next landscaping project.

Landscape Architects’ Role and Responsibilities

You should hire a landscape architect anytime need plans that will require sign off by a city inspector. If you have a question, remember this: It is never a negative thing to have an architect on an extensive landscaping project. As the name suggests, this field is a sub-specialization of the field of architecture. Landscape architecture is an interdisciplinary field encapsulating the following:
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Why Install Outdoor Landscape Lighting?

Santa Barbara outdor landscape lightingThe Benefits of Installing Outdoor Landscape Lighting

Santa Barbara homeowners sometimes leave outdoor landscape lighting as an afterthought to the work they are doing on their property. In fact, lighting might be the most overlooked facet of a landscaping project.

At Down To Earth Landscapes, Inc, we like to offer a different way to think about landscape lighting. We believe that it is central to any landscaping project. Consider it the icing on the cake for your new landscape design and installation. Why should sundown prevent you from enjoying a newly landscaped front or backyard?

Creating Mood and Atmosphere

Landscape lighting adds accent to a space and can set a particular mood and create atmosphere. At night, outdoor landscape lighting draws the eye toward the parts of the garden you wish to highlight. It fills the space with warmth, opening it up, and is often entertaining those who encounter it.

Safety Considerations

Beyond aesthetics, however, perhaps the most important reason not to neglect your landscape lighting is safety. Lighting protects you from falls and offers the illusion that you are home when you cannot be there to keep an eye on your property.
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Backyard Kitchens for Cooking Outdoors

Built-in  Kitchens for your Backyard

backyard kitchen in Santa BarbaraWe absolutely love it when our clients are interested in bringing their “indoor” lives outside. There are so many new and interesting options for creating a backyard kitchen and dining area which will enhance your outdoor living spaces.

Santa Barbara is great for outdoor entertaining because our weather is so mild in the winter that it makes it possible to  comfortably entertain family and friends for holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas  outside in your backyard.

During the last few weeks, we’ve been working on installing an example of one of these outdoor living spaces.. a fully functional outdoor kitchen. dining area  and fire pit. Our client had some of their own ideas and and we found the project a fun challenge so we thought we’d share it with you , our blog readers.

The steps we recommend:

Step 1: Select a reputable landscape architect. We recommend finding someone whose vision matches your own. For this project, we called on our friend Leland Walmsley of EverGREEN Landscape Architects located in Carpinteria, California.  We enjoy working with Leland because he is brilliant and gifted. He has an artist’s eye, just like we do! Furthermore, his focus—as his name suggests—is on the green landscape. We both prefer to use sustainable products that make your garden look beautiful while saving water and energy.  Check out his website at: http://www.evergreen-sb.com/.
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Santa Barbara Autumn Lawn Care Checklist

Fall Lawn Care Tips

In our previous blog, we talked about how autumn is the perfect time to create a checklist for “winterizing” your Santa Barbara gardens. As a part of your landscape maintenance education, it is important to know about lawn care during the autumn season.

Dethatching the Lawn 

Santa Barbara Autumn Lawn tips

Thanks to Glenn Hardebeck, Agronomist, Purdue University for the photo

This is often called lawn thinning. De-thatching refers to a process of removing dead grass in a lawn. A certain amount of thatch protects the roots, but excessive amounts negatively affect the health of the lawn. This is necessary because dethatching encourages the flow of nutrients and oxygen to the lawn. Regular dethatching forces buds to grow near the base of the grass stems, preventing the grass plants from being dead underneath and only green on top. Thatching frees new grass shoots to grow in thick and lush. Think of it as a body cleanse for your lawn. It balances the lawn’s chemistry. There are a couple of ways to do it.

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