Holmes Landscape Company

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Soil Problems
Several of our neighborhoods in North County have soils with a variety of problems which require research and experimentation to find suitable solutions. The series of before and after photographs that follow are of a North County HOA with high alkaline based soil with high salt content and heavy clay. Working with this customer, Holmes Landscape Company took these steps to remedy the soil problems and restore healthy vegetation:

1. A five year re-planting plan was developed to renovate and beautify the slopes throughout the neighborhood.
2. A series of soil tests were made to determine specific soil types and identify problem areas.
3. Through experimentation, plants that would succeed in different areas were identified and listed.
4. Each individual slope was amended according to the specific needs identified.
5. Plants, trees and ground covers were selected from the plant list for specific areas and planted.

Crib Wall This area had never been successfully planted since the original installation ten years previous. We installed a drip irrigation system which brought water to every individual planting area, then individual plants were planted throughout the wall.
Before	After
Pool Slope Slope soil was very high in salt and a heavy clay. We brought in yards of soil amendments and hand blended them with the existing soil. Plants and ground covers were planted and the slope is now fully landscaped.
Before	After
Hard Pan Slope Hard pan slope where the original soil had been stripped away and very little growing media was left. After a series of soil tests and hand amending, the area was replanted with plants able to take the extreme conditions.
Before	After
Neglected Slope This slope had been neglected and underwatered. The area was replanted with plants and regularly maintained.
Before	After
Ground Cover Recovery Faced with water restrictions and a heavy saline-alkaline clay soil, we are routinely faced with the challenge of maintaining a quality landscape within these restrictions. Our solution for several North County sites has been to install chemical injectors which enable us to condition the soil and fertilize the plants every time we irrigated. By being able to buffer the water and foliar feed the plant material, we have been very successful in restoring plants to a healthy state despite the restrictions as these two series of photographs show:
This myporium ground cover was extremely stressed and in serious decline. Large areas were dying out and very little growth occurring. After several weeks of chemical injecting, the myporium ground cover made a strong comeback.
Before	After
This gazania ground cover was showing severe tip burn and a lack of vigor. It appeared that all of the plant's energy was being used to throw flower seeds - a normal response to a plant in trouble. After several weeks of chemical injecting, the gazania, too, made a strong comeback.
Before	After

Irrigation Problems
Many of the irrigation systems we find when we take over a job have been neglected, and we need to find and correct the problems. The series of before and after photographs that follow are of another North County HOA with irrigation problems. Working with the customer, Holmes Landscape Company took these steps to remedy the problems and restore healthy vegetation:

1. Through irrigation audits and site inspections, the correct steps needed to properly water the neighborhood were identified.
2. A plan to correct the individual problems and restore optimal watering was developed.
3. The plan was implemented and included:
   • reinstallation of parts of the system
   • replacement and repairs to valves
   • replacement and repairs to wiring
   • replacement of sprinkler heads and nozzles
   • installation of new sprinkler heads and nozzles

Irrigation Pictures of a neighborhood where we installed the correct nozzles and all the dry spots were eliminated.
Before	After
Before	After

Holmes Landscape Company 934 La Rueda Road, Vista, CA 92084-6518 760.732.3379760.598.3500 Fax holmes@holmeslandscape.com "Always looking to improve ourselves, our workers, and the quality of our work." ©1996-2008 Holmes Landscape Company. All rights reserved. Web site by JE Web Design.