Resilient Maintenance
A resilient landscape is fire-wise, water wise and promotes biodiversity by using California native plants. These gardens use sustainable practices, plant selection, and maintenance to reduce the risk of fire in the defensible space zone.
Resilient gardens save water, protect us from fire and promote biodiversity.
A resilient landscape is fire-wise, water wise and promotes biodiversity by using California native plants. These gardens use sustainable practices, plant selection, and maintenance to reduce the risk of fire in the defensible space zone.
Resilient gardens save water, protect us from fire and promote biodiversity.
Maintaining a resilient landscape requires continued vigilance.
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Plant Maintenance
Keeping plants healthy with proper seasonal pruning, irrigation and mulching is of primary importance in a firewise garden. A proper maintenance program should incorporate annual maintenance based on the life cycle of the plant and work that should be done every few years. During fire season, particularly during Red Flag Warnings, a good thorough clean up around your plants is recommended along with a good soak
Tree Maintenance Consult a licensed arborist to help maintain your trees in good health. Most trees can be maintained to reduce ignitability, and the shade they provide can suppress weeds while retaining moisture, cooling your house and enhancing your property’s Defensible Space. Certain species such as Italian cypress, however, cannot be maintained in a way that reduces ignitability, and the buildup of dead material behind their foliage is dangerous year-round. Remove lower limbs of trees so that no foliage is within 6’ of the ground (or 1/3 the height of the tree if it’s less than 30’ tall). Preserve single specimens or groupings of well-pruned trees, while keeping vertical spacing between lower branches and understory plants equal to 3x the height above the understory plant. Continuous Canopy in Forests and Woodlands Many residential areas are located within forests or woodlands, in which mature tree canopies are touching overhead. As long as there are no ladder fuels that can carry a fire from the ground up into the canopy, this intertwining canopy should be no problem. Also note that it is wise to create a break in the canopy at least 30' from the house to reduce the risk spread to the house if a canopy fire occurs. If there is enough sunlight, lower growing shrubs (to 3’) and groundcovers can be beneficial in these woodlands to provide wildlife habitat. All trees should be pruned to remove dead or dying branches, and lower branches should be pruned to 3x the height above the understory plant. |