DESIGN TIP

Do It Right The First Time

We have all received these words of advice many times throughout our lives, and have no doubt also given this advice to others. However, based on performance (i.e., action vs. talk), it's safe to say that doing things right the first time is not instinctive human behavior; it is learned behavior. Again, based on performance, it's also obvious we are slow learners, because we tend to make the same mistakes over and over before correcting our ways. People who instinctively have the self-driven, deep-rooted desire to do things right the first time are very rare, and tend to stand apart from the crowd.

When developing a landscape it is important to try to do it right the first time. The design process is the first and most important step in that direction. For a detailed explanation of the landscape design process go to our Landscape Design section. The design process will produce a plan, which needs to be skillfully executed. Once complete, the landscape needs to be properly maintained. Much of our work at Wayside involves renovating older landscapes. We see first hand the enduring value of good design and execution. We also see the high cost associated with repairing or replacing shoddy work. I have chosen this topic for the Design Tip, because over the years I have evaluated many projects where two and three figure cost cutting and/or poor performance during initial construction eventually lead to three, four, five, or more figure repairs after construction. When cost cutting measures or poor performance slight footer / foundation construction, ground preparation work, drainage measures, or maintenance activities, the long-term repercussions can be particularly costly.

What are the benefits of doing things right the first time? First and foremost, it instills PRIDE in both the participants involved in whatever it is that is being done, and in the beneficiaries of the finished product. Pride is one of the most powerful and enduring of human emotions. It is the willingness and determination to put forth the effort necessary to elevate natural abilities to personal expectations. A feeling of pride is priceless. It is one of the best feelings a person can experience.

After pride, other benefits include LONGEVITY and VALUE. When something is done right the first time, it generally lasts longer than weaker alternatives. Longevity increases value, because it effectively decreases cost over time. For instance, a $20 item that lasts five years would be a better choice than a $10 item that lasts only one year.

Lastly, doing things right the first time reduces COST and AGGRAVATION. When premature replacement costs are factored into inferior products the true cost is realized, and it is usually far more expensive than the normally higher initial cost of something done right the first time. It is very aggravating when something is not done right, and this aggravation erodes the pride normally associated with a job well done. Doing nothing is frequently better than suffering the negative consequences of doing something wrong or poorly. It's best to wait until one has sufficient time and resources rather than rush an inferior job. This is the reason why the saying “Do it right the first time” is usually followed by “Or not at all.”

PLANT FIELD NOTE

Weigela florida ‘ Midnight Wine'. ‘ Midnight Wine' Weigela.

This is a low mounding dwarf weigela. It has dark burgundy-purple (deciduous) foliage and pink flowers. It prefers full sun; is hardy to Zone 5 (we are Zone 6, Ohio is Zone 5, Georgia is Zone 7); grows to about 12” tall. It is a great plant for the front of the border, the perennial bed, or used as a low foundation plant.

LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE

Using Round Up Herbicide

Round Up herbicide (active ingredient, glyphosate) is so widely used these days that most homeowners have tried it at one time or another, or have at least heard of it. Its usefulness as a landscape maintenance tool ranks right up there with the motorized brush cutter and the leaf blower. However, despite its widespread use, it is applied incorrectly more times than not, often with disastrous consequences. The following information should help in the proper application of this useful product. Glyphosate only affects chlorophyll-bearing tissue; it kills “green” plants. Caution: there is chlorophyll in the bark of many plants (especially young ones) which is not visible to the naked eye, so contrary to what some people have been told – do not allow glyphosate to come in contact with the trunks or branches of plants. In most cases, very small amounts (sometimes only a few mist droplets) of diluted glyphosate are enough to kill a plant.

There is no need to drench a plant to kill it with glyphosate. Glyphosate is translocated throughout the entire plant. This means that if you spray one leaf, you will kill the whole plant, roots and all. Because most people do not fully understand this translocation process, they use far more glyphosate than is needed, and this is both costly and dangerous. Chlorophyll is one of the main pigments driving the photosynthetic process; glyphosate adversely affects chlorophyll-bearing tissue; therefore, the plant has to be actively photosynthesizing for glyphosate to work. It will not work on a plant if the plant is brown and dormant, like bermuda grass in the winter. Glyphosate has no soil residual. In other words, when it hits the soil it is neutralized. It only works on “green” tissue. Once applied, glyphosate usually takes only hours of active growing conditions to kill a plant. However, depending upon the time of year, it will take days or weeks to see visible evidence that the plant is dead. The more photosynthetically active a plant is when sprayed, the quicker it will brown out. If you inadvertently spray a plant, immediately cut off the part sprayed, or wash it off with a large volume of water; this latter remedy is not always successful. Be careful of drift when spraying during windy conditions. Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide. It makes no distinction between your desirable and undesirable plants – it kills them all.

LANDSCAPE CONSTRUCTION

Geogrid Reinforced Slope Stabilization

We have been discussing and using geogrids for the past 20 years. One of the more common uses of geogrids is to stabilize the soil behind segmental block retaining walls (e.g., Keystone Wall). Several engineers over the years have told me that it is not the segmental block wall (technically known as a “gravity wall”) that is retaining the soil, but rather it is the geogrid. If this is the case, why build the wall? Or, put another way, can a slope be stabilized without the use of an expensive wall? A wall is necessary to create the largest usable area at the top of the slope when space at the bottom of a slope is very limited, as is frequently the case. Where space and availability of fill soil and excavation costs are not at all limiting, a long, gentle, stable slope can be created without the need for any reinforcement. Geogrid reinforced slopes are a cost-saving solution when a wall is not desired, or affordable, and where there is some limitation on the allowable length of the slope. The following are applications where geogrid reinforced slopes are advantageous and/or save money: substitution for any retaining wall; allow slopes steeper than normal (can be as steep as 1:1) which requires less fill soil and creates additional usable area at the crest of the slope; allow tighter right-of-way conditions; landslide corrections; dikes, levees, and dams. Geogrid should be used more often to reinforce slopes on our mountain sites. It's surprising how few grading contractors are aware of how geogrids can be used in this type of application.

Wayside News is published twice annually and distributed free of charge. It covers topics on landscape design, plant identification, book/literature review, landscape maintenance, and construction. It is intended to be brief but informative, if not argumentative. We welcome any comments and suggestions from readers, particularly concerning topics for future issues.

Andrew J. White
President