Activity is at a frenzy during summer and residents tend to take full advantage of the outdoor spaces of their apartment complexes during these warm weather months. Apartment property managers have plenty on their plate year round and summer is typically no vacation – here are five areas which are often overlooked:
Irrigation
With the heat of summer, it is extremely important to ensure irrigation systems are working properly in order to protect landscaping. Irrigation systems can be customized to fit your needs and optimize efficient watering. Have your system checked to make sure the watering schedule is appropriate – time of day, days of week, run time, etc. Any malfunctions such as blown heads, nozzles or line leaks should also be addressed. Not only will this give your landscaping the best chance for health but keep your water bills down as well.
Watering Guidelines
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Most turf grasses need between ¾” and 1” of water per week
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One good deep soak per week is much better than frequent shallow watering as the water has a chance to penetrate the thatch and promote deep roots
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Factor rainfall into your watering schedule, skip it all together on weeks with heavy showers or adjust accordingly
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Water early in the morning (between 4am and 9am) to reduce evaporation and avoid scalding your grass with water that has been warmed in the sun all day
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Drying time is equally as important as watering – if the soil or thatch remain wet for extended periods, latent diseases are more likely to activate
Walking Paths
With residents and their pets more active during summer, it is important to ensure walking paths are in good condition to avoid liability. Any obstruction such as raised sections of pavement caused by cracks or tree roots which can buckle paths can be hazardous, particularly to those riding bicycles. Loose material such as bark, pine straw and landscape rock should be routinely swept off of paths to avoid accidental slips. Tree branches should be trimmed to allow at least 8 or 9 feet of clearance above the path and shrubs and other plants should also not encroach walk ways.
Trees
With the many deciduous trees in the southeast, most have already begun to fill out with new leaves. Trees are a great feature but very expensive to replace. Have a certified arborist inspect your trees to gauge their health looking for signs such as tip dieback that could signal distress. Trees can be damaged or killed by a variety of diseases such as Oak Wilt and insects such as bores. Summer here also means heavy thunderstorms and high winds. To lessen the likelihood of damage from falling branches or trees, canopies should be thinned and dead trees removed.
Stagnant Water
Exterior Lighting
Good lighting is extremely important to maintaining a safe environment. Once in place, light fixtures don’t need much maintenance other than the occasional bulb change but their settings should be customized each season. Whether there are manual time clock settings or photocells which trigger the lights, be sure they are turning on and off at the appropriate time to avoid wasting electricity. Thunderstorms which result in power loss can reset the system. Photocell sensors can also be obstructed by plant growth and reduce their effectiveness.
Paying attention to these five areas will keep your property safe, residents happy and potentially save you money.
Have you considered building an edible garden on property for your residents to enjoy? Click the link below to download a free info packed e-book, created by two industry professionals, which will teach you what to do and when for a great harvest this year.
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