ELM 2023 — Our First Year
Commencing Spring 2023, the Mahogany Homeowners Association (MHOA) entered into a landscape maintenance agreement to perform enhanced landscaping on city-owned* medians, boulevards, and traffic circles within Mahogany. The MHOA will manage approximately 18,300m2 (4.6 acres) of median/boulevards, this increase as the community continues to develop.
Curb Sweeping
Once the city of Calgary provides us with the scheduled date for our community curb sweep, our team will be allotted a 7-day period to clear all gravel from the medians and boulevards maintained by the city.
The act of removing gravel from grass is an indispensable practice for preserving the vitality, safety, and visual appeal of lawns and landscapes. Consistent gravel removal ensures optimal conditions for grass growth, minimizes safety risks, and elevates the overall quality of outdoor spaces.
The importance of removing gravel from grass cannot be overstated, especially in both residential and public spaces.
You can discover the scheduled date for curb sweeping on your street by visiting here.
(note the ELM program does not maintain residential addresses or those that fall under Bylaw 20M88)
Promoting Lawn Health
Weed Prevention
Enhancing Safety
Preservation of Soil Quality
Removal of Dead Growth
Removing spring dead growth from shrubs and ornamental grasses is a proactive and beneficial practice that improves the appearance, health, and longevity of these plants. It promotes new growth, reduces the risk of disease and pest issues, and ensures that the plant receives the resources it needs to thrive.
Removing spring dead growth from shrubs and ornamental grasses is a common horticultural practice with several important benefits:
Aesthetic Appeal
Promotes New Growth
Disease Prevention
Reduces Competition
Soil Testing
In order to guarantee that the MHOA was dedicating resources and implementing the most effective horticultural methods for our community, we conducted soil tests.
After reviewing the soil testing results, we made a slight modification to our fertilization plan by incorporating a soil amendment to enhance overall growth.
Soil testing is a fundamental step in landscaping that helps you make informed decisions about plant selection, nutrient management, and overall soil health. It contributes to the sustainability, aesthetics, and health of your landscape while preventing potential problems and ensuring long-term success.
Here are some more reasons why soil testing is important in landscaping:
Nutrient Management
Assesses Soil Quality
pH Adjustment
Cost Efficiency
Aeration, Soil Amendment, and Overseeding
The MHOA landscaping team diligently performed aeration on all the medians and boulevards falling under the ELM program. We discovered that the soil was excessively compacted, potentially hindering robust grass root growth.
As spring arrived and allowed us to evaluate the current state of these medians and boulevards, we revised our rehabilitation plan to prioritize fiscal responsibility and maximize the benefits. For instance, certain medians showed no signs of grass growth, so instead of applying fertilizer to those areas, we opted for increased seeding, soil enrichment, and adequate watering to facilitate growth.
Watering
By collaborating with an external water services provider in conjunction with our in-house landscaping team, the MHOA successfully supplied more than 89,000 gallons of potable water to our trees, lawns, shrub beds, and traffic circles.
Traffic Circles
The extended accumulation of weed growth posed the greatest challenge in maintaining traffic circles. Our team diligently worked to control weed growth within the traffic circles. Managing the maintenance and restoration of selected traffic circles will be a significant component of our operational and investment plan for 2024.
Sod Replacement
The year 2023 presented exceptionally dry conditions, which were less than ideal for new turf development. However, we addressed this challenge by collaborating with an external water services provider, utilizing potable water to ensure that the areas in greatest need received the necessary hydration.
In certain areas, the sod in our medians had deteriorated to the point where it was beyond recovery. To enhance the overall aesthetics and health of our community, we’ve taken the proactive step of removing some of the dead sod and replacing it with fresh, vibrant grass. This ongoing revitalization effort not only ensures a more attractive appearance but also contributes to a greener, healthier environment that we can all enjoy.
The ongoing plan will encompass both the replacement of sod and the exploration of more sustainable practices, such as xeriscaping.
2022/2023 Comparisons
We are excited to showcase our annual landscaping progress through visual comparisons using Google Maps images. While we have made significant positive strides in enhancing our landscapes, it’s important to acknowledge that we still have work ahead of us. In some areas, the majority of the sod has been overtaken by weeds, highlighting the challenges we are actively addressing to improve our outdoor spaces.
2023 Image Gallery
