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12 | THE COLONY NEWS | DECEMBER 2023 | What is the difference between "pesticide" and "herbicide," if any? ere definitely IS a difference! "Pesticide" usually refers to substances which treat members of the animal kingdom, and "herbicide" usually refers to substances which treat members of the plant kingdom. ere is one full-time spray tech from Environmental Concepts (EC) on site at all times. Techs treat with pesticides and herbicides in green belts, wild belts and front yards. During aphid infestation, or during weedy springs, more techs may be brought on site. ese techs have special training and certification to handle chemicals safely. Pesticides: In the Landscape Department, pesticides deal with aphids, mostly, especially in the spring on the roses. Or cottony mealy bugs (on the Rose of Sharon) and spittle bugs (on red salvia and rosemary). Or ants. Herbicides: ese deal with weeds in planters and lawns and on slopes. Weeds are dealt with in a spot-shot fashion, not a broadcast spray, especially on lawns. We use herbicides which are selective to the weeds involved and don't kill the turf. EC puts up signs in the turf, indicating which direction the sprayer will be working. is is intended for dog walkers to avoid the turf areas that day. According to the product labels, as soon as the herbicide dries, it is OK for animals to walk on. e LAC and EC have conducted numerous experiments regarding various methods of weed control, which I have covered in previous articles. If you have a problem with pests or weeds, you can fill out a Property Service Request. For weeds or ants, on this form check "Landscape issue." For gophers and rats, check "Pest issue." e Property Services Department of e Colony (not Landscape) is actually the one dealing with rats and gophers, even though both departments use the same form. Please turn in the completed forms to the HOA Office. Exception to spot-shot herbicide application: You may have noticed the two grass patches by the Nutmeg Gate bench (G35) have looked like the grass is dead. It is. e only time herbicide is broadcast-sprayed on turf is during turf renovation removal, so this is what the first phase of an area being renovated looks like. is grass will be removed in preparation for an experiment. e experiment is to use a ground cover which stays green all year, yet isn't thirsty turf, is mowable and walkable. e current rebate offers state that any turf le in an area requesting rebate is to be excluded from receiving rebate money. e new ground cover we're trying is not classified as "turf," so that the rebate received would be greater. If it works, we may be able to leave more areas green in common areas than we had previously thought. e groundcover we are trying is Kurapia. We saw examples of it at the UC Riverside conference on Sept. 14. Once established, this plant uses up to 60% less water than cool season turf (fescue). It can tolerate shade and being walked on. e thick, dense growth suppresses weeds, and it is sterile, which prevents spreading by reseeding. e experiment will have Kurapia blanket-sod placed in one of the old turf patches, and Kurapia sod "plugs" placed in the other turf patch. We want to see how much of a difference each method of installation makes. And we want to see if Kurapia holds up according to its literature during hot summers without looking "patchy," as other groundcovers here have done during drought years. If this plant works, it will be a game-changer for greenbelts. We are looking for another person to join our committee, so won't you please volunteer? LANDSCAPE ADVISORY By Jan Foster, 951-698-0170 If you haven't seen it, take a look. Use the link https://thecolonyatcaloaks.com/ or scan the QR code with your smart phone. For residents, it is a place to find up-to-date and timely information about e Colony in a user-friendly format. For potential residents, the website reflects who we are and hopefully creates a desire to look at Colony homes for sale. For the first six weeks since our launch, we have had 2,316 visitors to the site and have had 6,104 page views. e majority of visitors, 60 percent, were using a computer, 37 percent their phone and 1 percent a tablet. We thank you for your truly encouraging support. e website is a "living" site that will be continually updated and new pages added. So, check back oen. We value your feedback, so please send us your suggestions at thecolonywebmaster@gmail.com. THE NEW COLONY WEBSITE IS LIVE! By Jane Payne

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