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Amazingly, we are in the forth month of 2025 and as seen in the March Herald article, the Facilities Committee has some major projects to consider for this year. One of the projects that will be addressed is the repaving of our streets. Asphalt refurbishing is a large and expensive project and will continue to be for the next few years. Each year the Committee will be recommending a group of streets within the community for seal coat, repair or in some cases replacement. The biggest enemy of asphalt is water. Now we can't do anything about nature but we can do something about over watering of the landscape, both on the common areas and on our homes. Water can seep down through cracks in the asphalt, decreasing the strength and durability of the asphalt mixture. Water can destabilize the asphalt, breaking down the bond. Standing water seeps into the asphalt and the foundation and over time, can cause heaving or buckling. So now with spring around the corner, please double check your irrigation systems and sprinklers for leakage. Make sure the timers on your system are not running too long and the sprinklers are watering your plants and grass and not the streets and sidewalks. If we are vigilant about over-watering, we can diminish the damage to our streets, not to mention saving water and money. Facilities Committee Spring is the perfect time to venture outdoors to enjoy the sun and have some fun gardening. A large garden can be daunting or it may just be impractical. Consider container gardening! It is a versatile and easy way to bring in color and design to your outdoor environment. e rst step is to choose a container. Consider size, material, and a style that will compliment your outdoor décor. Terracotta pots are breathable - but dry out quickly. Ceramic pots are classic and can be colorful. Plastic pots are lightweight and retain water. You can be creative and choose something different if it has adequate drainage and holds enough potting mix. Choose a good quality potting mix that will give you the right moisture retention and drainage. If you feel that drainage may be inadequate broken terracotta pieces or horticultural grit can be placed at the bottom of the pot. e next consideration would be thrillers, llers and spillers. Thrillers are the taller plants. Place them at the back of your pot or in the center. Fillers are medium sized plants and are placed around the thrillers. Spillers are placed around the edge of the pot so that they hang over the edge. Thriller plants include salvia, ornamental grasses, snapdragons, dalias and lavender. Great fillers are petunias, smaller geraniums, marigolds, zinnias and dianthus. Spillers include sweet potato vine, lobelia, million bells, ivy geranium, and nasturtium. When planting, be sure to give your plants room to grow to their mature size. Container plants usually require watering more often than plants in the ground. Since the container plants cannot draw nutrients from the ground they will need regular feeding as well. The final step is to enjoy! While it is fun to design and execute these small gardens, it is so rewarding to sit back and soak in the beauty of your creation. 6 | Four Seasons Hemet Herald | APRIL 2025 | Landscape Committee

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