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Why Fall is the Perfect Texas Growing Season

October 30, 2023/in News/by MichaelofAustin

Planting a garden or landscape in fall could raise some eyebrows.

But good reasons to do it are not hard to identify from casual observation. Here in this unheralded but productive Texas growing season, native and non-native adapted species roar into activity with colorful blooms and torrents of seeds.

The reasons why are technical but intuitive.

In October 2023, significant rains finally broke months of drought stress. The water signaled plants that had eked through the summer in dormancy to take advantage and pollinate.

The same mechanism gets triggered when Texas’ soaring summer temperatures subside. Since plants cool themselves through transpiration, or releasing moisture through their leaves, extreme heat and drought are a tough one-two punch.

Take either of those two stresses away, and you’ve got viable conditions for growing. In 2023, it all happened at once.

“Most of the species that grow here natively can handle one or two sources of stress at a time,” Maas Verde project manager Marc Opperman said. “Once they start adding up, that plant tends to have a harder time.”

He added that recent rainfall has supercharged local plant growth. At Maas Verde headquarters, recently planted seeds of multiple species have sprouted and are now advancing rapidly.

Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) sprouted within one week of late October planting at Maas Verde; (photo/Marc Opperman)

The conditions add up to an ideal time to install many Central Texas plants, especially larger specimens. Hot, dry weather doesn’t treat plants well when they’re trying to establish.

Growing demands resources. Trees and shrubs, particularly, can take more inputs to establish than smaller specimens. When the plant is getting signals to conserve moisture and nutrients in any possible way, progress can be marginal.

On the other hand, it’s a big advantage to transplant during an easier growing season, ahead of a period that induces fewer stresses. Many Central Texas natives grow best below 80 degrees, so planting them now gives them the best chance to root and thrive with proper maintenance before summer heat arrives.

“Transplanting itself does induce some stress. So with the amount of rain we’re getting right now and the better growing temperatures, it’s a great time to put plants in the ground,” Opperman said.

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Featured image: Wild-growing Texas lantana (Lantana urticoides) under a fall sky at Maas Verde headquarters; (photo/Maas Verde)

Spread Love for Texas Cedar Trees: A Maas Verde Challenge

October 20, 2023/in News/by MichaelofAustin

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a plant provoke more wrath. Central Texas ranchers scorch the earth of its presence, land managers slander it as thirsty and invasive, and urbanites hate its existence, period.

And generally, none of us even call it the right name.

The Ashe juniper (Juniperus ashei, or “mountain cedar”) is a Texas native plant and part of our state’s fabric. This hardworking evergreen appears in our pollen record as far back as the Ice Age and has thrived for the past several thousand years.

(Photo/creative commons)

Lately, though, it’s become a problem child. “Cedar fever” despair has ramped to an all-time high, especially as populations explode with transplant residents. More objectively, it’s outcompeting other species in new ways, thanks to our changing ecology.

Does the boom indicate that the plant is hogging resources, depleting the land, and threatening to choke out the state in a giant allergic cloud?

Or is it just a beneficial native species that demands updated management techniques?

Maas Verde dug a little deeper — and found that Ashe juniper fosters habitat for other plants and wildlife, recharges aquifers, and adequately resists wildfire.

*Editor’s note: This article uses the terms “Ashe juniper” and “mountain cedar” interchangeably.

‘Vile plant that poisons the air?’

Wildflower Center Ecologist and Land Steward Michelle Bertelsen once called Ashe juniper “a native species behaving badly” — but contended that it’s not the plant’s fault. For removal in land management, she said, it’s a “low-hanging fruit.”

Releasing pollen; (photo/Andy Heatwole via Flickr)

Before human land management, mountain cedar in most Texas habitats competed with native grasses like bluestem and switchgrass. Prairie fires in some areas kept the trees at bay and helped balance the species. So did abundant wildlife, which helped micro-manage them by browsing.

Even more importantly, undisturbed soils and karst structure gave the trees healthier, longer lives.

Then, decades of human-introduced fires, clear cutting, and overgrazing began. Building and development also increased, and a few significant droughts occurred. That resulted in shallower, degraded soils.

A form of mountain cedar that resembles the bushy, low-growing variety began to proliferate. It was especially adapted to the new soil profile, and could root more shallowly.

Malice grew.

“Man and cedar co-exist poorly, and to cede the terrain to the ashe juniper is to cede defeat by a vile plant that poisons the air with its pollen for weeks every year, that chokes out other, friendlier vegetation by hogging resources, and that increases the risk of catastrophic fire through its quick burn.”
Dan Solomon, Texas Monthly

Solomon makes his hostility clear. But if you defang his phrases, his criticisms don’t hold up.

How Mountain Cedar Improves Habitats

Ashe juniper actually provides habitat for other beneficial species. Elizabeth McGreevy is an ecological consultant and executive director of Project Bedrock. Over 20 years of research and advocy for the trees culminated in her book on the topic.

Texas madrone (Arbutus xalapensis), gum bumelia (Sideroxylon lanuginosum), possumhaw (Ilex decidua), and Texas red oak (Quercus buckleyi) “often cannot get a start anywhere else but within the protective branches of our cedars,” McGreevy told the Wildflower Center.

Mountain cedar creates healthy soil with fallen leaves, berries, and twigs in its root zone. Cedar sage (Salvia roemeriana), cedar sedge (Carex planostachys) and cedar rosette grass (Dichanthelium pedicellatum) all grow especially happily in these soils — as their names suggest.

photo demonstrating how cedar protects other plants

Mountain cedar (top left) can provide rich soil and shelter for understory plants. Compare the area under the tree (bottom left) to the unprotected area at bottom right; (photo/Maas Verde)

Maas Verde president and founder Ted Maas thinks of the trees as “nursery” plants. They support companion plants nearby via moisture and temperature regulation, and they limit browsing by Central Texas’ overpopulated deer.

The other headline complaint about mountain cedar is its water consumption. But Wildflower Center Ecologist and Land Steward Michelle Bertelsen took a softer stance.

“It does use water,” said Bertelsen, but “so does all of the other brush.” Effectively managing it, she said, “is about the reduction of woody species or not; the individual species doesn’t matter that much.”

Instead, woody plants in general could provide depleted aquifers like the Edwards with a much-needed boost.

How Cedar Recharges Aquifers

One Texas A&M research group measured this effect by studying redberry junipers (Juniperus pinchotii) — a similar species to the Ashe. They found that the trees increased local soils’ water infiltrability by up to 500%. Trees of every size caused this outcome.

In some ways, the process is simple. Robust roots decompact the soil, creating channels for water to drain toward the limestone layers below. This helps more water filter into the aquifer, recharging it.

(McGreevy added that the study has since included Ashe junipers, and led to nearly identical findings.)

illustration showing infiltration and increased baseflow of landscapes with deep-rooting, woody plants

Two infiltration scenarios in shallow karst soils in the Edwards Plateau. Woody plants (a) break up soils to increase absorption for groundwater recharge. With shallow-rooting plants (b), runoff limits recharge; (image/P. Leite et. al)

But even the fallen leaf litter contributes to this soil function. To filter water properly, soil needs particles big enough to resist clumping when it gets wet. This is called aggregate stability, and multiple sources showed that thicker litter beds under trees aided it.

These soil benefits more than likely counterbalance the trees’ water consumption, the researchers pointed out. Junipers in similar woodlands only drew water from the top eight inches of soil. Roots in deep soils, McGreevy confirmed, usually stay in the top layer.

Maas said his field experience supports those findings.

“Junipers don’t establish taproots like oaks, and we’ve seen that at Maas Verde through thousands of removals,” he said. “Where a live oak will send a root straight down toward deep underground water, the biggest junipers will only reach three to four feet. And the vast majority only root into the top 6 to 12 inches of the soil profile.”

Mountain Cedar Resists Fire and Loves Controlled Burns

Mountain cedar haters don’t only think it guzzles water and kills other species — many also claim it catches fire like it’s got gasoline for sap.

That’s not true at all. Instead, the trees are very effective at catching and absorbing water, and only moderately flammable.

The Ashe juniper’s leaf structure catches rainwater aggressively. Each tree can create its own humidity, generally holding rainwater that hits its canopy. Some say this is yet another sign of mountain cedars’ greed for water, but it also limits their reliance on groundwater and builds their fire resistance.

McGreevy stressed that it’s also important to avoid limbing cedars at a low height. Grasses are the main fuel in Texas prairie fires, so the closer they can grow to the trees’ trunks, the more exposed the trees are.

Again, the foliage stores water extremely effectively.

“I’ve seen, in controlled burns, understory fires go right up to a stand of cedar, hit it, and go around,” Maas said. “The moisture retention of these plants is absolutely amazing.”

grasses burning in front of juniper trees

A scene from a Maas Verde controlled burn in early 2022, where grass fires were extinguished in front of Ashe juniper; (photo/Ted Maas)

That’s one thing that makes controlled burns highly effective tools for maintaining Ashe juniper communities. Fires tend to randomly select trees to limb, clear out, or leave alone. Because a healthy tree can resist fire, the selection process tends to clean out dead or dying individuals.

That creates space and age gaps between specimens. And trees of varied ages can make biodiverse, regenerative habitats when intermixed with other species.

A squirrel inside an Ashe juniper bark nest; (photo/Marc Opperman)

Finally, believe it or not, selective burns like these can also limit cedar fever. Burns on plots at the Wildflower Center reduced pollen counts by 15% on the burned parcels and up to 50% on adjacent plots.

Maintenance Basics

Lands across Texas have sprouted with mountain cedar, which volunteers in degraded soils and withstands drought relatively well. But it’s an effect of these conditions, not their cause.

McGreevy described thickets as “a mega soil-building machine. It’s not trying to get more water in the aquifer; it’s not trying to produce grass for a cow; it is nature’s wholehearted effort to restore the soil, to protect it so no more erosion happens.”

So what does effective management for this species look like?

McGreevy recommended thinning the trees by about 20% in some situations. You can often find them surrounding live oaks, which is a natural arrangement — they’ve been living side by side for thousands of years. But an effective land manager can target some trees for healthy removal.

“You can either leave these areas alone or selectively thin them to expedite the growth. Any trees that are forked down low, or otherwise growing poorly,” she said. “But when they grow densely like that, they end up becoming fantastic wildlife shelter.”

They are the only habitat for the golden-cheeked warbler, for instance. The Texas native songbird builds its small nest only from strips of Ashe juniper bark and spider webs.

McGreevy highlighted it’s key for a land manager to identify areas with well-established mountain cedar communities from degraded areas. It’s common for cedar brakes with large, well-spaced trees to contain individuals up to several hundred years old.

These groups are actively playing their role in karst geology function, and often don’t need intervention, McGreevy advised. But dense copses of smaller, younger trees are also influencing the ecosystem.

“Remember that bushy, low juniper growth is here because it’s reviving the soil so it can eventually favor a wider range of species, or grasses. For these, you focus on nature-based solutions, versus coming in with pre-conceived notions of what an area is supposed to look like,” she said. “It’s not going to look like an established forest overnight. “

mature cedar trees (left) versus a young cedar thicket (right)

The old-growth cedar cover at left (likely 150+ years old) may not need much intervention. The smaller trees in the thicket to the right are amending degraded soil; (photo/Elenore Goode)

End Texas Cedar Hate

So do we need to master the “Art of War Against the Cedar Tree,” like Solomon and Texas Monthly propose?

Maas Verde is currently involved in multiple land management projects where the Ashe juniper is widespread.

These Edwards Plateau properties function as huge watersheds. Drainages channel water down from mesas and mountains to dry arroyos below. We recognized right away that soil retention and biodiversity will be key factors in the sites’ long-term health.

So we’re advocating to leverage the natural support the native trees can provide to both these outcomes.

As you’d imagine, we’ve faced pushback from some stakeholders. But others are coming around to the concept — after all, it’s taking root right under their feet.

“Observation is really the key. If you actually look around at our environment, you’ll start to notice right away that there is no way juniper has zero ecological value,” Ted Maas said, then paused. “But if you’re so sure you’re right about a thing, observation goes out the window, doesn’t it?”

McGreevy echoed him. “We’ve gotten so far away from reading the land,” she said. “But these trees are telling us so much about it. It’s time to start paying attention.”

*Featured image: The blue, berry-like cone of the Ashe juniper is a staple food for browsing wildlife; (photo/icosahedron via iNaturalist)

‘Greenspace’ Makes Our Lives Longer — Or Does It?

October 19, 2023/in News/by MichaelofAustin

Is your neighborhood rich with parks, greenbelts, rain gardens, or other natural landscapes? If so, settle in for the long haul. Tiny structures that protect the DNA inside your cells are flourishing in an extended state of youth.

That’s the news from an interdisciplinary research group, which found that exposure to “greenspace” can lengthen telomeres and extend human life.

At least, that’s the working theory.

Telomeres guard the ends of chromosomes during cell division. Each telomere pays a small price with each division — and the older the organism, the thinner the telomere. Eventually, chromosomes cannot divide without destroying themselves, and the cell dies.

Factors such as work stress can degrade telomeres more rapidly. But thankfully, there’s a pretty easy way to counteract the effects.

Greener Life, Longer Life?

“We found that the more greenspace people had in their neighborhoods, the longer their telomeres were,” said Aaron Hipp, co-author of the study and a professor of parks, recreation and tourism management at North Carolina State University. “That was true regardless of race, economic status, whether they were drinkers or smokers, etc.”

The study defines greenspace broadly, including any “vegetated land cover” such as parks, gardens, or lawns. (Interestingly, earlier research found the the term was prone to interpretation.) In one definition, greenspaces seek to increase ecosystem services and biodiversity in urban areas.

The current study draws on data from a survey including over 7,000 Americans across demographics. And it joins a broad pool of research linking nature immersion to emotional and mental well-being.

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But its authors also considered the effect of socioenvironmental stressors on longevity. Pollution, crime, and housing segregation take a toll on telomeres, they found.

And in fact, these factors likely overwhelm greenspace exposure alone.

Community First

In communities with limited income, education, employment, and housing opportunities, “the positive effect of the greenspace essentially disappeared,” said lead author Scott Ogletree, a former postdoctoral researcher at NC State’s Center for Geospatial Analytics. “In other words, while greenspace seems to help protect telomere length, the harm from other factors appears to offset that protection.”

What’s the upshot? A strong, resource-rich community with greenspace at its roots likely supports human life best.

“These findings point to the need to consider how greenspaces are distributed among neighborhoods in order to gain any benefits” from them, the study concluded.

Funny — that’s what Maas Verde thinks, too.

*Featured image: Chicago’s Maggie Daley Park; (photo/Creative Commons)

How Green Infrastructure Could Change Construction, and the World

October 11, 2023/in News/by MichaelofAustin

The groundswell of one concept could finally awaken the industry of infrastructure design from its long, concrete-gray slumber.

Green infrastructure is that concept, and every landscaper interacts with it — whether they know it or not.

In plain terms, green infrastructure is nature. The entire ecosystem and all its functions contribute to it. Geology, soils and roots, plants, waterways, insects, animals, us, and the atmosphere are its ingredients.

But green infrastructure also provides a creative framework that we can use to shape the world around us as designers. By working with it, we can emulate, restore, and directly use natural processes in buildings, roads, parks, and anything else we design.

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The idea that nature contains its own infrastructure that we can adopt is relatively new. However, the economic value of ecosystem services like food provision and climate resilience is well-established.

Green infrastructure might be key to unlocking the solid foundation and bright future we all aspire to.

Gray Infrastructure

Building nature-focused systems addresses a glaring weakness, especially in the United States. Lawmakers found common ground in 2021’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which pledged $350 billion to update aging public resources. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) had graded roads and other government-owned infrastructure a D+ by the time of the law’s passage.

the golden gate bridge above a concrete-covered landscape

San Francisco; (photo/Bill Abbott via Flickr)

This “gray” infrastructure usually bypasses natural systems and, as a general rule, weakens over time. Sewer systems are a great example of critical infrastructure becoming obsolete in some areas.

Stronger storms and shifting seasons have contributed to catastrophic floods in cities from New York to Karachi, Pakistan. But the concrete-and-steel drainage systems built to divert water from these largely impervious-covered cities are aging past their useful life, a 2019 study in the journal Resources, Conservation and Recycling found. They face scaling and maintenance challenges because they block nature’s hydrological cycle in order to create their own.

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Green Infrastructure

Systems that mimic and/or utilize nature’s more potent ability to absorb and redirect stormwater can help. Green infrastructure is any built system that supports these or other natural processes. Permeable pavement, green roofs, and bioswales are popular examples.

a terraced building with planted patios and roofs

Patio plantings on a terraced design; (photo/NNECPA via Flickr)

Most of us are familiar with green roofs, which utilize plants to cool down otherwise unused space on buildings. Terraced designs with planted balconies can accompany green roofs to reduce wind tunnel effects in dense urban developments and provide even more shade. Finally, shade canopies like the louvers in the photo at the top of this page perform similar functions.

Permeable pavement can replace concrete in some applications to increase “infiltration,” or soaking, of water into soils. Benefits include slowing the pace of stormwater runoff, and increasing water filtration.

cross section of permeable paver design with layers down to uncompacted soil

Permeable paver design; (photo/Liangtai Lin via Flickr)

Bioswales, too, slow and filter stormwater. But they use plantings, root structure, and buried drainage systems to do it. Bioswales can replace common concrete drainage channels to function more like natural tributaries. The plants retain and decompact the soil, which allows efficient absorption of stormwater, and a buried, permeable drainpipe channels the runoff to a river or reservoir.

(Photo/Wiki Commons)

This engineering concept is called green stormwater infrastructure. And in areas like Central Texas, where flooding and droughts are both problems, it can remedy both.

This illustration from the Hill Country Alliance below describes how our natural and built systems can work together.

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In our limestone karst geology, underground aquifers store groundwater. Rainwater fills them by “infiltrating,” or soaking into, the soil, then filtering through the porous rock below.

The left side of the diagram represents our rangelands. The soil in these high plateaus absorbs some stormwater, and the rest drains down to rivers like the Pedernales and the Colorado.

Cities like Austin then build infrastructure to direct and divert it, like the reservoir on the right side of the diagram.

The aquifer can refill through seepage, but compacted soils and impervious ground cover increase runoff and restrict infiltration. That makes recharge zones highly important, as the center of the illustration shows.

Dense native plants in these areas decompact the soil as roots grow downward toward the aquifer below. So when rain falls or drains into the area, it filters underground more directly.

A diver in a karst aquifer; (photo/International Year of Caves and Karst)

OK, But Why Does it Matter?

Imagine cities in our area engineered toward aquifer recharge. Green roofs and terraced buildings cool impervious surfaces and reduce Structures like bioswales and permeable pavement loosen the concrete-and-steel grids that compact soils and shed water quickly.

Direct results include healthy, absorbent soils with stronger plant and wildlife communities. Benefits cascade from there.

Aquifers recharge faster and more regularly. It’s hard to overstate the upside of this function, but easy to illustrate it with one statistic: 55% of all Texas water comes from aquifers (as of 2019).

Beyond that, trees and understory plants thrive, collecting CO2 and cooling off the surrounding surfaces. These green areas also support pollinators and pest predators, like spiders and bats. Humans enjoy the boost in mental and emotional well-being that proximity to nature brings, which is well-documented.

Austin’s “Barking Springs,” one basic example of the kind of infrastructure that will grow more critical as cities expand; (photo/David Ingram via Flickr)

Most vitally, green infrastructure makes our communities resilient rather than vulnerable to extreme weather. Areas with healthier soils and better drainage will withstand floods better. Shadier surfaces add comfort in extreme heat and help reduce convection in heat islands. And a bigger underground water supply can provide security during severe droughts.

Examples at scale exist increasingly, all over the world.

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Large-scale opportunities to completely replace concrete structures with natural solutions exist, too. One such strategy is natural streambank stabilization of waterways that function as drainage.

Streambank stabilization almost always requires some infrastructure. Populated areas change these waterways, often increasing water load and associated erosion.

The gray infrastructure method is to turn them into concrete troughs. But green methods like elevated soil lift (ESL) construction and selective planting can also stabilize these channels’ banks. Like concrete, this solution provides critical water diversion. But it creates absorption and wildlife habitat that concrete does not.

Not only that, but because it is alive, an engineered, planted streambank will strengthen over time rather than weaken. In fact, this is the case in all green infrastructure with proper implementation and plant selection.

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While gray infrastructure still has viable applications for the foreseeable future, green infrastructure can help conserve the natural resources that will protect that future.

Public funding for conservation in Texas over the last three decades adds up to $2.2 billion. Studies have shown that every $1 invested in conservation returns $4 to $11 in ecosystem services like clean air and water and reduced flood risk. And every $1 invested in land conservation for water protection helps avoid $6 in water infrastructure costs.

“Nature-based solutions can be part of the solution,” the Environmental and Energy Study Institute said. “They have a smaller carbon footprint than gray infrastructure and usually sequester carbon — plus they literally grow over time!”

Top 5 Affordable Landscape Ideas For Fall

October 7, 2023/in News/by MichaelofAustin

When sweater weather arrives, patios and backyards come to life. There’s nothing like throwing the doors open in the morning and taking a big breath of crisp, cool air. Happy hours on the deck chairs seem even more appealing, and chilly nights promise festive times to come.

Wildlife experiences this renewal, too. Fall is a second growing season in Texas, when native plants burst into action after semi-dormant summers. Native pollinators like ruby-throated hummingbirds, luna moths, and hardworking honey bees flock to them, invigorated just like us.

Other changes in our natural surroundings can stimulate creativity. What do you envision in your landscape when you look outside? Maybe it’s more color, maybe it’s better function, maybe it’s a total overhaul with a wide array of natural and built structures.

It’s only natural to picture ourselves flourishing outdoors. And we all want to improve our landscapes without breaking the bank.

So as you search for the best bang for your buck, check out these five simple landscape ideas for fall.

1. Build a Patio Extension

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Give yourself some room to kick your feet up and enjoy the breeze! A patio extension can be a great way to reclaim under-utilized yard space or create easier access.

Install challenges vary with design and surface conditions, but many patio extensions are quick and easy.

Maas Verde can tailor your patio design to match existing or new landscape elements. We can also advise on drainage structures and impervious cover requirements.

2. Update Your Outdoor Lighting

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The days are getting shorter, and that means more after-dark activities for us all. How’s your outdoor lighting situation? Low, nonfunctional light can make nocturnal hangouts just as frustrating or dangerous as overbright spaces with glary areas.

Maas Verde installs lighting systems based on specific site needs. We use function-forward lighting equipment that complies with Dark Sky International regulations. And our low voltage models can cut down on your electricity bill.

3. Plant a Pocket Prairie

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Did we mention native Texas plants “spring” to life in fall? They do, and this second growing season is an excellent time for a new plant community to begin life.

What is a pocket prairie? Simply put, it’s a garden with native plants only that supports local wildlife. Maas Verde can select species to meet aesthetic, color, maintenance, and desired pollinator goals.

A pocket prairie is also a great way to take advantage of Maas Verde’s value-added planting programs. We add soil amendments to the root zone of each plant we install, to keep the area healthy long-term. We also include plant warranties to further support ongoing success.

4. Create a Dry Creek

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Dry creeks add multiple functional and aesthetic facets to a landscape. These graded, pebble-lined channels act as points of visual interest, drainage solutions, and functional structures for wildlife.

Here’s the coolest part (from Maas Verde’s point of view): Dry creeks mimic natural riparian systems. Deep-rooting, hearty plants line the banks for retention. A stone bed channels rainwater downstream and allows partial absorption.

Dry creeks can be simple, light-duty work for an experienced crew. Try one if you’ve got puddling issues — or just want to add some natural depth and color to your space!

5. Install a Pergola

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A pergola can put an exclamation point on any landscape, with partial shade functionality and added texture.

Pergolas can take almost any shape or form, adapting materials to meet a range of needs. A timber pergola can create a vibe from rustic to sophisticated, and depth of shade is fully custom. Another option is a retractable design, which combines the frame of a pergola with a removable shade sail.

Why give yourself a ceiling? Maas Verde recommends letting the sun shine through!

Featured image: Creative Commons

A Client’s Guide to Landscaping Costs

October 4, 2023/in News/by MichaelofAustin

Planning a custom landscape is a big thrill. The promise of an inviting deck, colorful garden, or appealing front yard landscape inspires creativity and motivation.

But knowing how much to pay for landscaping can be a challenge.

Budgeting for your project revolves around knowing where costs come from, getting a feel for the fair market rate, and — believe it or not — understanding how you can influence the cost of a landscape design and install yourself.

We want every landscape to be a Maas Verde landscape, but we also know every new client is preparing to make a big decision. That’s why we created this guide to landscape budgeting.

In it, you’ll find:

- Major costs and hidden costs on every landscape job

- Easy prep work you can do to boost efficiencies and drive down costs

- Maas Verde’s baseline pricing for “Am I in the ballpark?” questions

We come to each job site with all the tools we need for success. We believe you should have the same advantage.

Major Drivers of Landscaping Costs

The two main landscaping costs to the customer are materials and labor. This would make it appear that prices generally follow the size of a project.

But labor efficiency doesn’t grow at a constant rate unless it’s repeatable. So project complexity affects landscape prices much more strongly than project size.

Generally, a project grows more complex as the number of distinct services it requires increases.

Complexity Affects Cost More Than Size

Take Zilker Park’s Great Lawn for example. As an experiment, imagine you designed and installed the current landscape. You’d be looking at several acres of ground clearing and grading, irrigation, soil spreading, and sod install.

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While that’s plenty more sod and PVC than you’d lay in a typical back yard, the job tasks required are exactly the same. Zilker will take longer to complete, obviously, but the labor will increase at a predictable rate because the crew rarely transitions between job tasks.

Now let’s completely redesign the park. (Many will recall this almost happened recently.)

In this scenario, say you plan an absorbent rain garden in the top corner of the property to collect stormwater and distribute it thoughout the site. Below that, you’ll install a native-planted prairie for wildlife habitat. To protect that habitat, you’ll build a network of elevated walkways. You’ll still include a partial lawn, but you’ll surround it with large tree species like live oaks to protect the turf from scorching. Let’s say the city also contracts you to build the sand volleyball courts, and you decide to fence them off from a nearby boulder garden.

Though these two hypothetical projects are the exact same size, the cost difference between them could easily exceed $500,000.

Why Complex Jobs Cost More

Costs for the landscape company and the client compound each time there’s a new service on the project. The reality of the industry is that most clients want a one-stop shop — a wide range of services from the same contractor. This is Maas Verde’s objective, but it means we need to maintain a large crew and find every efficiency we can.

“We can break down every project into a list of roughly seven elements: earthwork, planting, hardscape, carpentry, steel fabrication, irrigation, and lighting. When an install only has one of these elements, we don’t need to context switch at all, and the demand on management is light. But as you approach all seven, there’s a much higher difficulty. How do we source materials? What tool sets do we need at the job and how do we get them there? There could be storage challenges. The project manager needs to organize the job in phases, and each phase presents its own communication challenges.”
-Maas Verde project manager John Harris

landscaping work including stone cutting and welding

Jobs with multiple phases increase premiums on communication, and context switching between skill sets.

Materials as a Function of Labor

Customers can also consider labor complexity as the main driver of price differences between materials. Maas Verde regularly uses either 4″ cut limestone blocks or 1/4″ plate steel to edge landscape elements.

Maas Verde consistently purchases both materials at virtually the same price per linear foot.

But the labor cost of working with steel can be 50%-100% higher. An aesthetic steel edge demands significantly more attention to detail and specialty labor than a limestone one. These requirements increase on a straight edge, where any imperfection in steel is glaringly obvious. Welding introduces more serious safety concerns and more personal protective equipment (PPE).

The same logic applies to softscapes versus decking. Both accomplish the same general function of ground cover, but because of disparities in labor, carpentry will always cost more than sod or mulched beds.

Most Overlooked Costs

Cost items in landscaping range from overt to obscure. Anyone can infer that a brand-new deck made from premium materials is a cost. Same with a grove of freshly installed 65-gallon shade trees.

But on every job site, a handful of costs almost always get overlooked.

Demolition and Disposal

Consider your site. Maybe it’s a back yard with a collapsing retaining wall and some dying turfgrass. Maybe it’s a concrete patio surrounded by artificial turf. Maybe it’s a rotting deck and a flight of stairs.

No matter what eventually replaces these structures, they must first come out. This removal holds the first two hidden costs in landscaping: demolition and disposal.

“Most people tend to think of the positive, or additive, elements of a landscape project,” Maas Verde project manager Marc Opperman explained. “But the subtractive parts of a job consume resources, too.”

a retaining wall project in two different phases

Demolition can be as intensive as construction.

Removal of existing structures, soils, vegetation, and hardscape elements takes time. And depending on the materials involved, dumping isn’t always a one-stop shop.

Irrigation

Another commonly forgotten landscape cost is irrigation. For most people, the reality is that maintaining aesthetic standards for plants during Central Texas summers will require at least some artificial irrigation. An existing irrigation system may or may not meet the demands of a new plant plan. And a new system costs $2,000 per zone to install.

Maas Verde recommends an irrigation diagnostic for all existing systems before new plantings go in. The process is cost-effective at $250 and can help expectations align with reality.

Subsurface Conditions and Access

Other underground conditions also influence landscaping prices. Not a day goes by without Maas Verde crew members excavating — and when they have to break through stubborn kaliche or limestone, it adds time.

Finally, characteristics that limit access can strongly influence the cost for landscaping.

Maas Verde uses machines to unlock efficiencies whenever we can. And while we maintain equipment specialized to our working conditions, there are limits. Our mini skid steers can pass through a four-foot (48”) gate, for instance, but not a three-foot (36”) one.

an operator guiding a mini skid steer through a gate

We can operate on slopes, but only so steep.

“When I estimate labor, I’m looking at a site and I’m thinking about all these things,” John Harris, Maas Verde project manager, said. “Subsurface and surface conditions. Will we be carrying materials by hand or can we use a machine? Can we get a machine to an area where we need to excavate or not? If not, those situations add up.”

How You Can Control Costs

While you can’t influence the rates a landscaper charges, you can influence your own cost for landscaping services. Any home or business owner can do this by doing some property research and prep work.

The Impact of Surveys

To start, you can make a major impact with a solid property survey. This document can be instrumental in project design and planning.

A good survey shows exact property boundaries, substantial trees and their species, built features, and even includes insights on buried utilities. Savings will be reflected in design fees and install efficiency.

Surveys give our designers limits, telling them what they can and can’t do. Say you want a stone patio but your property is close to the City’s impervious cover limit. In that case, we can find out what’s feasible.

Communication is critical, especially on big projects — and creating a tight design is one of the best ways to get any crew on the same page. Once we’re on the job site, the survey will limit surprises. For instance, knowing the exact property line on a fence project can save hours.

Claiming Rebates and Preparing Your Area

Applying for the City of Austin’s multiple rebates can help pay back landscape costs. A $5,000 rebate is available for rainwater harvesting, and the “WaterWise” rebate for native plant conversions pays up to $3,000. These rebates aren’t for every customer, but knowing what you do or don’t want to apply for is an excellent place to start.

Finally, simply cleaning up your property for our crews will build efficiencies. You can remove brush piles or unwanted plants and clear tight access areas of any debris or home goods.

How Maas Verde Combats Lack of Pricing Standards

Pricing in the landscape industry is often a moving target. But this can be frustrating for customers and hazardous to companies.

Industry standard pricing is elusive, if it exists at all. Protocols for estimates are the same. Our project managers experience these circumstances when, for instance, they recruit subcontractors for large projects.

Proposals they receive range widely. Some are painstakingly itemized, and some consist of a few crude sentences followed by a lump sum. Pricing comes in all over the board, and doesn’t necessarily follow predictable trends.

Most landscape clients find the same thing.

Forbes summed up the situation in a 2023 article that attempts to outline “average” landscaping prices. The publication landed on numbers that reflect the chasm that is pricing in the industry.

“When it comes to services that upgrade your outdoor space, the sky is literally the limit. With that in mind, a landscaping project can cost as little as $90 or more than $60,000.”

While you can get almost nothing done with $90, Forbes’ assessment is patently true otherwise. The situation it describes is just extremely vague.

Estimating a landscape project takes experience and ongoing practice. Our project managers bring a deep understanding of our techniques and overall model — they helped create it! They also work closely alongside our crew members, which helps build reliable time budgeting.

But there’s a reason they call an estimate an “estimate,” and multiple factors can affect the timeline of any job.

Because that’s the case, we are working on aggregate pricing tools to put clients in control with ballpark numbers they can count on. Our goal is to limit client interactions where the numbers just don’t line up.

Internal evaluation has so far shown us that we can reliably price garden beds at $7-10 per square foot. And because plantings are the core of any landscape design, we recommend using this square-foot pricing as a rough guideline as we continue our research.

From there, keep the key concepts from this guide in mind as you consider your budget. For Maas Verde, ecological restoration is the objective — and empowering clients is the priority.

What is Ecological Landscaping?

September 28, 2023/in News/by MichaelofAustin

Ecological landscaping seeks to implement a vision of human-designed outdoor spaces that integrate into natural processes. In action, it leverages natural sciences to create healthy communities of diverse native plants and wildlife.

It promotes the costless ecological benefits that support all life. And it satisfies human needs and aesthetics.

Ecological landscaping works to restore any ecosystem by fostering healthy soil and supporting pollinators. It can resolve trenchant infrastructure shortfalls. Examples include heat islands and wasteful stormwater drainage in urban areas, and soil erosion and monoculturing in rural areas. It can also ease pressure on existing, engineered solutions to these problems.

Finally, it can result in colorful, attractive landscapes.

a planted rain garden with a birdbath, both filled with water

Functional and appealing

Designers of ecological landscapes seek to plan communities as unified systems where natural and manufactured components work together. Arguably, every landscape design must integrate into a “novel ecosystem” — a system of biotic, abiotic, and social components defined by human influence.

The key goals of these landscapes serve the three pillars of sustainability: economic, social, and environmental benefits. The main factors the ecological landscaper must consider are soil restoration, species biodiversity, and plant propagation. All these measures build educational and social opportunities, and support functioning economies in the long term.

Photo: Marc Opperman

“Ecology-based design emphasizes stimulating growth of soil biotic populations and maximizing above and below-ground biodiversity. Specific methods and materials vary by site,” said Rick Martinson, Ph.D. in Horticulture and owner of WinterCreek Restoration & Nursery. “But every design strives to create a fully functional landscape that doesn’t rely on artificial inputs.”

Prioritizing ‘Ecosystem Services’

Imagine a typical city or suburb. Blocks are laid out in squares, lined with impermeable structures that reflect heat and do not absorb water. Natural materials are relegated to the medians, margins, and other in-between spaces.

Photo: Harry Thomas via Pexels

In this standard format, cities are linear designs that usually consume water and produce waste at high rates. Stormwater flows faster over hard surfaces, causing erosion and depositing pollutants downstream.

The overall effect is to interrupt nature’s cyclical, filtering processes.

an illustration showing how cities affect natural water cycles

Illustration: University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

These impervious designs also obstruct the flow of “ecosystem services.”

These free, nature-provided functions are the reason all human life exists. They allow life on multiple levels, from growing food to filtering water, controlling disease, and supporting recreational and cultural opportunities.

ecosystem services categories including provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting

Infrastructure that ignores or restricts ecosystem services fails to capitalize on these vital, zero-cost resources. But ecological landscape designers can remediate these deficiencies. The critical path is to harness natural elements to perform infrastructural functions (called “green infrastructure”).

Photo: thewatershedproject.org

One common example of green infrastructure design is a rain garden, a landscape structure that mimics natural water cycling. Rain gardens can cause stormwater to infiltrate soils and recharge aquifers, reducing flood and pollution hazards that most impermeable drainage structures worsen.

Even more simply, trees, vegetation, and green roofs can reduce heat island effects. They shade reflective surfaces, deflect solar radiation, and regulate atmospheric moisture.

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Biodiversity is Key

But creating healthier plant communities is more complex than just installing more green things. Biodiversity among species is a major driver of ecosystem structure and function. So intentional species selection is critical to any ecological landscaper’s plant plan.

As well-designed plant communities mature, they tend to increase in resilience and benefit. Consider the rain garden below (swipe right for seasonal progress).

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Every size ecosystem needs a wide variety of species to function beneficially. In fact, a non-biodiverse environment could not produce any of the ecosystem services listed above.

We need multiple species of pollinators for food production. Plant communities with multiple cohabitating species resist disease better, limiting failure. Stronger plant communities retain and enrich soil, limiting flooding and supporting resource security. And research has established links between exposure to nature and mental well-being. (The Royal Society further explains these concepts in a colorful 90-second read.)

Landscapes like rain gardens, butterfly gardens, and even hardscape projects should include diverse plantings. Designers should prioritize native species, because these plants have adapted to their local ecosystem for thousands of generations.

Yes, we mainly live in novel ecosystems. But these changes point even more directly to the benefits of native plants.

“Seven to eight generations of human management have affected most soils in our area,” explained Ted Maas, president and founder of Maas Verde. “We can perform amendments, but that creates human influence, too. So plants that have adapted to these soils over long periods of time are more likely to thrive.”

As Martinson points out, “fully functional landscapes” are the goal. The effective ecological landscape designer considers links between all species at a site. This also factors in migratory and resident wildlife, including insects and soil biota.

Monarchs on Gregg’s mistflower (top); Ruby-throated hummingbirds on lantana. Photos: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Travis Audubon

Soil Health and Long-Term Benefits

Creating human-friendly systems where plant communities also thrive is the overarching goal of ecological landscaping. But the benefits of these landscapes must propagate in the soil first.

Many areas, urban and rural, experience deeply degraded soil conditions due to a range of causes. Ecological landscaping needs to address erosion and sterility in soils.

An example of gully erosion, in which fast-moving water removes soils by cutting channels in landscapes

Virtually all sites that have undergone conventional construction or industrial-scale agriculture exhibit these conditions.

At a typical construction site, crews prepare the area by scraping away vegetation and topsoil down to a depth of several yards. Materials that replace it are usually impermeable (concrete, asphalt) or do not support the site’s original ecology.

This creates several problems. Applying hard surfaces over soil compacts it, increasing erosion and runoff and decreasing nutrient exchange. And plants that are unsuited to their location tend to root poorly, require chemical treatments, or fail.

Roots naturally decompact and aerate soils. Decomposition and water infiltration in soils stimulate nutrient cycling, and biodiversity of species builds resilience against stressors. Ecological landscaping performs these functions.

Illustration: Institute for Local Self-Reliance

This generates lasting resilience, leading to long-term resource security in communities. Once the system establishes itself, it becomes more valuable as it propagates.

An ecological landscape is “an investment that tends to increase in value as plants grow and become more self-sufficient. Studies have shown that capital costs can be reduced by 15 to 80 percent by using green infrastructure in stormwater management, paving, and landscaping,” Oregon State University’s Gail Langelotto and Singe Danler explain.

Maintenance costs represent one clear example of these savings. Since native plants are adapted to their site, they require little chemical treatment or irrigation (if any).

‘Rethinking’ Landscape Design

Traditional landscapes conform to traditional human infrastructure designs — linear, decoupled from natural processes, and waste-producing. Ecological landscapes will alter these designs and perform new, integrated functions within the novel ecosystems that result.

A bioswale on an urban street. Photo: Department of Energy & Environment

“Ecological landscaping does not necessarily replicate natural landscapes, although it may include parts of them; rather, it incorporates natural systems and processes into a human-centered design. By rethinking landscape design and modifying some of its objectives, we can make use of the many services natural ecosystems freely provide, often more efficiently and economically than built systems.”
-S. Danler, G. Langellotto

The quantifiable benefits of ecological landscaping are substantially unknown, mainly because the trade is so nascent. While its rudimentary principles have existed for well over half a century (it’s not functionally wrong to think of the Barton Creek Greenbelt as one giant rain garden), the industry is young.

Ecosystems need time to develop and mature, and society needs time to accept change. People generally like it when their surroundings seem cohesive and conform to the status quo. Transitioning the aesthetic ideal of a landscape from the conventional lawn (perfectly manicured but often dysfunctional) to the native plant garden (wilder but functional) will take time.

A conventional turfgrass lawn and plantings (left) and rain garden (right)

Installing ecological landscapes at scale can ease this pain point. More importantly, linking more naturally landscaped areas together makes the habitat far more viable for the plants and wildlife it hosts.

Ecological landscapes can look different, or messy, but design techniques like critical species selection and clean edging can add intentionality. Below grade, the soil will store the benefits of increased biodiversity and erosion control for future generations.

Maas Verde believes creating aesthetic, functioning landscapes will spark widespread adoption of these re-imagined structures. And that through this process, we can restore ecosystems.

How to Compost Leaves in Your Yard

September 26, 2023/in News/by MichaelofAustin

Here’s a hot take: Leaf litter is not litter.

Instead, fallen leaves are a beneficial byproduct you can harness to create soil amendments, resilient garden beds, and happy, colorful plants — season after season.

And if you know how to compost leaves, you can harvest these benefits with almost zero investment or hard work. Your neighbors may be bagging leaves and dragging them to the curb for collection. But you’ll be stockpiling nutrients and fostering communities of soil organisms for your grass or plantings for years to come.

The best part: It’s free.

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All it takes is a rake, a mower, and a little patience. Here’s Maas Verde’s easy guide to composting leaves.

How to Compost Leaves

1. Rake or blow leaves into a pile. Shred them with any lawnmower. Maas Verde recommends a mower bag for tidier collection.

1. Collect leaves into a pile or bin. Here’s a simple setup you can build out of pallets.

1. Add layers of nitrogen-rich materials. Grass clippings, food waste, and manure are common sources. Create layers 6-10” thick.

1. Start with a pile several feet tall. Keep the volume of leaves and other materials roughly equal.

1. Hurry up and wait! You will only turn the compost twice each year. More on that later — stick around, because the reason has to do with barbeque.

1. Check for moisture periodically. You don’t want to disturb the compost too much, so you can insert an object like a stirring spoon to do this. Samples from inside the pile should be about as damp as a squeezed-out kitchen sponge. If it’s dry, wet it moderately with a hose end sprayer or watering can.

1. Turn the pile once in summer and once in winter. The key is to aerate the mixture, so you’ll want to use a pitchfork or similar tool.

1. The mixture will heat up while it processes. Eventually, earthworms will colonize it. And within 12-18 months, you should have dark, crumbly, nutrient-rich compost!

Photo: USDA via Rawpixel

This is the “static pile” compost model. It may sound unusual to anyone who’s used to turning compost each month or two. But one slow-cooked, staple Texan food can shed light on the benefit.

“Imagine you’re cooking a brisket. Would you rather rub it down and smoke it for 12 hours, or toss it in the microwave and call it good?” Maas Verde project manager John Harris said. “If you’re in that first camp, you’re a static pile compost person.”

Enough said.

Harris advised working compost into garden soils by spreading and raking. You can also use it to top dress your lawn in spring or fall, or add it right back into your pile to keep cultivating it, season after season.

What is Ecological Landscape Maintenance?

September 22, 2023/in News/by MichaelofAustin

We all know about “mow and blow.” The typical landscape maintenance model emphasizes periodic visits that look the same every time: Mow, trim, weed, then blow the debris into a pile and haul it off.

But this approach is costly, time-consuming, and does not positively engage with ecological processes. Maas Verde wanted a better, ecological landscape maintenance program, so we built our own.

Key Concepts:

- Soil health

- Balancing aesthetics and functionality

- Conserving resources and saving clients money

Ecological landscape maintenance is an affordable and vital component of landscape restoration. The substance of ecological landscaping usually involves site remediation. Restoring soil health and building functioning plant communities that host beneficial wildlife — while satisfying the client’s goals and aesthetic preferences — are the objectives.

So, ongoing maintenance must serve these outcomes. Maintenance performed ecologically can save clients thousands of dollars over mow and blow services, produce healthier landscapes, and conserve resources.

“Maintenance tends to be undervalued. Although, for a restoration project, it’s probably the number one most critical piece,” Maas Verde president and founder Ted Maas said. “You’re trying to steward a system from its current, degraded state into a new, ecological direction. It’s a process-oriented approach, so it requires ongoing maintenance and monitoring.”

At Maas Verde, this takes shape as a low-impact model that focuses on creating healthy soil to propagate healthy plants. We arrive at every job site with all the tools we need — including mowers and blowers. But the most important tool in the kit for the ecological landscape maintenance technician is knowledge of soils and species.

Take a south-facing turfgrass lawn that receives all-day sun exposure. Maas Verde will mow and trim this grass selectively, to help the grass survive its hot, dry location. Over-mown grass will refuse to root deeply, leaving it vulnerable to drought and death. Longer blades promote deeper roots, making the plant resilient and limiting dependency on artificial irrigation.

Roots naturally aerate and de-compact soil, encouraging nutrient cycling. Over time, this limits soil erosion (a significant pollutant) and fosters healthier plant communities.

Low-Impact Maintenance

The reality is, most urban and suburban soils are heavily depleted. Soil restoration requires long-term efforts and, in many cases, lab testing. Responsible plantings, well-informed composting, and programmed irrigation are big pieces of the puzzle.

It’s important to interpret each landscape as a system, and many systems involve non-native invasives as well as desired native species. The ecological approach entails an evaluation before you weed or prune a plant.

“Balancing the appearance and functionality of a landscape is important. Native plants, generally, do not want to get cut into boxes by hedge cutters,” Maas said. “So pruning is an art. Nature doesn’t make straight lines, and we consider that along with landscape aesthetics in all maintenance work.”

Ecologically-maintained landscapes can serve a function, like this planted dry creek, and look neat and tidy.

For all the desired outcomes of a landscape maintenance plan, there’s also one inherent hurdle: Plant survival. In any landscape that’s not artificial, plants will die. Maas Verde interprets these events not as failures, but opportunities.

“It’s actually good for your site, because it gives us information we can apply to our process-oriented landscaping overall,” project manager Marc Opperman said. “Instead of treating those plant deaths as failures, they’re points of data that allow us to refine and, in a sense, upgrade what we do.”

Plant death is not waste, and neither is leaf litter. There is no waste in nature. Maas Verde’s maintenance model mimics this wasteless system, conserving resources, money, and the environment at large.

That’s the reason we base our maintenance plans on seasons and weather patterns, instead of traditional bi-weekly or monthly visits.

“It’s temperature and rainfall. Plants you don’t want will sprout up after a rain. You’ll have dormancy during a hot, dry summer,” Maas explained. “We ultimately want these landscapes to be resilient — not dependent on maintenance.”

You can start a maintenance plan with Maas Verde here.

Austin’s Rainwater Harvesting Rebate: What to Know

September 20, 2023/in News/by MichaelofAustin

There’s $5,000 on the table from Austin Water for all customers. All it takes to apply is to follow some basic guidelines and fill out a checklist.

Rainwater harvesting can save you money, especially on landscape irrigation. Anyone irrigating their outdoor space with captured rainwater is not subject to the City of Austin’s watering schedule. Equipment is also tax exempt, and you can treat collected water for drinking and general home use.

Maas Verde performs system installs at scale for residential, commercial, and civic clients. In conjunction with a rain garden or other erosion-resistant landscape design, it’s feasible to store thousands of gallons of rainwater on most properties.

Here’s your guide to claiming a City of Austin rainwater harvesting rebate.

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What the Rebate Covers

This rebate helps offset install and equipment costs on rainwater harvesting systems, up to half the total system cost. The city pays $0.50 per gallon of capacity for non-pressurized systems (no pump) and $1.00 per gallon of capacity for pressurized systems.

Eligible costs include tanks, pads, screens, filters, first-flush attachments, selected piping and all labor associated with install.

The rebate does not cover delivery/shipping, gutters, or irrigation — although the city does make $1,000 in irrigation upgrade rebates available to residents.

Rebates max out at $5,000 per property. There is no limit on system capacity. Examples of rebates:

- 100 gallons, non-pressurized, $200 cost = $50 rebate

- 100 gallons, non-pressurized, $50 cost = $25 rebate

- 1,000 gallons, non-pressurized, $1,500 cost = $500 rebate

- 1,000 gallons, pressurized, $1,500 cost = $750 rebate

- 1,000 gallons, pressurized, $2,500 cost = $1,000 rebate

- 10,000 gallons, pressurized, $20,000 cost = $5,000 rebate

A pressurized water holding tank for irrigation.

Who Can Apply

Any customer of Austin Water or another eligible provider with a bill in their name qualifies for the rebate. The city specifies that the applicant “must be the property owner or utility account holder.”

You’ll also need to agree to let the city perform pre- and post-install inspections on the system, and must “intend” to keep it in service for a minimum of five years (500 gallons or less) or ten years (over 500 gallons).

Austin Water also reserves the right to reference your system in outreach materials.

Rainwater Catchment System Requirements

This rebate applies to any qualifying new rainwater harvesting equipment, including brand new systems or expansions of existing systems. Tanks must be enclosed, purpose-built for rainwater collection, either metal with a lined interior or painted plastic.

Systems with a total capacity of less than 500 gallons face fewer requirements and regulations than systems over 500 gallons. The city specifies that any tank over 500 gallons must have a first-flush diversion system and a level base made of gravel, sand, or concrete. (Maas Verde recommends concrete for this size tank.)

Pressurized systems must meet city requirements for auxiliary water systems. If you’re considering a pump-operated setup, refer to Austin’s Cross Connection Control/Water Protection permits.

How To Apply

For a system that holds 500 gallons or less, all you need to do is fill out the one-page rebate application and send it to the City of Austin along with an itemized, dated receipt. You can do this before or after system install (within 30 days if after). Your check should arrive within 6-8 weeks, according to Austin Water.

For systems over 500 gallons in capacity (including multiple smaller tanks connected in series), you’ll need pre-approval.

Fill out the same one-page application form. Then include the following:

- Site Drawing: show locations of buildings, streets, existing/proposed tank(s), watermeter, and piping from the tank to the landscaped areas. Identify the size of thecatchment area (usually the roof) and the area you will water with rainwater.

- System Drawing: sketch plans for the system. Show piping, first-flush diversionsystem, pump location (if applicable), tank material, dimensions, placement, padmaterials (must be gravel, sand, or concrete) and construction.

- Operation & Maintenance Guide: describe how the system will function and how youwill maintain it.

- Photographs: show the area the cistern will be located.

(Maas Verde can perform these services for all clients.)

After the City of Austin approves your plan, you can secure permitting and start construction within 90 days. Once installed, you’ll submit a rebate calculation worksheet, itemized and dated receipt, and photos of the finished project.

After any post-install inspection and approval, you’ll receive a check in 6-8 weeks.

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Learn More

Collecting rainwater can substantively function toward resource conservation. Most rainwater catchment systems support general outdoor uses like irrigation or washing equipment.

The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) explains some benefits of rainwater, such as its high capacity to support plant growth due to its softness and low sodium content. Rainwater also generally contains fewer particulates from atmospheric gases and pollutants than municipal water, the TWDB points out.

Finally, softer water helps appliances and fixtures last, limiting scale.

In terms of ecological viability, the TWDB found as early as 2002 that rainwater harvesting can help some Texas communities “close the gap” between water supply and demand. Recent examples of this gap include this summer’s closure at Jacob’s Well, following alleged aquifer misuse by a local utility provider.

A Texas State University team outlined one model for rainwater harvesting on a development-scale basis in the Texas Hill Country. Using the hydrologic cycle as a baseline, the team explained how “efficient use of the water resource may be enhanced by ‘tightening’ water loops, using strategies such as residential-scale rainwater harvesting.”

Maas Verde recommends Austin Water’s rainwater harvesting rebate FAQ page as a quick reference. The American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA) provides technical information about system install and operation. And the TWDB’s rainwater catchment manual (linked above) is a highly comprehensive resource for anyone looking to learn more.