Case notifications were introduced at the beginning of January 2012. We use cases internally to track requests, problems, and other non-billable items. Opening a case ensures that an issue will be followed through to resolution, as open cases are reviewed regularly by management.

When a new case is created, an initial New Case Notification is sent to the customer. If you have received a case number, you may rest assured that your issue is being reviewed and will be handled expediently. If you ever have a question regarding a case, you may reply via email to the case notification, or you may call our office at (310) 327-4475 and give the case number to the representative you speak with.

Adult Red Palm Weevil

Red Palm Weevil Invades Southern California

A new invasive pest was found recently in Southern California. This pest has the potential to cause some serious damage in the area. Southern California is known for it’s palms, and the Red Palm Weevil is known as “the world’s worst pest of palm trees”. It’s not a good mix. In August of 2010, the pest was found in Laguna Beach. The Red Palm Weevil or Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, is a rather large beetle with a long snout, but it’s the larvae that does the most damage by boring through the palm and feeding on the surrounding tissue.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture has asked people to report possible infestations to the CDFA Pest Hotline (800) 491-1899 or at the CDFA’s Report a Pest website at www.cdfa.ca.gov/go/reportapest. Below is a CBS report on the Red Palm Weevil and additional links to further information.

Additional Links on Red Palm Weevil:

Center for Invasive Species Research, University of California Riverside – Red Palm Weevil
California Department of Food and Agriculture – Red Palm Weevil
Red palm weevil spotted in Southern California, alarming palm tree growers and scientists

Sprinkler time limits have also been changed based on the type of nozzle or sprinkler head. Spray heads and bubblers (non-conserving models) may be run for up to 8 minutes per station per day. Rotors and multi-stream rotary heads are allowed 15 minutes per cycle and up to two cycles per station per day. Watering is restricted to before 9:00 am and after 4:00 pm to reduce evaporation. Low flow drip irrigation remains exempt from the above restrictions.

All other prohibited uses of water remain in effect including:

• Watering of any hard surfaces such as sidewalks, walkways, driveways or parking areas
• Outdoor watering during periods of rain
• Allowing runoff onto streets and gutters from excessive watering
• Allowing leaks from any pipe or fixture to go un-repaired
• Using water to clean, fill or maintain decorative fountains unless the water is part of a  recirculating system
• Allowing large landscape areas to be watered without rain sensors that shut off irrigation systems

Watering by hand using a garden hose (must have a self closing shut-off nozzle in place) is still allowed any day of the week before 9:00 am or after 4:00 pm. The Water Conservation Ordinance was modified to minimize pressure fluctuations which may have led to a series of major water line breaks over the past two years. For further information on the Water Conservation Ordinance please visit www.ladwp.com.

Pink Rot

Pink Rot is an opportunistic disease that attacks weak or stressed palms. Palms lack the ability for secondary growth, which means they are not able to repair damaged tissue. This makes them more susceptible to diseases such as Pink Rot when damaged or pruned heavily. Various species of palms are susceptible to the disease, including many popular varieties found throughout Southern California, such as California Fan Palm (Washingtonia filifera), King Palm (Archontophoenix cunninghamiana), and Queen Palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana). The pink spores are often visible and can be found at the area of infection. This disease can attack any part of the plant including the trunk, but most often affects new growth.

Management Practices for Pink Rot

Selecting the right plant for your location is key. California Fan Palms (Washingtonia filifera) are native to the deserts of Southern Californian. They don’t do well along the coast, so don’t plant them there. Plant at the right time. Don’t plant palms in the middle of winter. Proper cultural care is crucial. Water and care for your palms properly. Avoid wounding the palm. An open wound is a perfect opportunity for Pink Rot to attack. Fungicides can be used to suppress the disease, but the cause of the stress has to be addressed to completely control Pink Rot.

Fusarium Wilt

Primarily attacks Canary Island Date Palms (Phoenix canariensis). It is a vascular disease which means it attacks the plants ability to move water and nutrients through it’s system. There are forms of Fusarium that are species specific. It’s primarily spread by pruning tools. There is no cure for the disease. It is 100% fatal; however, it is nearly 100% preventable through the use of safe pruning practices. When infected, the lower leaves die back as the palm dies from the bottom up. The fronds will often die on only one side. While this is a good indicator of Fusarium, it’s not always 100% accurate as other diseases may cause similar symptoms.

Management Practices for Fusarium Wilt

Prevention is important because there is no cure. Don’t use chainsaws to prune because they can cause large open cuts that are susceptible to disease. Prune with a hand saw instead and disinfect the blade between trees. Remove diseased palms as soon as possible since once infected, the disease is 100% fatal. Avoid spreading the soil or replanting the same species in the same location as a previously diseased tree, since Fusarium may be present in the soil. Control water runoff as it may carry the disease to a new location and infect other trees. Control trunk and root debris. Saw dust was collected in an experiment during the removal of an infected plant. They were able to grow Fusarium from the saw dust in a petri dish. Saw dust blowing around during pruning could potentially spread the fungus to adjacent palms.

Sudden Crown Drop

Sudden Crown Drop primarily affects both the Canary Island Date Palm (Phoenix canariensis) and to a lesser extent Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera). As the name implies, this disease causes the crown, or top of the palm, to just suddenly topple over, often with little or no warning. This is potentially dangerous and people have been killed in the past from falling debris. At first look, the crown appears normal. The trunk decays internally, and it’s not until you look at the cut away sections that you can see how the disease chokes the plant. Infection is typically caused by excessive pruning.

Management Practices for Sudden Crown Drop

Once again, prevention is key since no cure is available. Management practices are similar to what was previously mentioned for Pink Rot and Fusarium Wilt including proper selection and cultural care. Do not use chainsaws or spikes. Disinfect hand saw blades between trees. A mallet can be used to tap the trunk and listen for areas of decay.

Diamond Scale

Diamond Scale is a fungal disease and not an insect as the name may imply. It primarily attacks California Fan Palms (Wasahingtonia filifera) and usually only those located in areas of marine influence. The fruiting bodies are black in color and diamond shapes. They look similar to scale, hence the name, and are found on the leaves.

Management Practices for Diamond Scale

There is no chemical control for Diamond Scale. Don’t plant Washingtonia filifera near the ocean. Use Mexican Fan Palm (Washingtonia robusta) or Guadalupe Palm (Brahea edulis) as an alternative in coastal areas.

Summary of Best Management Practices for Palm Diseases

Proper planting/transplanting is important in reducing stress to palms. Don’t plant during the fall and winter months. Don’t plant palms too deep. Practice proper cultural care methods. Don’t over-water and make sure to provide good drainage. Avoid causing wounds by not using chainsaws or spikes if possible. Practice good sanitation by properly removing and disposing of debris. Most importantly select the proper species for the location.

The above material was based on a presentation by Donald Holden. For further information please see the article “Palm Diseases in the Landscape” by Mr. Holden.  West Coast Grounds Maintenance is a commercial landscape contractor serving the Los Angeles and Orange County areas. If you have any questions we can be reached at (800) 339-2102 or by email at info @ wcgminc.com. If you would like a quote for services, please fill out the quote request form on our Contact Us page.

Regardless of the time of year, the following instances of water waste are prohibited in Pasadena:

• Watering during periods of rain
• Excessive water flow or runoff onto pavement, gutter, or ditches
• Washing down paved surfaces
• Failure to fix leaks, breaks, or malfunctions  within 72 hours

Fines for failing to comply start at $100 and run as high as $500 for residential customers. Non-residential customers can see fines as high as $1,000.

We should also mention that Pasadena Water and Power is currently offering water efficiency rebates though the Metropolitan Water District’s “SoCal Water$mart Program”. The rebates are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Rebates on landscape related purchases include:

• Weather-Based Irrigation Controller $150
• Rotating Nozzles for Pop-Up Spray Head Retrofits $5/nozzle
• Synthetic Turf (limited to 1/2 acre of turf replacement) $0.60/sq ft

For further information on Pasadena’s water restrictions please visit www.cityofpasadena.net/savewater or call the water shortage hotline at (626) 744-8888. For the full details of the SoCal WaterSmart rebate program visit their website or to inquire about your existing reservation or rebate status call (888) 376-3314. If you need irrigation repair services contact WCGM, Inc. at  (800) 339-2102 or by email at info @ wcgminc.com. Also visit LAsprinklerrepair.com if you’re in the greater Los Angeles area, or OCsprinklerrepair.com if you’re in the Orange County area for information on residential sprinkler repair services.

West Coast Grounds Maintenance is a commercial landscape contractor serving the Southern California area. If you would like a quote for services, please complete the Quote Request form on our Contact Us page. Have questions? Please call us at (800) 339-2102 or email us at info @ wcgminc.com.

Artesia, Bell, Bell Gardens, Carson, Cerritos, Compton, Cudahy, Culver City, Downey, El Segundo, Gardena, Hawaiian Gardens, Hawthorne, Huntington Park, Inglewood, Lakewood, La Mirada, Lawndale, Long Beach, Norwalk, Paramount, Santa Fe Springs, South Gate, and the communities of Athens, Lennox, and Moneta and vicinity, Los Angeles County, and portions of the City of Los Alamitos, Orange County.

Summary of Restrictions Pertaining to Irrigation Scheduling

Are you only interested in setting your controller? Here’s a quick summary of the restrictions that pertain to the irrigation scheduling. GSWC Region II is currently at Stage I which means that water use is restricted from 9am-5pm, unless you’re hand watering. Hand watering may be done at any time and is not restricted other than a positive shut-off nozzle must be used on the outlet end of the hose. Permanently installed sprinklers may not run longer than 15 minutes per station per day. There is currently no mandatory restriction on what days of the week, nor how many times per week you may water; however, GSWC is requesting that your watering days be cut back to no more than three times per week.

Full List of Non-Essential Water Use Restrictions

Below is the full list of non-essential water use restrictions as taken from literature posted on GSWC’s website:

• Use of water through any connection when the utility has notified the customers in writing to repair broken or defective plumbing, sprinklers, watering or irrigation system and the customer has failed to make such repairs within 5 business days after receipt of such notice.
• Use of water which results in flooding or run-off into gutters, waterways, patios, driveways, or streets.
• Use of water for washing aircraft, cars, buses, boats, trailers, or other vehicles without a positive shut-off nozzle on the outlet end of the hose. Exceptions include washing vehicles at commercial or fleet vehicle washing facilities operated at fixed locations where equipment using water is properly maintained to avoid wasteful use.
• Use of water through a hose for washing buildings, structures, sidewalks, walkways, driveways, patios, parking lots, tennis courts, or other hard-surfaced areas in a manner which results in excessive run-off or waste.
• Use of water for watering streets with trucks, except for initial wash-down for construction purposes (if street sweeping is not feasible), or to protect the health and safety of the public.
• Use of water for construction purposes, such as consolidation of backfill, dust control, or other uses unless no other source of water or other method can be used.
• Use of water for more than minimal landscaping in connection with any new construction.
• Use of water for watering outside plants, lawn, landscape and turf areas. Except that this provision shall not apply to commercial nurseries, golf courses and other water-dependent industries. Below are the water use restrictions at each stage of mandatory conservation and rationing (We are currently at Stage I):

• At Stage 1&2: Water use restricted from 9am – 5pm, except by hand.
• At Stage 3: Water use restricted from 9am – 5pm, watering every other day – no more than three times per week.
• At Stage 4: Water use restricted from 9am – 5pm, watering every other day – no more than two times per week.
• At Stage 5-7: Water use restricted from 9am – 5pm, watering limit to no more than one time per week.

• Use of water for watering outside plants and turf areas using a hand-held hose without a positive shut-off valve.
• Use of water for decorative fountains or the filling or topping off of decorative lakes or ponds. Exceptions are made for those decorative fountains, lakes or ponds which utilize recycled water and are equipped with a recirculation system.
• Limiting the use of water for filling and refilling swimming pools.
• Service of water by any restaurant except upon the request of the patron.
• Use of water for purpose of irrigating landscape by means of permanently installed sprinklers for more than 15 minutes per station per day.
• Hotels must provide guests option to not launder towels and linen on a daily basis.
• Use of water at any car wash that is not equipped with a recirculation.

Further information can be found on Golden State Water’s website or by contacting them at (800) 999-4033. For irrigation repair services contact us at (800) 339-2102 or by email at info @ wcgminc.com. For information on residential sprinkler repair service visit LAsprinklerrepair.com if you’re in the greater Los Angeles area, or OCsprinklerrepair.com if you’re in the Orange County area.

The City of Bellflower is the newest in a long line of cities and water districts to implement mandatory watering restrictions. A new ordinance was passed on July 13, 2009 that requires residents and businesses to abide by new rules aimed at reducing water consumption. The new measures are scheduled to start on August 11, 2009 according to the city’s website. Here are some highlights from the new ordinance:

• No hose watering or washing down of any sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking areas, or other paved surfaces
• No watering of landscape between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm.
• No watering more often than once per day.
• No watering more often than every other day.
• Watering to the extent of excessive runoff due to misaligned or unmaintained sprinklers and/or excessive watering is prohibited.
• Adherence to the ordinance does not relieve property owners from their legal obligation to maintain landscaping as required.

There are additional restrictions including indoor water conservation measures. To view the entire ordinance click here. Fines for violating the new ordinance start at $100. For more information contact Bellflower’s Code Enforcement Division at (562) 804-1424 ext. 2284. For irrigation repair services contact us at (800) 339-2102 or by email at info @ wcgminc.com. For information on residential sprinkler repair service visit LAsprinklerrepair.com if you’re in the greater Los Angeles area, or OCsprinklerrepair.com if you’re in the Orange County area.