As environmental stewards, we understand the importance of managing stormwater runoff as a critical aspect of water quality – at the nursery and beyond. At our 45-acre main nursery, we capture, filter, and store precipitation to irrigate our grasses, sedges, and rushes in cold frames, greenhouses, and stock beds. We use a combination of grey and green infrastructure SCMs (stormwater control measures) to convey stormwater runoff, including gutter-connected greenhouses, ditches, retention ponds, bioswales, and vegetated swales, all of which help to maintain high water quality onsite. Stored water from our ponds goes through our water treatment system to deliver high-quality water nursery-wide.
Hoffman Nursery’s Water Treatment System
Here’s a quick overview of our water treatment system’s process and delivery:
Precipitation falls at the nursery, and runoff is conveyed and filtered by a series of grey and green infrastructure SCM practices and captured in two ponds.
The two collection ponds pump water into the main irrigation pond.
Water from the main irrigation pond is filtered through sand filters with glass media, a set of fine micron bag filters, and pumped into the 70,000-gallon cistern.
When there is an irrigation need, water is drawn from the cistern through a sanitation loop, followed by an ozone and acid injection for a PH adjustment to 5.5 to ensure our grasses can uptake available nutrients.
Two irrigation pumps managed by variable-frequency drives serve the irrigation needs and help maintain a consistent pressure of 60 psi throughout the nursery. One pump serves the front half of the nursery, while the other serves the back half. Due to microclimate and growing conditions, the pump serving the back half includes a copper ionization treatment.
The water treatment system came online in 2021 and is monitored by the Argus control system, which can send alerts to the operations team as needed.
The Importance of Water Quality in Plant Production
Water quality is a critical factor in ornamental grass production as it directly affects the plants’ health, growth, and overall quality. The following key aspects summarize its significance:
Plant Growth and Development
High-quality water is essential for the proper growth and development of grasses, sedges, and rushes. Water provides the necessary nutrients for plant metabolism and photosynthesis. Poor water quality can contain harmful elements and lack nutrients, which can negatively impact the growth and health of grasses, sedges, and rushes.
Nutrient Uptake
Water serves as a medium for nutrient uptake by plant roots. Poor water quality can lead to nutrient imbalances or deficiencies, affecting the ability of grasses, sedges, and rushes to absorb essential elements necessary for their growth, color, and overall vitality.
Prevention of Diseases
Contaminated water can introduce pathogens and diseases to grasses, sedges, and rushes. Clean, high-quality water helps reduce the risk of soil-borne diseases and minimizes the likelihood of spreading infections among plants.
Minimizing Stress
Grasses, sedges, and rushes are tough but can be susceptible to stress from various factors, including poor water quality. Stressed plants are more vulnerable to pests, diseases, and environmental challenges. High-quality water helps minimize plant stress, promoting resilience and overall vigor.
Reducing Salinity Issues
Poor water quality with high salinity levels can negatively impact grasses, sedges, and rushes by causing salt buildup in the soil. High salinity levels can lead to osmotic stress, which hinders water uptake by plant roots.
Aesthetic Quality
Water quality can influence the visual appeal of ornamental grasses, sedges, and rushes. Contaminants may leave residue on leaves or affect the plants’ color and texture. High-quality water contributes to the aesthetic quality and value of our grasses.
Efficient Watering Practices
High-quality water allows for more efficient irrigation practices. Properly treated and monitored water ensures that plants receive the right amount of moisture without causing waterlogged conditions, which can lead to root rot and other issues.
Consistent Crop Performance
Consistent and high-quality water contributes to the uniform growth and performance of grasses, sedges, and rushes, which is particularly important where consistency is a critical component of liner finish time.
Sustainability Considerations
Utilizing high-quality water aligns with our sustainability practices. It minimizes the need for excessive fertilizer use, reduces the risk of contamination, and supports environmentally responsible production.
Excellent water quality is vital to our grass, sedge, and rush production. Regular testing, proper treatment, and water quality monitoring are essential practices here at Hoffman Nursery. It influences plant health, from nutrient uptake to disease prevention, and promotes our plants’ overall consistency, quality, and value. These extra steps help us go the extra mile in producing premium plants for our customers while being eco-conscious and sustainability minded.
Note: Some of the key aspects of water quality in plant production content were generated through a Chat GPT/Open AI conversation in March 2024.
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Grass & Sedges for Resilient Landscapes, Part Four: Flooding
As disruptive natural events become more common, there is an increased need for communities to recover quickly and regenerate. Working with nature – instead of against it – to build resilient landscapes provides a foundation for recovery and regeneration that can improve human and ecological health. Our first post in this six-part series defined a resilient landscape, the framework to build one, and how grasses, sedges, and rushes fit into these plantings. In this post, we examine and discuss solutions for the most frequent natural disaster, flooding.
Stormwater control measures (SCM) are structures that treat and manage the water that runs off parking lots, roof tops, and other impermeable surfaces during and after a rain event. Green stormwater infrastructure measures like bioretention cells and stormwater wetlands use plants, soils, and natural systems to slow and collect runoff, filter out pollutants, and increase water infiltration.
Grasses and grass-like plants are ideal for these measures! Their bunching habit and extensive root systems boost their ecological value by slowing stormwater, reducing erosion, and sequestering carbon. We've taken these plants and put them into a chart to help you decide what plants work best for your projects.
From parking lots to the roofs of buildings and beyond, green infrastructure (GI) is popping up everywhere. GI uses plants, soils, and natural systems to manage stormwater and add ecological function. Whether they're supporting wildlife, adding recreational space, or lifting our mood, GI projects improve the health of our communities and our surroundings.
