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Contractor says downtown plants need fall reassessment; watering costs likely under earlier estimate
Summary
Scott Gross of Scott's Landscape described microclimates downtown and recommended reassessing plant species for raised pots; he and staff said watering costs appear to be under the previously cited $50,000 estimate, and that $30,000 was used for watering this season.
Scott Gross of Scott's Landscape told the BID board he has been watering downtown all summer and said differing microclimates—sun reflected off building windows and wind tunnels on particular avenues—explain uneven plant performance.
“I tell people it's a there's different microclimates all over downtown,” Gross said, adding that some pots are exposed to baking sun while other areas stay moist longer. He recommended reassessing species this fall and replacing those that do poorly in heat and stress rather than assuming placement was the issue.
Board members raised budget concerns. One board member said an early estimate had projected summer watering costs of $50,000; Gross and Carissa (BID staff) said they believe the program is under that figure. Carissa stated the BID used $30,000 for watering this season and noted that weed spraying runs about $5,000 annually. Gross recommended continuing watering for another one to two weeks and performing a thorough watering before freeze-up.
The discussion ended with staff and the contractor agreeing to reassess plant species in the fall and to return with recommendations at a future meeting. The board was also informed that some pots may require different treatments than in-ground plantings because most of the contractor’s experience is with in-ground plantings.
