Item 15 - Landscape Maintenance Services for City Parks and Facilities

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SECTION V GROUND COVER The City's goal is to encourage the proper care and growth of groundcovers, maintained within the confines of their growing areas, free of weeds and without a prevalence of bare spots or unhealthy plant material. Groundcover beds should create a natural, pleasing appearance in all areas. A. General Specifications Groundcovers shall be pruned and maintained according to accepted industry practices and consistent with the intended use. 2. Groundcovers adjacent to hardscape such as sidewalks, walkways, playgrounds, sport courts and parking lots shall be edged weekly in one (1) operation with the turf edging. 3. In locations where turf is not present (i.e. parks, medians, empty lots), groundcovers shall be edged monthly, or as determined by the CR, to present a clean and neat appearance and to keep the plant material from impeding foot traffic. Care shall be taken not to expose bare soil. 4. Edged ground cover will not be allowed to develop a build-up with a sheared face along the sidewalk or curb edges. Groundcover height shall not exceed six (6) inches without a beveled edge (i.e. leaning edge even with sidewalk with lower edge angled inward). 5. The contractor shall apply approved herbicide monthly and/or as required to remove and control broadleaf and grass weeds in and around all ground cover beds. 6. Plant material damaged by Contractor -applied herbicides shall be replaced at Contractor's expense. 7. The use of pre -emergent is strongly recommended in areas with overhead irrigation. In some instances, weeds may be removed by mechanical means as approved by the CR. Pre -emergent herbicide cost shall be included in the cost proposal. 8. The contractor shall keep groundcover trimmed back 6-12 inches from all controller units, irrigation heads, valve boxes, quick couplers, up -lighting, or other appurtenances or fixtures. 9. The contractor shall not allow groundcovers to grow up trees, into shrubs, or on structures or walls. The contractor shall keep groundcovers trimmed back approximately 6-12 inches from structures or walls. 10. Any paper or litter that accumulates in ground cover areas shall be picked up daily. 11. Mulch shall be applied to all planting areas two (2) times per year, once in the spring (Apr - Jun), and again in the fall (Sep -Nov). 12. Bare soil areas in ground cover beds shall be replanted or mulched as required. The Contractor shall apply US Composting Council STA-tested approved mulch Y- 4" minus by 2" thick. a. No bare soil areas are permitted in the ground cover areas. All bare soil areas shall be cultivated to 6" deep weekly while awaiting fresh mulch. 13. Ailing and/or stunted groundcover which fails to meet expected growth shall receive additional nutrient treatments to correct deficiencies or shall be replaced by Contractor at RFP 23-151 Landscape Maintenance Services Page 42 of 135