Guidelines on Handling and Maintaining Gardens during the ...
Transcript of Guidelines on Handling and Maintaining Gardens during the ...
Guidelines on Handlingand Maintaining Gardensduring the Dry Season
May 2017
ASADAMALINCHES DE PINILLA
Contents
Introduction
Advantages on Saving Water
�Attractive Garden
�Responsible Use of a Limited Resource
�Saving Money
�Reducing Garden Maintenance
The Environment
Smart Gardening: Xeriscaping
�Adequate Plants
�Avoid Grass
�Amendments
�Types of Watering
-Sprinkling
-Localized
-Manual
�Garden Pro!le
�Texture garden
-Wood
-Gravel
�An Innovative Choice
�Solid Rain
�Moisturizing Agents
�Garden Maintenance
-Planting
-Pruning
-Fertilization
Other Choices
�Bio Filters
Awareness, Innovation and Creativity
Acknowledgements
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Guidelines on Handling and Maintaining Gardens during the Dry Season
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Presentation
The present document is o�ered as a tool for the use and bene�t of the users of Hacienda Pinilla.
It is a guide of practical advice applicable to the conditions of the gardens of the properties and seeks to
extend the possibilities for the saving of the water resource. Its purpose is to serve as a reference material for
current and future owners who seek to create sustainable gardens that embellish their home space and at
the same time contribute to the conservation of the precious water resource.
Advantages on saving water
Attractive Garden
A sustainable garden does not have to look arid with plants we usually see on deserts with dull
colors. Low consumption gardens may include many species and attractive designs, along with a great
variety of trees from the area, which usually o�er colorful !owers during the dry season. Choosing a design
according to the area will give your garden a unique, distinguished look.
Responsible Use of a Limited Resource
On most of Guanacaste, water is limited during dry season, which goes from November to May, due
to shortages and irregularities on the rain, which is a characteristic in the tropical dry region. In addition,
more and more water from rivers and aquifers is destined to consumption for the growing native and foreign
populations.
It is necessary to share the available water with di�erent users (industries, services, basic domestic
use, animals and others), and to reduce intense aquifer exploiting that may cause serious environmental
problems, such as semi-dry rivers, salted or depleted aquifers, lakes and missing humid areas.
Economic saving
The domestic water use fee is directly related to the amount consumed, which is why excessive water
use has an important economic cost. An e"cient water use garden may reduce the domestic consumption
up to 70%, which is an important reduction from the water bill.
Reducing Garden Maintenance
Implementing changes in the garden to make it more e"cient towards water use implies a reduced
need for watering, sweeping, mowing, pruning, and weeding maintenance.
A low water consumption garden will provide the joy of a Green space with the satisfaction
of using a limited resource responsibly.
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The Environment
Most of Guanacaste and the Central Paci�c Region of Costa Rica show a tropical dry weather.
The Hacienda Pinilla area is located in the territory with in�uence from this kind of weather.
It is called tropical dry weather because of its well de�ned dry season from mid-December to
mid-May, which is produced by the Trade Winds blowing from the North East. This season is a long arid
period of time, in which evaporation is very active and the water reserves on the ground diminish
considerably, which makes bushy species in the region adapt to lose their color and survive until the rainy
season comes.
The restrictive conditions have caused
selective pressure for the evolution of
plants with the capacity of resisting the
lack of water and recovering their
greenness when the �rst rains begin, as
can be seen in this photo taken in the
same place during the dry season and
rainy season of the tropical forest dry.
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These images show:
A- a decrease in precipitation rates in this area, by 2015 in relation to other previous years.
B- an increase in global temperature during the previous three decades.
They justify the promotion of a good use of water resources.
(Créditos: Cige�)
A
B
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Smart Gardening: Xeriscaping
As mentioned before, implementing a sustainable garden lets us keep nice aesthetics in our personal
space, and to contribute to conservation and saving money from our water bill. There are di�erent choices
that allow us to combine nice garden maintenance with an e�cient use of water.
The term xeriscaping (from the Greek xeros: without water), holds a series of practices and
recommendations that incorporate all gardening characteristics to reduce the water consumption without
showing an arid or deserted image.
The use of low consumption plants adapted to the environment and to di�erent techniques, such as
inert coatings, help keep a low watering need without a�ecting the garden structure, which allows the
enjoyment of their characteristics and noticeably reduce the negative impacts on the environment.
Up next, you will �nd di�erent techniques and practices that are to be implemented in properties in
Hacienda Pinilla and that may be adapted according to each garden’s design.
Adequate Plants
Evidently, one of the most important decisions to reduce water consumption in a garden is to choose
plants that are adapted to low water availability. This does not imply only cacti or desert plants should be
exclusively chosen, since there are many attractive species that require few irrigation.
The term “xeriscaping”was �rst used in the 80s during a strong drought in the
United States, and refers to a selfsu�cient garden that optimizes all available
resources to their most. It is a growing practice in Mediterranean countries
with dry weather during many months a year, such as Spain.
Xeriscaping looks for a balance between
available water and the needs of plants.
Common name Scienti�c name Images
Ixora Ixora coccinea
Amapola Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
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Common name Scienti�c name Images
Aleli Plumeria pudica
Barrabás Euphorbia cotinifolia
Cica suave Cyca circinalis
Collar de duende Pedilanthus tithymaloides
Ficus enano Ficus microcarpa
Jalapa corriente Allamanda cathartica
Jalapa enana Allamanda cathartica
var. hendersonii
Jazmín estrella Jasminum laurifolium
Jazmín multi#orum Jasminum multi!orum
Trueno Ligustrum japonicum
Guidelines on Handling and Maintaining Gardens during the Dry Season
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Common name Scienti�c name Images
Lengua de suegra Sansevieria trifasciata
Uruca Murraya paniculata
Musaendra Mussaenda philippica
Narcizo Nerium oleander
Once de abril Duranta repens
Pringo de oro Duranta erecta
Veranera Bougainvillea sp.
Cordelín rojo Cordyline fruticosa
Crotos Codiaeum variegatum
Canción de la india Dracaena reflexa
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Common name Scienti�c name Images
Pavoncillo rojo Megaskepasma
erythrochlamys
Bamboo Dendrocalamus
Cenizo Leucophyllum frutescens
Lágrimas de cupido Russelia equisetiformis
Limoncillo Swinglea glutinosa
Magney verde Callisia fragans
Judío errante Tradescantia pallida
Aside from the previous ones, there are many species that are highly tolerant to droughts and requireminimum maintenance.
Common name Scienti�c name Images
Ágave Agave sp.
Uva de playa Coccoloba uvifera
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Common name Scienti�c name Images
Zamia Zamia furfuracea
Escavola Scaevola taccada
Copey Clusia rosea
Icaco Chrysobalanus icaco
Mangle botón Conocarpus Erectus
Palmera fénix
grande Phoenix sylvestris
Palmera fénix
enana Phoenix roebelenii
You may also consider palm trees, which are typical of a coastal landscape because
of their high resistance to the lack of water.
Common name Scienti�c name Images
Palmera foxtail Wodyetia bifurcata
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Common name Scienti�c name Images
Palmera real Roystonea regia
Cocotero Cocos nucifera
Palmera
Washington Washingtonia robusta
Bismarkia Bismarckia nobilis
Areca Chrysalidocarpus lutescens
Palma de plata Coccothrinax argentata
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Common name Scienti�c name Images
Guanacaste Enterolobium cyclocarpum
Jícaro Crescentia cujete
Almendro de
montaña Andira inermis
Ron-ron Astronium graveolens
Nance Byrsonima crassifolia
Lorito Cojoba arborea
Malinche Delonix regia
In addition, native trees are highly appreciated for their beauty, and many of them
even lose some of their foliage to make room to colorful #owers during dry season.
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Common name Scienti�c name Images
Guachipelín Diphysa americana
Cañafístula Cassia !stula
Higuerón Ficus costaricana
Flor blanca Plumeria alba
Cortéz negro Tabebuia impetiginosa
Cortéz amarillo Tabebuia ochracea
Sauco Tecoma stans
Chirca Thevetia peruviana
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Common name Scienti�c name Images
Genízaro Samanea saman
Cedro Cedrela odorata
Mango Mangifera indica
Naranjo Citrus sinensis
Guaria de palo Bauhinia purpurea
Laurel de las indias Ficus nitida
Aceituno Simarouba glauca
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Common name Scienti�c name Images
Zacate azul Ophiopogon japonicus
Zacate citronela Andropogon nardus
Zacate limón Cymbopogon citratus
Zacate pasto amor Eragrostis elliottii
Zacate vetiver Vetiveria sp.
Zacate plumoso Pennisetum villosum
Guidelines on Handling and Maintaining Gardens during the Dry Season
Finally, there are some grass species that grow on vines and have deep roots, which
makes them resistant to low water availability.
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The previous lists clearly show the many choices and combinations o�ered by the �ora from the
tropical dry regions. In gardening and landscaping, plants are usually placed in mixed compositions inside
islands, which give each garden a unique personality.
It is important to consider two aspects about the area in Hacienda Pinilla when it comes to selecting
plants and landscaping:
The �rst aspect is the strong wind running during dry season, which may damage plants that are not
well placed and that contribute to a faster water evaporation on the ground. This is why it is important to
think of adequate plants to make live windbreak barriers in the property perimeter that may also o�er
privacy to the garden.
The second aspect is high solar radiation on Hacienda Pinilla during this season, which also causes
high evaporation and avoids water to be well used by plants, which makes it important to incorporate trees
or palm trees, whose shadows help keep the ground moist.
Avoid Grass
Usually, more than two thirds of the total water used on conventional gardens goes to grass
maintenance. This is why it is important to limit its extension or eliminate its use completely. On most cases,
areas covered by grass are not well used and could be replaced with bushes or substitute covering materials.
Small grass islands could be placed on some areas of the garden, such around the swimming pool or
near a playground. However, the use of San Agustin grass and sweet grass must be avoided, since their water
demand is very high. If you still want grass in your garden, it is recommended to choose Bermuda or Zoicia
grass, which require less water.
Some advice to select plants:
Get to know the natural vegetation in the property to better use it and to reduce the
need for new plants that require establishment.
Choose and locate plants according to their grow habitat and according to their
role in the garden (privacy barrier, shadow, recreation, etc.).
Make sure the plants sharing the same space have similar hydric requirements.
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Amendments
Most of the grounds on Hacienda Pinilla are clayey and hard to handle. These clayey soils make water�ltering di�cult, which produces ponding and runo�s.
It is recommended to add organic matter to the ground, especially on areas dedicated to �owers orbushes, to improve water distribution and the proper airing of the roots. This will improve the groundcapacity to absorb and retain water available to plants. Also, it is recommended to add a layer of sand beforeplanting to avoid ponding. If the ground is excessively clayey, it is recommended to install a draining system.
Types of Watering
There are three irrigation systems more commonly used in gardening:
1. Sprinkling
This system distributes water in small rain drops, and it is highly used on grass.However, its use is not recommended on gardens in Hacienda Pinilla because:
• It is a very windy area during the dry season, so the drops get scattered and the watering isuneven.• It is not e�cient on low in�ltration speed grounds, such as clayey grounds, which producespuddling.• The water that remains on the surface drains or evaporates, which implies great losses.• Leaf wetness may cause fungal diseases or sun burns as drops act as magnifying glasses.• Low water pressure during dry season may cause sprinklers not to rise up completely, whichmakes watering uneven.
Water behavior when �ltering into asandy (a) or clayey ground.
(b) clayeyground
(a) sandyground
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2. Localized
In this type of system, water is applied directly to the plant. It is the most recommended system to
use for gardens in the area because:
• It allows each plant to get the exact amount of water needed to avoid waste.
• It avoids ponding and evaporation due to a more even water distribution.
• It demands little water pressure for its functioning.
• It allows a more even application.
• By watering only the plant area, it reduces the growth of weed and the need for more
maintenance work.
• It is not a!ected by the strong winds of the area.
• It is not necessary to suspend ludic or maintenance activities in the garden while being
watered.
This type of system may distribute water using di!erent emission devices:
Devices connected to piping:
There are di!erent types of emission devices in the market. Depending on the water pressure, they
may distribute water drop by drop or in small "ows.
Dripping hoses:
They are the ones that apply water drop by drop by smallspacing perforations. They may be placed
super#cially or underground.
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Porous or exuding hoses:
They are plastic or textile pipes in which water drips through pores.
They can also be placed super!cially or underground.
3. Manual
In this type of watering system is di"cult to calculate the amount of water being applied and it takes
time from the person in charge of the garden. However, it is useful for small areas that require
punctual watering, such as pots.
There are dripping and exuding hoses in the market that may be placed
underground and under the grass, which eliminates the need for sprinkling and
maximizes the water e"ciency.
Some advice when watering plants:
• It is recommended to water the plants during low radiation times, especially from 6 pm to 6 am, to avoid loss
by evaporation and to take advantage of the increase on water pressure in the piping.
• Trees that have just been planted need constant watering, but their hydric needs decrease over time since
their roots grow deeper.
• Trees in the area are well adapted to the lack of water, so three or four summer watering will be enough, while
some other species will not need any water at all.
• You must consider the hydric needs of plants, since over watering limits their roots growth and increases the
weakness to diseases and plagues.
• It is necessary to periodically check the watering system for leaks and verify the nozzles are in good condition.
• If you use sprinkling watering systems, you must constantly check that the sprinkler covers the area properly
and check that there are is no overlap of the irrigation area of several sprinklers.
• Due to low water pressure during summer, it is recommended to have a water tank and a pumping system to
guarantee the correct functioning of the watering system.
• Each irrigation system has di#erent $ow types, reaches and paths, so it is important to choose the one that
better adapts to each need.
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Garden Pro�le
When there is a construction, there are usually big soil movements that get built up on some distant
area of the property to be then relocated at some spot in the garden that needs to be leveled up. Such land
movement is expensive.
However, to get an attractive garden it is not necessary to level up the ground. Actually, that built up soil may
be used by keeping its pro�le and creating di�erent levels that show depth, space and aesthetics. These
small hills can be used to place rocks of di�erent sizes and colors which allow the garden to have movement
and �ow without needing great amounts of plants.
Other than making the property attractive, the use of ground coverings is one of the most e�cient
techniques to reduce water loss by evaporation, so they need less watering if we have a mulch planting area.
There are many natural or synthetic coverings in the market that may be combined to create new designs
with �ow and movement. Up next, you will �nd the most common examples:
Wood:
The use of sawdust or wood chips is an organic choice that allows the protection of the ground.
You can get them in many colors, which makes the creation of an attractive design even easier.
Texture Garden
The use of di�erent materials such as textures in
the garden, instead of just plants, gives the garden
personality and makes it unique and attractive. The
combination of elements of di�erent colors and sizes
allows to get some interesting results. You may
experiment with di�erent textures to cover the surface
instead of using grass. This ground protecting covering is
called “mulch”.
The use of mulch has several bene�ts:
• It avoids excessive evaporation.
• It reduces soil overheating.
• It protects against the wind.
• It avoids erosion.
• It diminishes super�cial runo�s.
• It avoids the growth of weed.
• It conceals irrigation systems easily.
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Gravel:
The use of rocks of di!erent shapes, sizes and colors allows great versatility to personalize the garden
and they may be combined to create very interesting contrasts.
An Innovative Choice
Another possibility being tried on low rain gardens, like in California, is the replacing of grass for
synthetic grass. With this choice, synthetic grass, being very similar to natural grass, has the great advantage
of it easy maintenance.
This type of covering has great drainage capacity, which avoids ponding on clayey grounds, such as
the ones in Hacienda Pinilla. It also has the advantage of a soft texture. Being synthetic, it can be placed
outdoors since it is resistant to time passing and weather changes.
The installing of this material implies a great investment at "rst. However, since it technically needs
no maintenance or watering, the investment can be gained back shortly. One inconvenience about synthetic
grass is that it can get overheated if exposed to strong solar radiation.
This is a very easy maintenance covering since it is highly resistant to wear, it does not need watering,
it is hypoallergenic and pet friendly.
To install any of the mulch choices, it is recommended to place a geotextile mesh
under it, to avoid the growth of weed.
It is also important to consider smaller mulch may be moved by the strong winds or
intense rain in Hacienda Pinilla, so they must be installed with a barrier that avoids its
spreading.
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Solid Rain
There is a choice which is ideal when it comes to maximizing water, called hydrogel. This term is used
for a series of polymers capable of retaining great amounts of water.
These polymers are crystalline when dehydrated, but when wet grow up to 400 times their volume and
become soft and elastic. This growth is reversible, which means hydrogel releases absorbed water slowly.
There are some hydrogels in the market that can be used on the ground. These are placed on the roots and
grow by absorbing water from rain or water applied directly to the plant, and then they release the absorbed
water, making it available to the plant’s advantage. They are ideal to reduce the garden watering frequency.
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Hydrogels also reduce erosion, they enhance the breathing of the soil by growing and shrinking,
they allow the regeneration of organic matter, avoid the buildup of salts on the surface and improve the
retaining of nutrients applied to the plants.
One of the most frequent concerns about this product is its contamination degree for the
environment. However, hydrogels designed for agriculture are not toxic and are biodegradable, which
makes them safe for plants and the environment.
Polymers should not be exposed to solar radiation since it damages them. They must be mixed up
with substrate before planting. However, there are also some polymer choices in the shape of spikes which
are easily planted on those gardens already established.
Moisturizing Agents
An accessible, easy choice for watering advantage on the garden is the moisturizing agents. These
substances allow water on the ground to penetrate e!ciently along the pro"le.
This quality is especially useful in areas where the grounds are clayey, such as in Hacienda Pinilla,
since clay makes a water-resistant coat that prevents water from draining correctly, and causes ponding and
great water losses by evaporation. These products are easily accessible in the market and are applied every
two months to completely cover the moisture area, which guarantees nutrients to be evenly distributed
around the whole rotting areas and diminishes the need for frequent garden watering.
Garden Maintenance
To keep gardens beautiful and attractive it is necessary to correctly maintain them. Part of this
maintenance can also favor the correct use of water to avoid waste. Up next, you will "nd some advice for a
correct garden maintenance during dry season:
Planting:
It is common for buildings in properties to be done during dry season to avoid
weather-related inconveniences that might delay the works. However, to install a garden in a
residence, it is advised to wait for the rainy season since plants su#er a great deal of stress
being moved, which makes them demand more water. Moving them during dry season
makes it possible for them not to survive.
During dry season, some plants that are already established may die, especially if they
demand lots of water or if they are susceptible to wind damages. The right thing to do is to
replace these plants for a substitute material or another plant that may be more resistant to
weather. However, if you want to re-plant the same plant or a di#erent one, it is advised to
wait for the rainy season because of the reasons given before.
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Pruning:
Pruning makes plants to su�er stress along with the stress caused by weather, which can
make such plants to get damaged or to die. It is recommended to perform an exhaustive
pruning at the end of the winter season that allows the plant to regrow on time and to gain
strength before the dry season.
The remains from the lawn mowing and pruning of the garden may be placed on the
ground to protect it from water loss. Also, these remains give nutrients to the plants when
decomposing.
Fertilization:
The proper nutrition of plants is a key factor to maintain a beautiful garden. Granulated
fertilizers are pretty accessible and easy to apply. However, these composts are salts that
need enough water to be diluted and absorbed by the roots. If these salts are not correctly
diluted, they may create a microenvironment of osmotic stress around the roots, which
makes plants to dry out or burn out. However, too much water may cause the nutrients to
wash out and not be absorbed by the plant. It is recommended to fertilize the gardens at
the beginning and at the end of the rainy season, when rain is not so intense, which favors
the dilution of granules without washing out their nutrients.
Other Choices
There are many choices of di�erent systems that take advantage of water in a property. Up next, we
mention a few examples and invite you to research more deeply to implement a similar system that better
adjusts to the need of every property.
Bio !lters
The treatment of residual water for reutilization in irrigation is a widely used choice around
the world. Also, the treatment of such contaminated water reduces the magnitude of their
negative impact on the environment.
Bio !lters or arti!cial wetlands are a widely used technology on an international level. They
are containers or water-resistant excavation devices !lled with rocks in which you can plant.
The rocks and roots of the plants clean the water in the bio !lter from the primary treatment
that eliminates the heavy, greasy elements.
What and when?
It is recommended to apply composts rich in phosphorus to the plants to stimulate their
radical development and proper establishment.
After pruning, it is recommended to apply fertilizers rich in nitrogen to enhance their
regrowth and strength.
To stimulate "owering and fruiting, it is recommended to use fertilizers with high levels of
potassium.
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The treated water obtained at the end of the process is not completely pure but will be high quality
to be used for watering.
Awareness, Innovation and Creativity:
Cases of Good Practices in our Community
We can already see some cases of properties that use the elements described in this handbook in
Hacienda Pinilla, which makes the maintenance of the garden easier and money-saving by having an
aesthetically attractive garden.
These gardens have a unique personality and admirable beauty. Their concepts value aspects such
as low maintenance, adaptability to the area, the possibility of modi!cation, water saving and scenic beauty.
The e"cient, rational use of water is a step that guarantees their future availability, along
with saving and reusing residual waters application measurements.
Residential compound: Las Brisas Property 22.
The whole garden was designed and built by using
di#erent textures for a unique personality and style. It
combines the use of rocks of di#erent sizes and
wooden spike mulch to designate the plant and
staging areas. It also uses synthetic grass in the
playground area because of its easy maintenance and
security.
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Residential compound: Reserva de Golf Property 34
The land moved from the building was used to create
dunes in the garden which were covered by white rocks to
avoid the use of grass. Some di�erent sized pebbles were
used to resemble a river course. It was complemented with
the use of some big rocks and highly drought-resistant
plants, each one of which are connected to a dripping
sprinkler.
Residential compound: Avellanas Property 15
The property has a coverage design based on
the combination of synthetic grass and gravel
of di�erent sizes to cover low use areas. It also
has de!ned staging areas within the synthetic
grass. It only has palm trees to cover an
installment in the house, and lemongrass on
some of the perimeter, along with some fruit
trees. The small plant areas are watered with
dripping hoses. The garden needs almost no
maintenance.
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Acknowledgments
We want to specially thank the owners and low water consumption garden maintenance personnel
in the properties, who provided very valuable information related to good practices in their gardens. We also
thank the owners and garden maintenance personnel who have started using substitute elements for
sharing their experience for everybody’s learning.
Finally, we invite all current and future owners to consider the recommendations of this handbook in
order to have a cozy garden with great personality, good aesthetics, low maintenance costs and sustainable
in time.
This handbook is a contribution from the Malinches de Pinilla ASADA for the owners in the community of
Hacienda Pinilla.
We thank and congratulate Miss Cinthya Rodríguez B, student in the Agronomic Engineering career from
University of Costa Rica, for her academic internship works for the baccalaureate degree, who obtained the
present document as a �nal result after an exhaustive research.