We want to wish all of our friends a very positive, healthy and Happy New Year! All the best for 2018 and beyond!!
Thank you for the continued opportunity and your support from all of us at Pacocha Landscaping Services, Inc.!
Happy New Year!
Category Archives: Pacocha Landscaping Services
Happy 2017!
Happy New Year!!
It has been our great pleasure helping so many wonderful people in 2015. We thank you for the opportunity and would like to wish you and your family a healthy and happy new year!
May 2016 be your best year yet!!
From your friends at Pacocha Landscaping Services, Inc.
Pacocha Landscaping Services, Inc. – Commercial Snow Removal Services
Please contact Pacocha Landscaping Services, Inc. to learn more about our extremely reliable commercial snow and ice management services. Thank you for visiting our site!
A fruit bearing perennial TOXIC WEED that has many unique uses dating back hundreds of years!!
One day a client asked if I would stop by his property to look at a few small projects he needed taken care of. So during my property visit I noticed a very striking plant. The client indicated that he did not plant it and asked me if I knew what it was. I just shook my head and said I could not identify the plant off hand. The plant had grown quite nicely in a small bed space just behind his house to a height of about 5′ tall, had beautiful deep red-purple colored stems and awesome long strands of berries. I took a few pictures and performed a Google Image search later that evening. It turned out that the mysterious plant was called Pokeweed and has a very long detailed history.
I was amazed that this perennial “weed” had grown to be such a beautiful mature plant.
What really interested me besides the very unique color and berries produced by Pokeweed was that all parts of the plant itself are considered toxic and not recommended for human, pet and/or livestock consumption. However, pokeweed berries and it’s dried roots have been used in herbal remedies, for red food coloring and even to make ink and dye.
Pokeweed Facts and Folklore:
- The common name ‘pokeweed’ originates from the Native American word for ‘blood’, referring to the red dye that can be made from the fruit (however, the color is difficult to fix). Some of the other common names, such as ‘inkberry’ and ‘inkweed’, refer to this use.
- Juice from pokeweed berries was once used to ‘improve’ the color of cheap red wine.
- Supporters of President James Polk wore pokeweed twigs instead of campaign buttons during the 1845 campaign.
- Medical researchers have isolated a protein (pokeweed antiviral protein or PAP) from pokeweed that is being used to try to inhibit the replication of the HIV virus in human cells.
- Roots, leaves and berries of common pokeweed were used medicinally by Native Americans and early settlers to treat a variety of conditions from hemorrhoids to headaches.
- The young shoots and leaves of pokeweed have been eaten as greens (‘poke sallet’), boiled with the water changed several times prior to consumption. The taste is described as similar to that of asparagus or spinach. Berries have been used to make pie. However, ingestion of any part of common pokeweed cannot be recommended
Please be sure to contact Pacocha Landscaping Services, Inc. with any questions, comments or ideas on how we can be of further assistance to you. Thank you for taking the time to read our blog and have a great day!
Our first 20 years in business…………. Thank You!
As my company Pacocha Landscaping Services, Inc. nears it’s 20 year business anniversary, there are so many positive thoughts that race through my mind. First, I can’t believe it has been 20 years already! Since 1993, at the age of 19, my business began as a sole proprietorship that was operated out of my parents Des Plaines, IL. garage. Thank you Mom and Dad for “dealing with me” during those critical start-up years! 
After selling many of my personal belongings, my car, stereo, etc. to fund my new business venture, I was on my way and there was no turning back. There were so many things to learn, but the shear excitement of starting a new landscape enterprise and being in business for myself was just too irresistible!
One thing is for sure, if it were not for the many great people that trusted and educated us along the way, there would be no Pacocha Landscaping Services, Inc. today. From all of our valued clients, trusted staff, my understanding wife, my loving daughters, supportive family, vendors and close friends……..I owe everything – Thank you!
Here’s to another 20 years of serving our customers, family and community to the best of our ability!
Before digging in Illinois be sure to call 811, JULIE 800-892-0123 or CHICAGO DIGGER 312-744-7000 to avoid buried utilities
Whether you are preparing to install a tree, pond, hedge, drainage system, new concrete or even a road side mailbox be sure to call 811 (or your local One-Call system) to learn if there are any buried utilities (electric, natural gas, communication cables, drinking water, sewer, etc.) nearby that will need to be avoided.
- JULIE, INC. 800-892-0123 – www.illinois1call.com – Hours: 24 hours, 7 days – Advance Notice: 2 working days minimum – Marks Valid: 28 calendar day
- CHICAGO DIGGER 312-744-7000 – www.cityofchicago.org/transportation – Hours: 6:00am.-10:00pm. – Advance Notice: 48 hours – Marks Valid: 28 calendar days
Different paint colors will be used to mark the various underground utilities found on your property. It is very important to have a good idea as to what these colors represent.
- RED: Red markings identify electric systems including high voltage and low voltage
power lines and wires. - YELLOW: Yellow is used to designate the approximate location of pipe systems which carry natural gas, oil, steam and petroleum products.
- ORANGE: Orange marks identify the approximate location of communication type cabling networks.
- BLUE: Blue marks identify the approximate location of pipes carrying drinking water.
- PURPLE: Purple is used to mark reclaimed water, irrigation and slurry lines. In many
cases these lines go unmarked by 811 notification services due to being on private property and owned by property owners. - GREEN: Green marks identify the approximate location of sewer and storm sewer pipes as well as other drain lines.
- WHITE and PINK: White and pink are the only two colors in the APWA color code that do not designate the approximate location of underground lines on a job site. White is commonly used to indicate proposed excavation and pink to mark temporary survey markings.
Please be sure to contact Pacocha Landscaping Services, Inc. with any questions or service requests. Thank you for visiting our site!
How may I help you?
Thank you for taking the time to review my lawn, landscape and snow management related writings. My promise is to share relevant experiences, observations and practices used to produce the very best lawn, landscape and snow related service outcome possible. My name is Joe Pacocha and I began Pacocha Landscaping Services, Inc. in 1993. We perform professional seasonal property maintenance, renovation and installation services across the north side of Chicago and surrounding northwest suburbs. We continually strive to earn the respect and trust of our customers by exceeding their expectations. It is in our client’s complete satisfaction that we derive our passion to continue learning and generate increased value within all services that we perform. How may I help you?
