“HortiCoach” might not be in the dictionary yet but it’s more than just a clever name … The HortiCoach is a Prescott native with decades of experience and a passion for permaculture, helping property owners cultivate landscapes that work
By Hilary Dartt
For homeowners who want a property they love and that works Dusty Eiker is their guy. The self-proclaimed HortiCoach, Eiker says his goal is to educate property owners and help them figure out how to get the most out of their yard.
Combining his four decades’ experience in horticulture with the knowledge he gained earning his bachelor’s in plant biology and taxonomy (native plants) and master’s in natural resources management, Eiker’s passion is providing affordable landscaping consultation and design for local homeowners, gardeners, landscapers, and nurseries.
With an emphasis on permaculture the development of agricultural ecosystems intended to be sustainable and self-sufficient, according to Oxford Dictionary Eiker, a Prescott native, Certified Permaculture Designer, and Arizona Certified Nurseryman, brings his clients’ dreams and wishes to life … in a way that makes sense for this area.
What does that mean? It means taking someone’s vision for their property and helping make it reality with plants, irrigation, layouts, and systems that can thrive in our area’s desert climate and soil.
He’s quick to clarify that doesn’t mean a property has to be boring. Many people come to Arizona from other states with temperate, humid climates. They want lush, green yards like the ones where they came from. Eiker says that is possible to some extent, but it’s ideal to create that with plants that can thrive in this area’s specific climate and, more so, the soil. importantly, soil.
Part of permaculture, is, “how we are using what we have in the way of water. How can we redirect the drainage on a property, and have it work for us so we aren’t wasting water?”
Once homeowners recognize the importance of sustainability and water conservation, they may need some guidance in just how to do that. That’s where the HortiCoach comes in.
Eiker provides consultations for property owners who want to know what they already have in their yard, how to care for it, and how to introduce new plants and features to maximize the tenets of permaculture.
“Sometimes it’s nicer to have somebody in your yard, boots on the ground, telling you and showing you, what stuff is, how to take care of it, what to do with it, and what it’s good for,” he says.
In addition to consultations, Eiker will work alongside property owners to complete smaller projects (specific elements of their garden or landscape). He will provide project management or ongoing consultation for larger projects and will provide group education (see all available services at https://www.thehorticoach.com/services.
