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In this post, here are guidelines from CSU on when and how to water this winter.

Dry conditions across Colorado mean you’ll need to drag out the hose and sprinkler and water your landscape this winter. Snowfall usually provides far less moisture than rain, so you should supplement with winter watering when the ground is not frozen.

Follow these guidelines from CSU on when and how to water this winter:

• Water when air and soil temperatures are above 40 degrees with no snow cover.
• Water mid-day so that the water doesn’t freeze overnight and cause damage.
• Watering one or two times per month, depending on conditions, is usually sufficient. Water long enough so that the soil is thoroughly soaked without run-off. Use the cycle-and-soak method for sloped areas.

If you aren’t able to hand-water your landscape this winter, hire a landscape pro to do the work for you. It’s a good investment in the long-term value of your property.

Click “DO IT FOR ME” to request a FREE quote.

Source: customer-service@bestyard.com in collaboration with Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado

In this post, we will tell you about five plants of the year

The National Garden Bureau once again chose five plants of the year. For 2021, they have chosen hibiscus (shrub), monarda or bee balm (perennial), hyacinth (bulb crop), garden bean (edible), and sunflower (annual). Plants are chosen because they are popular, easy-to-grow, widely adaptable, genetically diverse, and versatile.

Take some time this winter to explore the options for adding these trendy plants to your garden.

• Hardy hibiscus might be a challenge for Colorado gardeners as they have greater water needs. Look for the Summerific® variety for the best results.
• Native monarda fistulosa, aka wild bergamot, will add fragrance and keep pollinators happy.
• Hyacinth bulbs are prized for their fragrant blossoms. It’s too late to plant for this spring but keep them in mind for fall planting.
• Garden beans are a wide category. Options for edible bean crops include native Anasazi or Christmas beans, hardy pinto beans, or bush green beans.
• Sunflowers might be the trendiest plant of the bunch. Whether you plant native Colorado sunflowers or mammoth varieties for their tasty seeds, they are sure to make a splash in your landscape.

Click “DO IT FOR ME” to request a FREE quote.

Source: customer-service@bestyard.com in collaboration with Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado

In this post, we will discuss how to take care of indoor plants during the winter.

Plants are a great living gift during the holidays. Be sure you know how to adjust indoor plant care during the winter, and your houseplants will keep bringing you joy well into the new year.

Poinsettias will last a long time indoors with good, bright light. Cyclamen is also a popular flowering plant for gifting during the holidays that do well in cooler temperatures. Keep it in a bright, cool window and enjoy its winter blooms.

For most tropical houseplants, follow these guidelines:

• Keep them warm. Put them in a room with a steady temperature of 60-75 degrees.
• Avoid temperature swings. Don’t keep them near cold, drafty windows or heat sources like fireplaces or radiators.
• Make sure they get plenty of sunlight. Their usual spot may not get as much light in the winter, so you may need to move them to a sunnier windowsill.
• Waterless and ease up on the fertilizer. Like us, plants slow down in winter. They won’t need as much water, and they may not need any fertilizer at all.

If you want to be a hands-on “pet parent,” wipe down their leaves with a damp cloth instead. Since homes can be dry in winter, your tropical plants may also benefit from a little mist of water or a humidifier.

Click “DO IT FOR ME” to request a FREE quote.

Source: customer-service@bestyard.com in collaboration with Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado

In this post, we will discuss about the touch of nature and beauty to Christmas decor.

Live plants are a beautiful addition to your holiday décor. Wreaths of evergreen, eucalyptus, or herbs add a touch of nature and fragrance to your home, and the scent of a fresh evergreen tree really adds to the Christmas ambience.

Make the holidays safe

Safety is important, too. Keep your live wreaths and cut trees properly watered to avoid a fire hazard. And if your household has curious kids or critters who may chew on plants, avoid these popular holiday plants:

• Amaryllis plants are very toxic and the bulb more so.
• American holly has potentially toxic compounds that can cause gastrointestinal irritation.
• Mistletoe berries and leaves can cause mild gastritis—but the most serious threat to pets is the plastic berries often included in the package. Many holiday vet visits are due to pets ingesting these berries. Plastic berries also pose a choking hazard to curious kiddos.
• Kalanchoe, a flowering succulent, is popular at the holidays because of its showy blooms. It, too, can cause gastrointestinal problems for pets. The flowers can cause kidney failure in cats, which can be deadly.

What about poinsettias? 

Despite what you may have heard, poinsettias are not poisonous. According to WebMD and Mayo Clinic, the poinsettia can cause a skin rash or cause nausea/vomiting in children or pets but they are not deadly. People with latex allergies or certain food allergies (avocado, chestnut, kiwi, banana, passion fruit) are more likely to have an allergic reaction to the poinsettia. But as long as you keep them out of reach of children and pets, poinsettias are a beautiful choice for holiday decorating.

Click “DO IT FOR ME” to request a FREE quote.

Source: customer-service@bestyard.com in collaboration with Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado

In this post, we have mentioned about the trendy yet comforting color combination of flowers for your landscape.

This week, Pantone® announced that it had chosen two colors for 2021 Color of the Year. Pantone chose them as colors of a solid foundation (Ultimate Gray, reminiscent of rock or concrete) and of cheerfulness and hope (Illuminating’s sunny yellow).

For the landscape, there is great potential for incorporating this trendy yet comforting color combination. Plant Select® has introduced a new shrub for 2021, SteppeSuns® Hokubetsi (pictured above, photo courtesy Plant Select), with silver leaves and yellow flowers that fits the bill. It can survive extreme temperatures, is deer resistant, and is pollinator-friendly. Plant Select plants are well-suited to Colorado’s unique conditions.

There is no shortage of sunny, yellow flower options for your landscape throughout the growing season:

• Tulips
• Daffodils
• Yellow primrose
• Black-eyed susan
• Sunflowers
• Gold currant

The warmth of Illuminating would also look great in a gray container. Gray concrete or other hardscape provides a muted background for potted plants in this hopeful, positive color.

Click “DO IT FOR ME” to request a FREE quote.

Source: customer-service@bestyard.com in collaboration with Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado

Here are some safety tips, if you’re planning your own holiday light show.

Some households are celebrating the end of a challenging year by putting on spectacular light displays for the holidays. If you’re planning your own holiday light show, keep safety in mind.

• It may have taken a backseat to other news, but Colorado is dealing with drought, raising the risk of fire from faulty lighting or wiring. If you’re lights are old or worn, consider an upgrade to efficient LED lighting. LEDs use a fraction of the energy that traditional incandescent bulbs, and they often last 30 times as long. They don’t get hot like incandescent bulbs either, which lowers the fire hazard.
• New technology has made lights more affordable, too. There are programmable lights that allow you to change the speed, pattern, and color of your lights with a remote control. If you do choose to upgrade, look for free recycling programs in your area for holiday lights. Your city or county may accept the old lights, or a local retailer may offer a trade-in discount on your new lights.
• Some landscape professionals offer lighting design and installation. They can install the lights safely, bringing the right tools and efficient lights that won’t result in a large energy bill. You won’t need to store the tools or the lights after the holidays, either.
• But if your lighting plan is DIY, play it safe with a telescoping light-hanging tool. Some models can reach more than 20 feet or come with clips to help you attach lights to your gutters. Those clips are handy—you are less likely to damage cords with clips than with nails.

Click “DO IT FOR ME” to request a FREE quote.

Source: customer-service@bestyard.com in collaboration with Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado

Here are the two tips to relieve your yard bloat.

Feeling full after a Thanksgiving meal? Your yard and garden can be part of your overindulgence recovery. Two top tips for relieving bloat are:

• Get moving. 

Exercise is a great way to get rid of that “too full” feeling. Why not get out in the yard to check off some outdoor tasks? Heavy yard work (landscaping, moving rocks, hauling dirt) can burn 400-600 calories per hour, according to WebMD. So can shoveling snow, if you’ve gotten some precipitation wherever you’re celebrating. Raking and bagging leaves can burn 350-450 calories per hour—a welcome benefit from a chore you may have been putting off.

If the weather is warm enough—or if you can layer up without restricting your movement too much—you can also try some simple calisthenics in your yard while the sun is shining.

• Hydrate.

Drinking water is recommended for relief if you’ve eaten too much. If you harvested your herb garden and dried the extra mint you grew, try some mint tea. It might make hydration a little tastier and also aid digestion. Got some fresh mint? Add that to your ice water for similar effects.

However you celebrated yesterday, use the holiday weekend to get outside and enjoy your landscape.

Click “DO IT FOR ME” to request a FREE quote.

Source: customer-service@bestyard.com in collaboration with Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado

In this post, we will learn to repurpose yard waste into beautiful decorations.

Before you go shopping for holiday bric-a-brac, check out what Mother Nature has left in your yard. Yesterday’s pruning debris can quickly be transformed into today’s seasonal décor. Many people spend money buying real or artificial pinecones, twigs and branches for decoration. Save a trip to the craft store and simply scavenge them from your yard—or from a neighbor who is willing to share.

Place pinecones with trimmings from evergreen shrubs in an empty porch container that’s been cleaned of annual flowers. Use natural branches and twigs for texture in arrangements. Leave them looking natural to enjoy as simple, minimalist elements. Or paint them gold or silver for holiday glitz.

If you have a wood-burning fire pit, fireplace or stove, make bundles of fire starters by wrapping twigs and pinecones with twine. These little bundles are an easy craft for kids, and they can be an attractive, useful gift to share when arranged in a basket.

Whatever yard waste you can’t reuse can then be composted to enrich your garden next year.

Click “DO IT FOR ME” to request a FREE quote.

Source: customer-service@bestyard.com in collaboration with Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado