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In this post, we will discuss why pansies are a fall favorite.

Our days may still be hot, but autumn is officially here. Fall is a good time to plant, but for fall color it’s best to choose plants that can withstand a chill. 

Pansies are a fall favorite because they will tolerate some frost and keep on giving us color right up until winter–and even during the winter, if it’s mild. They come in a wide variety of colors that are great for autumn. It’s easy to mix them up with other plants or simply mix a variety of pansies in a pleasing color scheme together.

When planting pansies, water them well and continue to water regularly for two weeks. They will need less water than summer-flowering plants, but you will need to continue to check them every couple of weeks during the fall/winter and water when the soil is dry.

Best of all, pansies will come back again in early spring to provide two seasons of enjoyment and 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 in this post, we have suggested few beautiful DIY fall color ideas and plants

Our landscapes have been through a lot in the last week. Call your landscape professional if you’ve got tree damage or are concerned about your sprinkler system. Some fixes require the help of an experienced pro.

While you wait for that appointment, you can still add some color and style to your landscape with fall containers. They are an easy way to quickly spruce up your porch or patio. If the weather gets wild again, you can bring them into your home or garage just before a freeze hits.

What to plant now

Take advantage of foliage plants that are suited to fall temps by using ornamental cabbage and kale. They make great combos with blooming plants in containers.

Another fall favorite is pansies. Because they are available in so many colors, they can play to many themes. For example, use orange and blue for Bronco-themed containers and other combos in colors that show team spirit for your college or kids’ high school. Orange and black pansies are perfect for Halloween décor. Or simply mix an assortment reds, yellows and purples for bright and varied interest.

Another quick and easy strategy is to use masses of mums. Several containers in the same or different colors grouped together provide mounds of colorful impact and take little time. Group mums in large baskets or re-purpose a bench to give them some height and place them in a row. Galvanized buckets and oval bins are also great for grouping plants as one large mass of color.

It doesn’t take a lot of effort enjoy nature’s last rush of color before wintry weather settles in to stay.

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 good time to plant

Toward the end of August and early September, conditions are prime to plant cool-season crops for fall harvest. These plants aren’t made for the long and intensely hot days of summer. Late summer’s cooling nighttime temperatures and shorter days with less sunshine offer the right conditions.

Plants to consider:

• Green leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, lettuce, collard greens, chard
• Beets
• Broccoli
• Carrots

For best results, follow these tips:

• Look for seeds with packets that say they will mature in 60 days or less.
• Keep the seeds evenly moist for the first few weeks as they are established.
• Apply a nitrogen-rich fertilizer every other week.
• Apply a layer of well-seasoned compost to nurture the soil.
• Have a frost protection plan ready should we get early snow.

It’s also a good time to plant herbs like basil, parsley, cilantro, and dill. Since Colorado can see frosts in early September, planting them in containers is best. If conditions get too cold, bring them indoors overnight. When winter comes, keep them inside to enjoy through the cold-weather months.

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 about how landscape/garden journal can be a helpful tool for planning next year’s growing season.

If you, like many of us, are spending more time in your backyard this year, you’ve likely been paying closer attention to your landscape. Perhaps you’ve noticed areas you’d like to improve, or that some plants aren’t thriving. Are you taking notes on all the things you observe?

A landscape or garden journal can be a helpful tool for planning next year’s growing season. You can use a traditional blank journal and a pen, or try a notes app on your phone. Write down what you see or what you think about when you look at your landscape. If you use an electronic journal, take photos to accompany your notes. For those who thrive on order, you can find all sorts of templates for gardening journals online.

If your flower seeds did not sprout, note where they were planted and what you think you can do to help seeds grow next season. Was your yield of peas too little? Did your zucchini spread too much and crowd out your kale? Write about it in your journal so that you can better plan your vegetable garden next year. Did your sunflowers fail because they grew in the shade of a large tree? Remind yourself to plant something more suited to shade in that spot.

When it comes time to place orders for seeds or make plans for renovations, you’ll have notes on hand to help you remember what you really wanted out of your yard when the season was in full swing.

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

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

Let’s take care of the thirsty trees!

Trees are also the most expensive plant investment in our yards and consequently, the most expensive to replace. Proper watering is one critical thing you can do to help maintain that investment. They contribute to our health, and they can increase property values as much as 20% by some estimates. Their value increases as they mature, offering beauty, shade and more.

During these times of drought, we need to conserve water. But don’t turn off the water entirely. It’s easy to replace some dead lawn, but you can’t go to the nursery to buy a 30 ft maple tree if the one in your backyard dies. And it will take a long time to regrow the thousands of dollars in property value that tree represents. Trees planted in the lawn areas will get water each time you water the lawn, but trees not in the turf will need supplemental water.

Why trees need consistent water

While most Colorado lawns go dormant under drought stress, trees are not so resilient. Any combination of three weather events can mean death for a tree. For example, drought stress and insects/disease problems followed by winter storm damage can kill this valuable landscape feature.

Since we have little control over insects and disease and none over the weather, providing water is thing we can manage. Keeping a tree healthy by watering it regularly will also help it fight off pests and disease. Fertilization and proper pruning at the right time of year also bolster its viability.

Give them a drink

So be sure to water your trees—especially those that don’t get watered by your irrigation system, like street trees—during these stressful times of drought. It’s in investment into not only their health, but yours.

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 why hot days don’t always grow the best veggies.

This growing season has had more than its share of heat-filled days. Super-hot days don’t always grow the best veggies.

Tomatoes, in particular, suffer during hot days combined with warm evenings. At 85 degrees, pollination and fruit set will be affected. At 95 degrees when nighttime temps are at 75 or above, flowers may fall off the plants. Prolonged days with high temperatures, as we have seen this year above 90 degrees, can slow ripening.

Cucumbers in heat stress can drop their blossoms, develop deformed fruit and have a bitter flavor.

For squash, peppers, melons, pumpkins and beans, successive days in the 90s may cause them to drop their blossoms and temporarily shut down.

Cool season crops such as broccoli, cabbage, lettuce and spinach will bolt in the heat. Wait to replant when cooler days are here to stay.

TLC for heat-stressed plants

• Check soil moisture often and water so soil remains uniformly moist.
• If your plants wilt during the hottest part of the day, know that this is their way of coping with the heat. You should see them perk up in the evening as temps cool.

Apply mulch around plants to keep the soil cool and to retain moisture.

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 let us discuss about how to save our plant from Japanese beetles.

Japanese beetles have descended upon many Front Range communities. These exotic pests love many of our favorite plants, including roses, Virginia creeper, sunflowers, and green bean plants. But before the adult beetles wreak havoc on plants, leaving behind a lacy skeleton of leaves, their white grubs are busy at work chewing on our turf roots.

If your lawn is looking damaged, it could be due to any number of causes including heat stress. But if you are seeing Japanese beetles in your yard, they could be laying eggs in your turf and affecting its health. Luckily, some of the same techniques can help with either cause. Mow your grass higher—it promotes deeper root growth and helps turf manage the heat. Healthier roots can better withstand the grubs’ destructive behavior, so any practices that promote turf health make your lawn less susceptible to damage.

As for the adults in your plants, the best control is handpicking them and dumping them in soapy water. If you can’t control them this way, you can speak with a landscape professional about insecticides that might help. Traps are not recommended, as they have not been shown to reduce beetle damage. In fact, the lure that attracts the beetles to the traps is likely to invite even more beetles into your landscape than they capture, according to USDA, thus increasing the damage to plants.

Experts say that the simplest way to avoid losing plants to these pests is to look for plants that don’t attract them, like lilacs, hydrangea, and pines. Your local garden center or landscape professionals can help you find the right plants for your conditions that won’t bring more beetles around.

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

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