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In this post, we will learn about when to wrap and unwrap your trees.

November is a good time to think about wrapping your vulnerable trees for the winter. If you planted a new tree this fall or have a young tree in your landscape, wrapping it can protect your trees from winter damage.

• Why to wrap

Changes in temperature—especially those days when the temperature drops 20 degrees in two hours—can cause the frost cracks or split bark. The tree bark can also suffer sunscald, which are burns caused by sun exposure once the leaves have dropped and left the young bark vulnerable. Wrapping the tree protects that vulnerable bark. Some say it might even protect it from some wildlife that might gnaw on bark or rub their antlers on it.

• Water, water, water

You should also continue watering trees as long as it is warm. Winter watering is crucial to tree health. Put down a layer of mulch to keep the moisture in and to insulate the soil and roots below.

• When to unwrap

Just as we told you last week to water by the temperature, not the calendar, so should you take a lead from the weather as to when to remove tree wrap. The general rule is to remove it in April or early spring. With Colorado’s less predictable weather, you may need to adjust if you know that a later freeze is coming.

The best way to ensure proper winter tree care is to consult with an arborist or landscape professional who can help you make the right tree care decisions based on experience and by assessing the current conditions.

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

In this post, we will discuss about the best time to water lawn.

Fall is a critical time for lawn care and moisture. Hopefully, you shut down your irrigation system prior to the hard freeze and snow we just had, but your landscape still needs care. We are still experiencing drought, and taking care of your plants now can ensure that they return to their full splendor next spring.

• Keep watering

Keep watering even after the system is winterized. Haul out the hose and sprinkler and keep watering as needed as long as temps are warm. Don’t water when a hard freeze is expected. Freezing temperatures can result in damage to your plants.

• Water by temperature, not by date

Water when the air and soil are 40 degrees or above—and only water then. Don’t water when there are freezing temperatures, which can result in damage to your plants. Don’t water if there is snow covering the lawn. Water mid-day to avoid an overnight freeze that can damage your turf.

If your lawn is moving into dormancy and drying out, make sure it gets sufficient water. Push a screwdriver into the soil to see how hard the soil is. It should go down several inches and easily. Dry ground will be difficult to push through. If that’s the case, then you need to water.

Follow these steps and you will be promoting a healthier lawn that over time will require less water.

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

As snow is in the weekend forecast, get yourself ready.

Along the Front Range, snow is in the weekend forecast. We’ve already seen temperatures dipping pretty low at night this week, so you should already have prepared your irrigation system.

• Remember the sprinkler system

If you have not yet winterized the sprinkler system, don’t delay. Make an appointment to have a professional blow out the lines. In the meantime, shut off the system and protect your backflow device against freezing temps.

• Snow on top of leaves is a mess

Wet leaves take time to dry out, become heavy and even slimy. It will save you time and trouble in the long run, if your yard is covered with leaves, to deal with them before it snows. For leaves on the lawn, a smart move is to mulch them with a mulching lawn mower. The fragments left behind are good nutrition for the lawn.

In bed areas, you’ll also be ahead of the game by raking most of the leaves out. Work especially at cleaning out ground cover.

• When it snows this time of year

Storm damage is more likely to occur on trees that haven’t yet dropped all their leaves. Snow can build up, weigh down the branches and cause breakage. Trees that still have a lot of leaves are especially susceptible to damage.

If you see snow accumulating and you can reach branches on smaller trees, use a broom handle to gently shake limbs so snow falls off. Start on the lowest branches, working up. Otherwise, snow falling from higher onto lower branches just adds to their snow load that leads to breakage.

• Don’t forget evergreens. 

Even though they stand tall winter after winter, in very heavy snows, their branches can also break. Keep an eye on them during heavy snows and shake their branches as well.

• Prune to prevent more storm damage and decay

It’s always best to have broken, ripped limbs pruned back with a clean cut. Otherwise, torn limbs can invite pests and disease. This is one time when having an arborist, who really knows trees, do the work will pay off in the long term.

• What not to prune

Shrubs that flower early in the spring have already set the buds that will become pretty flowers. Avoid pruning lilac, dogwood, forsythia, viburnum and spirea in the fall or you will see fewer flowers next spring.

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

Here are some benefits of lighting up the outdoor areas & landscape.

The days are getting shorter, but it’s still warm enough to enjoy our outdoor living areas. Fewer hours of daylight shouldn’t keep you from enjoying your landscape. Outdoor lighting can keep the party going and allow you to spend quality time on your patio through the fall.

Landscape lighting is practical: it improves home security, allows your address to be seen for deliveries or in emergencies, and adds curb appeal if you’re looking to sell. It can also be fun!

Smart lighting

With an app on your phone, you can control the mood of your outdoor space. Not only can you turn lights on and off, but you can also change their colors, dim and brighten them and even make them dance. Many landscape professionals can help you with lighting design that fits your personal style.

Consider LED lighting

Afraid that adding lights will increase your power bill? Fear not. Newer technologies with low-voltage lighting offer energy efficiency, so it won’t substantially raise your energy bill. LED uses up to 80% less energy, and the bulbs last much longer than traditional lighting.

Another benefit: LED lighting provides light where it’s needed without adding pollution to the night sky. By using it, we can brighten our own environments and still do our part to keep the stars visible.

LED is a relatively easy retrofit around most homes. It can be installed during the winter months as long as the ground is not frozen.

Landscape lighting is a cost-effective home improvement that lasts all year. It shines brightly during the dark months. And when the longer days of summer return, it extends the hours and can re-set the mood of outdoor living far into the night.

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

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

Things to take care while converting your yard waste into Compost.

As the growing season winds down and you prepare your landscape for winter, you may find yourself with a lot of yard waste. Instead of bagging it and tossing it into the garbage, why not make that yard waste continue to benefit your plants by composting?

What to put in your compost bin:

• Leaves
• Grass clippings
• Straw
• Plant debris

While you’re at it, you can also add food waste from indoors, like coffee grounds, fruit peels and cores, and vegetables.

What not to compost: 

• Any plants which are diseased, such as plants with powdery mildew
• Large pumpkin and squash vines, which may take too long to decompose in your backyard compost
• Weeds that have gone to seed
• Pet waste

Food waste that should never go into your backyard compost includes, but is not limited to, meat, bones, dairy, or fats.

What’s in it for you?

Once the process is completed, your compost is best used in one of two ways:

• Mulch – Spreading a layer of compost can help your garden or landscape retain moisture and suppress weeds.
• Soil amendment – Colorado’s dry, clay soil benefits from adding compost. It helps the soil retain moisture and improves air flow.

How it works

Compost needs time to break down, whether it is tilled into the soil or applied atop it. It can create a homogeneous soil mixture ripe with microbial activity. This process does not add many nutrients to the soil but improves the soil’s capacity to hold onto both nutrients and water. It improves the root zone. That’s what makes it so beneficial to your landscape.

Plus, by composting at home, you can reduce waste, save landfill space, and improve your landscape in the process. 

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 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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