Refresh With Indoor Plants

Maintaining high quality of indoor air is essential to ensure that all the residents or employees get pure and healthy air and the best ambience for living and working. Potting indoor plants will not only enhance the aesthetics but will also clean the air acting as pollution filters.

This blog will guide you about some of the important factors to consider when selecting indoor plants and help you select among some top-rated pollution absorbing plants.

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They’re 2018 Plants Of The Year

Photo courtesy National Garden Bureau

Just as 2018 is the year of the dog in the Chinese calendar, 2018 also has a designated bulb, perennial, annual and edible. These “2018 Year of” plants present growing opportunities for Colorado gardeners.

All the 2018 designees by the National Garden Bureau are quite growable in Colorado gardens – even if your garden plot is as small as a container on your patio.

2018: Year of the Tulip

Tulips are members of the lily family and have been cultivated for 400 years. Though their native home spans southern Europe, the eastern Mediterranean, North Africa and Asia, they do find a good home in Colorado because it offers the cool temperatures the bulbs need during for their winter dormancy.

Say it with tulips. Plant or give purple tulips to show loyalty, red to show love and white to say, “I’m sorry.”

2018: Year of the Calibrachoa

Though saying it may be more difficult to roll of your tongue than its big brother petunia, calibrachoa offers a broader range of annual color. It is often called a “mini petunia,” but it is not the same.

Calibrachoa is best suited to container gardens where it can spill over the edges like its Brazilian ancestors spilled over the edges of mountain cliffs. It is somewhat drought tolerant and prefers well-drained soils.

2018: Year of the Coreopsis

In the language of flowers, coreopsis means “always cheerful” which is exactly what its bright color brings to a perennial garden. Usually seen in yellow and gold, many species contain red, bronze and burgundy. It blooms throughout the spring and summer and finds a good home in Colorado’s growing conditions.

Coreopsis is an American native with at least 80 known species.

2018: Year of the Beet

The common beet is growing in popularity as a super food. Beets are high in fiber, vitamins A and C and have more iron than most vegetables. They are also rich in antioxidants and minerals. More recently, baby beet leaves have become popular as a salad ingredient.

For vegetable gardeners, beets make a great and healthy addition to the mix of edibles. Plant them as seeds during the cooler shoulders of the growing season as they don’t thrive during the heat of summer.

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Personalize a Plant Your Valentine Will Love

Roses traditionally say, “I love you.” But a bunch i n a bouquet lasts only so long. Here are some other plant options to extend your very special message for your very special person.

#1 – Extend the blooms with a rose plant

Your valentine can keep it indoors for now and move it outside when the weather warms. With proper care, roses will continue to bloom indoors.

#2 – Personalize a plant gift for your sweetie

Indoor plants are always a good idea because they help clean the air of toxins. Better still, if they bloom, you get a pretty bonus.

Beyond those benefits, think about your valentine’s lifestyle and where a plant might grow. There are plants for people who suffer with sleepless nights, who are away from home much of their time, who have little to no sunlight to offer a plant or for people who are forgetful gardeners. Here are some ideas to help you match the plant to your person.

Bloomers for the sweetheart who loves flowers

Cyclamen is a popular indoor flowering plant in the winter. It is available in many colors ranging from white, pale pink and hot pink to red. It needs some sunlight and regular watering. It also helps clean the air. Pick one large plant or group several small ones in a basket.
Gloxinia will bloom anywhere it receives bright, indirect light away from full sun. Blooms are large, trumpetlike flowers in a variety of colors. It requires water when the soil feels dry to the touch and fertilizer once per month while flowers are in bloom.

Durable plants that aren’t finicky

Cast iron plant like its name implies is a hardy plant. It grows 2-3 ft. tall and has narrow, dark green leaves. It will live in dark rooms with infrequent watering. It spreads slowly so it rarely needs re-potting. If your sweetie has little sunlight, here’s your plant.
Red Aglaonema or Chinese evergreen is a show-stopper with its red-pink-and-green leaves. It tolerates dry soil, making it very suitable for forgetful gardeners.
ZZ Plant is a great match for frequent travelers because it tolerates dark corners and dry conditions. It won’t need water until the top inch of soil dries. It will also live under fluorescent lights, so think of it as a suitable gift if your sweetie spends a lot of time at the office.

For the restless sleeper

Lavender has a lot going for it. Here’s a perennial that grows well and blooms indoors in a sunny window. It is well-known for its fragrance and as a de-stressor. Just brushing a hand across its fragrant leaves can help your sweetie relax and even sleep better.

This year, say “I love you” with a plant.

Happy (almost) Valentine’s Day!

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Are Your Plants Dying?

It’s time to water plants

The spritz of snow we had this week is a drop in the bucket when it comes to moisture needed to keep plants healthy. This is not a time to be complacent about dry plants. We need +/- 10 inches of snowfall to equal 1 inch of moisture.

Most winters along the Front Range, there is not enough snowfall to give plants the moisture they need. Remember, this is dry Colorado and even leafless trees and dormant lawns need winter water. This year’s exceptionally dry fall means watering is already in order. Adding supplemental water during the fall and winter keeps roots from drying out. Plants that receive water consistently will enter the spring as healthier plants.

Did you plant new trees, shrubs or perennials this season?

If so, they are likely long overdue for a good soaking if they have not been watered since the sprinklers were winterized.

Plan to check soil often and water throughout the winter.

What about other plants?

Any plants, if soil is dry down to a 3-inch deep, need water.

When can you water?

Anytime daytime temps are above freezing and the soil is not frozen, plants can be watered.

What about lawns?

Even though lawns appear dormant, they still need supplemental water especially areas of high sun exposure which tend to suffer winter kill.

How should you water?

Trees and shrubs are watered most effectively with a hose and a deep-root watering device attached. Because you insert it well into the soil, you will get more water into the root zone than by simply watering the surface of the soil. Water in a circle that corresponds to the area on the ground where the tree branches end. Place the device at about 18-inch intervals as you water.
For lawns, use a garden hose with a sprinkler. Water long enough so that the soil is thoroughly soaked without run-off. Water sloped areas in shorter periods, but more than once so water soaks in without running off.

Hold on to moisture

Adding a good wood mulch around bases of trees and other plants can conserve as much as 30% of moisture in the soil. It will also help insulate plants against severe cold and fluctuating temps. Important tip: make sure mulch is not placed right next to tree trunks and stems of shrubs. This can hold too much moisture and rot the plant.

Make Your Home Look Like A Winter Wonderland With Lightning Hacks

Are you prepared for Christmas this year? We are here to help!

“The foremost sign that shows you are ready when your home’s interior and exterior is decorated with garlands, wreaths, bows, and lights. I took a picture of the house that really perks up the holiday mood” stated by Chris Dominy, a local owner of BestYard.com and the Weed Man Lawn Care for Douglas and Arapahoe counties.

Below mentioned is an explanation of an array of decorating techniques used.

Roof lighting is divided into two categories. Facia lighting forms sharp angles and lines,while ridge lighting highlights depth and height.
Window lighting brightens the main area of the property and can be relished from either outside or inside of the house.
Stack lighting adds the lower range to your illumination program by outlining beds, driveways, and walks.
Daytime Decoration comprises features likea wreath that drawl any or all doors and windows. Decorated wreaths can be lit, unlitorfixed with a full bow. Lit garland is wrapped over the railing,draped around pillars or utilized as an accent across the front door. Unlit garland is also available for various purposes.
Tree and shrub lighting done by anexpertis graceful and spectacular.

If you would like to seek the help with your holiday decoration, contact us. We can help you with installing lights, take down, and storage making the whole process a hassle-free affair!

Do a Fall Clean Up in November

Take time to put your yard and landscape “to bed” in fall, your lawn will reap the rewards.

Give your lawn a healthy start next spring by managing these fall tasks.

Trim shrubs and ornamental grasses

Divide plants. If your perennials are overcrowded, fall is an ideal time to divide the root ball and replant. Cutting back the plants prior to transplanting can help reduce shock.
Plant fall bulbs. Plant in fall to enjoy spring’s first blooms – crocus, daffodil, tulip. The best time to plant is after the first frost so the bulbs will stay cool all winter. Dig holes for bulbs and fertilize before replacing soil.

Pick up leaves. Fall cleanup will save time for gardening come spring, and clearing your lawn of leaves and sticks will prevent the heavy, wet foliage from suffocating the turf. Dark, moist environments are breeding grounds for disease.

Decorate for the holidays. Fall is the time to think festive! Draw attention to your landscape with lighting, and find ways to incorporate a pop of color by filling containers with seasonal selections – mums for fall.

Clean up. Wash down the patio furniture and store it for the season. Make sure to pick up toys so they don’t get buried or lost.

7 Secrets to a Beautiful Lawn This Fall

Has the grueling summer heat taken a toll on your yard this year? Is your lawn stressed or have weeds, insects, or disease? Or, is your lawn just getting by, but not the best yard in your neighborhood?

BestYard.com has produced “7 Secrets to a Beautiful Yard this Fall”.

This guide will tell you “how and when” to help your lawn recover from the summer stress, create a beautiful lawn this fall, prepare it to survive our harsh winter, and thrive next spring.

1. Get Rid of Unsightly Weeds in August & September.

Weeds compete with grass for water, space, light and nutrients. They are very aggressive and can easily take over a lawn if not kept in check. Protect your investment with a customized weed control program that will help eliminate unsightly broadleaf weeds.

Weed control – combined with regular fertilization, proper mowing and correct watering practices – will keep your grass thriving while weeds disappear.

2. Apply an Early Fall Fertilizer between September 15 and October 31st.

Use a 65% slow release granular fertilizer that feeds your lawn over 6 – 8 weeks vs. cheaper liquid or Big Box store granular fertilizer that quickly releases the nitrogen over 7 – 10 days.

This will avoid burning your lawn during the last of summer making stress conditions worse.

3. Get to the Root of the Problem. Aerate Your Lawn in September.

The stressful combination of hot, dry weather and a season full of foot traffic leaves your soil compacted and making it difficult to breathe.

To alleviate this problem CSU professors recommend fall aeration to open pockets of air to allow your turf’s root system to breathe, grow deeper, and absorb nutrients and water. Over seeding is often done with aeration.

4. Over Seed to Improve Turf Density in September.

Fall over seeding helps your turf to become thicker and choke out weeds that grew during the grueling summer.

The new growth will fill in areas where the grass is thinning or where there are bare spots. The best time to over seed is with aeration because much of the seed will go into the plug holes from aeration.

5. Apply an Early Winter Fertilizer between October 15th and November 30th.

Because your lawn is recovering from a grueling summer it is more vulnerable to winter damage. Most of lawn care experts agree that the early winter application of fertilizer is the most important one for lawns.

It promotes a healthy, thriving root system, store vital nutrients for the winter and early spring, and aids the cold hardiness of your turf from winter damage.

6. Apply a Mite Control Application in November to Mid-December.

Do this if your lawn or your neighborhood had mite damage in 2017. This is one area where an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure. Mites can cause considerable damage to your lawn if left undiagnosed and not treated in 3 weeks or less.

Almost all serious injury by grass mites are related to winter drought stress. South-facing hills with sun exposure are typical areas where turf damage can be expected.

7. Do a Fall Clean Up in November to mid-December.

Take time to put your yard and landscape “to bed” in fall, your lawn will reap the rewards.

Give your lawn a healthy start next spring by managing these fall tasks.

Trim shrubs and ornamental grasses
Divide plants. If your perennials are overcrowded, fall is an ideal time to divide the root ball and replant. Cutting back the plants prior to transplanting can help reduce shock.
Plant fall bulbs. Plant in fall to enjoy spring’s first blooms – crocus, daffodil, tulip. The best time to plant is after the first frost so the bulbs will stay cool all winter. Dig holes for bulbs and fertilize before replacing soil.
Pick up leaves. Fall cleanup will save time for gardening come spring, and clearing your lawn of leaves and sticks will prevent the heavy, wet foliage from suffocating the turf. Dark, moist environments are breeding grounds for disease.
Decorate for the holidays. Fall is the time to think festive! Draw attention to your landscape with lighting, and find ways to incorporate a pop of color by filling containers with seasonal selections – mums for fall.
Clean up. Wash down the patio furniture and store it for the season. Make sure to pick up toys so they don’t get buried or lost.

OF COURSE we would love to care for your yard.
BUT, whether we provide for your yard or not, we want it to be the best it can be.
THEREFORE, we want to provide you the best professional advice for your lawn care in this guide.
THIS IMPROVES our neighborhoods, community, and environment.

If you have some items on your “to-do” list and want to move some to someone else’s “to-do” list call 720-851-7550 or click Do It For Me to discuss your lawn care needs or request your FREE lawn care quote.

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

How Your Vegetable Garden Can Keep Its Cool During A Heat Wave

By July 4^th we have had several weeks of a heat wave. We now face waves of scorching temperatures in July and August that will threaten our vegetable gardens.

Here are the Top 3 Do’s and Don’ts to help your veggies keep their cool and beat the heat.

Top 3 Do’s

1. Provide Filtered Shade

During a heat wave, too much sun threatens the health of our vegetables.

Provide your vegetables filtered shade using shade cloth (from your garden center) and temporary stakes or bamboo to cover your vegetables. This lets plenty of light in but protects the vegetables from the scorching sun.

2. Water Properly

During a heat wave, when and how you water is important to plant health. The Top 3 Watering Tips are:

Water early in the morning or in the early evening: This allows the plant to absorb more moisture when the sun is not evaporating it. Avoid late evening or night watering as this often leads to disease.
Water Deeply: Water to at least 6 inches to develop deeper and stronger roots. This helps the plants resist heat stress during the remainder of the summer.
Use Automatic Drip Irrigation: The advantage of automated drip irrigation is the plant roots will receive more consistent moisture than manual watering, or waiting for you to come home to water, or with spray heads. Spray heads lose too much water to evaporation, and run off from the yard and concrete areas.

3. Keep Your Water

Keeping water in the plants root zone means healthier and better vegetables. The best ways to do this are by adding mulch and a new patented technology named Moisture Manager. Mulch helps is slowing evaporation and controlling weeds that will suck up water. Moisture Manager uses tiny granules of a new, patented wetting agent attracts water molecules out of the air and surface areas to deliver moisture to your lawn’s root system for 3 months.

Results

Flowers with Moisture Manager Without Moisture Manager

Top 3 Don’ts

Don’t transplant or re-pot: This adds more stress to the current heat stress. Transplant when temperatures are cooler.
Don’t prune off wilted growth: This wilted growth provide shade to leaves below. Let the plant recover from heat stress and prune on a cooler day if the wilted growth needs trimming.
Don’t fertilize vegetables during a heat wave: Dry edible plants can take up too much fertilizer which can cause leaves to burn and even die.

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Imagine a Beautiful Yard…and the Time to Enjoy It!

Is your yard like Grandma’s?

Back in Grandma’s day, lawns or landscapes were more like a window dressing around a building. They had a token tree or two, a few evergreen shrubs, maybe some perennials for color out front and a small flower bed for marigolds.

But today’s landscape is not your grandmother’s yard. Today, we require more of our landscapes than ever before.

Do you now expect more than just one pop of color, more shade to cut the AC bill in the summer and a livable area with outdoor ambiance where you cook, eat and entertain? Do you want more curb appeal and increased property value? Are low maintenance and lower water costs also on the list?

Even more important today, do you also want your landscape to clean the air, deal with the heat islands in cities, purify water as it moves through the soil, mitigate storm water, grow healthy veggies, attract pollinators and repel the deer that want to chew up our petunias?

That’s a tall order for a yard that once just sat still, looked kind of nice and had to be mowed once a week.

So what’s on your wish list for this year’s gardening season?

Here are a six ideas to get you thinking:

ID the worst eyesore in the yard and put it at the top of the to-do list.
Decide what you want to see when you’re sitting on the patio. Is it more color, another tree or just a bigger, nicer patio?
Could you change just one thing that would require less maintenance? For example, is there a shrub you hate to prune because it has thorns? How about replacing it with a colorful and lower maintenance plant?
Is it too dark in the areas where you would like to expand outdoor living? Would it be more usable if there was outdoor lighting?
Can you find a placefor the fire feature that is now on your outdoor living wish list
Also, walk across the street and look at your house from the neighbor’s perspective. This is how they see your yard every day. Rate the curb appeal. If it reminds you of grandma’s place, think about a facelift.

As with other projects, make the list, prioritize it, and develop a plan.

Do you want this “DONE FOR ME” or is this too complicated?

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

We are confident we can please you, too, give us the opportunity.

Click BestYard.com, or call 720-851-7550 to schedule your services.

Tune-Up Your Sprinkler System this Summer

Small Changes could make Big Improvements!

The sun and heat in the summer season could create hassles for your lawn in the form of certain disease and brown spots.

Have you noticed that your sprinkler is performing much below par this summer as compared to its efficiency at the time of installation? Perhaps, newly broken pipes or clogged heads could also be the reason behind its poor performance. Even if the sprinkler system is working well with basic fall and spring maintenance, it is wise to check it monthly to adjust to changes as your landscape matures or for slight malfunctions.

The Top 4 Sprinkler Problems:

BestYard.com sees while taking care of sprinkler systems in Aurora, Parker, Castle Rock, and Highlands Ranch are listed below along with ways to fix the problem.

Flowers or shrubs hide the heads – At the time of installation of sprinkler system, it is likely that the shrubs and flowers were of lesser height. However, you need to keep a check on their growth and make sure to cut them back to prevent the heads from malfunctioning. As a second option, you could move the heads from some selected areas if cutting the shrubs poses a setback to the design of your garden. As a third option, you might need to raise sprinkler heads to spray over the current plantings.

Crooked Heads – Thawing and freezing cycle of the winter season affects the positioning of the sprinkler heads. Specifically, ground heave of the winter can cause misalignment of spray heads. In such cases, it is wise to straighten the heads so they are perpendicular to the ground. This could enhance the performance of the sprinkler head coverage.

Too low Heads – Was your sprinkler system installed at the time of initial lawn installation? If so, as the lawn grows over the years the sprinkler heads may be too low to spray over the grass or shrubs to provide proper coverage. The solution is to raise the heads so they provide sprinkler head to head coverage.

Tuning, Malfunctions and Tuning – Several problems could lead to brown spots in your garden, such as:
- Broken lines and valves
- Clogged or damaged heads
- Malfunctioning solenoids
- Controllers not adjusted for summer conditions

Correct these minor problems to ensure that your lawn gets proper water coverage during hot summer conditions.

Does your lawn also face one or more of these issues? Do you find fixing your sprinkler system too complicated? If yes, then our certified irrigation experts are always there to fix the issues and gear up your lawn to face the conditions of hot summer.

To request a quote, click “DO IT FOR ME”

Or call us at 720-851-7550. We will schedule your services accordingly.

Our Blog

2018: Year of the Tulip

2018: Year of the Calibrachoa

2018: Year of the Coreopsis

2018: Year of the Beet

#1 – Extend the blooms with a rose plant

#2 – Personalize a plant gift for your sweetie

Bloomers for the sweetheart who loves flowers

Durable plants that aren’t finicky

For the restless sleeper

This year, say “I love you” with a plant.

Happy (almost) Valentine’s Day!

It’s time to water plants

Did you plant new trees, shrubs or perennials this season?

What about other plants?

When can you water?

What about lawns?

How should you water?

Hold on to moisture

1. Get Rid of Unsightly Weeds in August & September.

2. Apply an Early Fall Fertilizer between September 15 and October 31st.

3. Get to the Root of the Problem. Aerate Your Lawn in September.

4. Over Seed to Improve Turf Density in September.

5. Apply an Early Winter Fertilizer between October 15th and November 30th.

6. Apply a Mite Control Application in November to Mid-December.

7. Do a Fall Clean Up in November to mid-December.

Top 3 Do’s

1. Provide Filtered Shade

2. Water Properly

3. Keep Your Water

Results

Top 3 Don’ts

Is your yard like Grandma’s?

So what’s on your wish list for this year’s gardening season?

Here are a six ideas to get you thinking:

The Top 4 Sprinkler Problems:

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