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You probably know how the root system of your lawn plays a very important role in the life of your grass. Like all plants, the root system in grass absorbs the minerals and water needed for survival.

What you probably do not know is that it sends hormonal signals to the aboveground portion of the grass, and it stores nutrition for later use.

Put in simpler terms, in lawn care, roots are paramount. The deeper they are, the better.

Want to know, how to optimally manage the root system of your lawn grass?

Then learn about the factors that determine your lawn’s appearance, through the hot summer months.

• Water

Contrary to common knowledge, watering too often can result in shallow root systems, and cause your lawn to die under severe heat stress periods.

To have a deeper root system, watering your lawn deeply and then leave it for a brief moisture stress period. It is no rocket science, the deeper your roots are, the more likely your lawn will survive such heat stresses as well as the dry winter months.

• Mowing

Mowing is another factor that affects root growth.

You must wondering, is not that what everyone do? “Mow their lawn,” why it is an important factor?

Wait! There is a catch, the higher the mowing height, the more green tissue there is to catch sunlight, which increases the root mass and root depth.

So now you know, what to do the next time, you mow your lawn.

Remember, a lower mowing height reduces the ability of the grass to absorb sunlight, which in turn lowers the production of nutrients and results in a shallower root system. Taller grass also helps to retain moisture in the soil by keeping the sun off the soil and the blades shade each other.

• Fertilizer

You need to know how much fertilizer is appropriate for grass rooting system. Sufficient and timely applications of nitrogen (fertilizer) help to have deeper and healthy rooting system.

Grass that is deficient in nitrogen will have a limited root system, which as we have already said, will affect the overall look of the lawn.

However, when applying fertilizer, it is also important to note that too much nitrogen will cause excessive growth, which in turn will quickly deplete storage of nutrients in the roots.

Now you know, what are the factors that make your grass look all green and soft. Just apply this knowledge and have a blooming lawn all around the year, even in dry season.

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Do you know your turf grass lawn is approximately 85-90 percent water? Yes, that is true; water is what makes your grass look that good, or bad, when watered insufficiently.

In different regions, requirement of water by grass varies, for instance, in Colorado, a region with a semi arid climate, blue grass lawns require 2 inches of water per week from May thru September. Thus, it is crucial that you know how much water your lawn receives from your sprinkler system. To use water more efficiently, it is important to monitor your sprinkler system. To check how much water your system puts out in a given period, you can use a rain gauge or a simple “Tuna Can.”

Steps to test your sprinkler system

• Place your gauge in an area of your lawn, and set your “clock” or “timer” for 15 minutes.
• Measure the amount of water you recorded. In a “pop-up” system you may get 3-5/10’s of an inch of water. “180 Degree Rotary” may get 1/10”, and “360 Degree Rotary” may get 1/20” in 15 minutes.
• After you have discovered the amount of water your system delivers for every 15 minutes, you can then adjust the time for each zone to achieve the correct amount of output for the current conditions.

Restrictions and guidelines for watering

In Colorado, there are watering guidelines or restrictions in place. They limit the number of days per week you are allowed to water. Three days per week is the general rule.And most communitiesalso have information on how much water your lawn needs each week. To water your lawn optimally in synch with the information, under the restrictions, it becomes imperative to know how much water your sprinkler system puts out in a given time. After churning these numbers, you are able to determine how long and how often to water your lawn.

Tips to water your lawn efficiently 

• It is best to water early in the morning or in the early evening. Watering when the sun is out and shining, that is, between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., is generally NOT recommended or allowed, due to high rate of evaporation.
• Another thing to pay attention to is runoff, which occurs when the soil cannot absorb all of the water that is puts out. There is a process called cycle and soak to correct runoff. In this process, water each zone for shorter periods and multiple times on each watering day. This allows the water to soak into the soil where it can be used by the grass.
• A broken sprinkler system can ruin all your plans; therefore, it is essential that you check for standard failures, such as backflows and clogged heads and if found, call us at 720-851-7550 to repair the damage.

• There are tools can help you to water more efficiently, such as rain sensor and smart clocks. A rain sensor turns off your sprinkler system, when it rains. Smart clocks connect to a weather station, and use weather data to determine how much water your lawn needs.Call us at 720-851-7550 for a quote to upgrade your system and save water.

Do your bit to save water and in the process, following these tips diligently, have a lawn that your neighbors envy.

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

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

Do you love gardening but have space constraints?

There is amazing way—container gardening—to revel the joy of conventional gardening, even though when you have limited space. This fun way allows people with little space, such as balconies or small patios, to have a garden, without hiring a garden service. The whole practice started when condominiums or multistory apartments mushroomed all over the country.

In the container gardening, as the name suggests, plants or herbs, such as bougainvillea and fuchsia, are planted in small containers. This is an inexpensive way of gardening.

Things you need to know about container gardening

• You can use anything for a gardening container, be it pottery, plastic containers, window boxes, old barrels, or watering cans. There is no the limit.
• The most crucial thing about the container is the drainage; the excess of water should not accumulate in the bottom, a small opening will serve the purpose.
• You need to water them consistently, smaller the container, the more frequently it will need water. In weather when the transpiration is high, that is, during summers, hanging baskets may need to be watered daily.
• To make your containers light, instead of using only soil as a base, use ole bark mulch and Styrofoam peanuts in the bottom half of containers. The bark helps to tie-up soil nitrogen, giving nourishment your plant needs.
• The soil used for container gardening is special; it should allow roots to grow easily, be water retentive and also helps fast draining. The best way to have a soil with such attributes is to mix it with compost.
• Watering the plants frequently will drain the nutrients away from the soil; therefore, it is essential that you add fertilizer. To be environmental friendly, use a water-soluble fertilizer.

What you can grow in containers?

You can grow anything that you want, unless it can be planted in a container. Most people grow annuals, perennials, tropicals, and even vegetables and herbs. However, there is a thing that you need to care about, when you choose a plant to grow in a container, be sure of the size of the plant when it will mature, the container should be of same scale.

The container gardening are not only attractive, adding beauty to your landscape but also is useful. It can provide enough herbs and vegetables. Grow a container garden in your balcony and get a supply of fresh herbs and vegetables for your dishes.

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

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Weeds, as you already know, reproduce aggressively and are invasive in nature, which has adapted to diverse environment. What all it need a suitable condition; rain, persistent or interrupted, gives weeds a chance to thrive. In a small period, it blooms and invades. Literally, it competes with desirable species for nourishment in your garden and starves them, which actively marginalize other species. Therefore, it is essential to regulate weeds regularly, so they do not get out of control.

Determining Tolerance level for weeds

Weeds in your landscape are nothing less than an eye sore; however, it is practically impossible to remove them entirely, as they flourish repeatedly even in hostile conditions. Therefore, it is advisable that you determine the degree or threshold of your tolerance level with respect to weeds. Once you decide what would be your tolerance level, you can come up to next the step: action plan.

Basic methods of weed control: 

• Manual Pulling
  Manually pulling, the oldest way to remove undesirables is still in practice. Many gardeners stick to this method when the surface is not large. The process involves removing or pulling weeds out of the ground by hand. In this method, you need to make sure that the roots are also pulled out; otherwise, they will re-sprout, and will bloom with same vigor. Unearthing weeds eventually weakens and kills them; however, it needs persistence effort.
• Application of weed killer or herbicides
  It is the easiest and the most effective method, which involves spraying herbicide, a toxic chemical to destroy unwanted vegetation, on weeds. Whether they are at sprouting stage or already grown up into herb. The taller weeds that are sprayed will eventually turn brown and are required to be pulled out. However, whatever the stage is herbicide will make sure that you get rid of them.

What you need to Know before using a Product
The first thing that you need to know is the effectiveness of a weed killer on a specific weed. Before applying any weed killer, read the label, pay attention to safety precautions and pollinator information.

There are two types of weed killer: selective weed killers and Non-selective weed killers

• Selective weed killers work only on certain types of weeds. For example, for lawn care, a product is available that is used specifically for dandelions; it will kill dandelions only, leaving all other weeds intact.

• Non-selective weed killers eradicate green plant, irrespective of the species or family. Therefore, it is more of absolute killer, which kills without any preference. These products will kill both the weeds and the grass.

When you are using herbicides, makes sure that you use them when weeds are not matured or are young. The earlier weeds are controlled, the better.

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

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Rising landfill waste in metropolitan towns and cities is a big problem. It is one of the most significant factors that lead to soil pollution and receding water table. Hence, many companies and factories aim to reduce the landfill waste through following the eco-friendly 3 R model that is Reuse, Reduce and Recycle the solid waste.

Can you imagine that 17 billion toilet paper rolls are thrown away each year in United States? This would fill the Empire State Building, which is the fourth largest building in the US, twice. In order to curb this wastage, the Scott paper company launched an innovative product–Scott Naturals Tube-Free. This would cut down the waste and help people get rid of the heap of waste in form of TP tubes.

Likewise,a well reputed Boulder-based tea company, Celestial Seasonings, has discontinued the use of string, tag, staple or individual wrapper for its teabags. This enables the company to prevent more than 3.5 million pounds of waste from entering landfills each year.

There are many industries that face the challenge of reducing their waste production that includes the landscape industry as well. Whether it is mowing lawns or pruning trees and shrubs, reducing landfill waste is a major challenge for a landscaping company. Therefore, it is very important to rely only on a well reputed landscaping company for your Parker Lawn Care.

Using mulching mowers for grass clippings

The EPA estimates that yard waste takes 18% of landfill sites.  Most of this can be avoided with eco-friendly practices.  Gone are the days when companies used simple push powered Reel mowers or electric mowers. Now, mowers come equipped with mulching blades that simply chop the grass to finer clippings. The grass clippings need not be dumped as landfill waste, as they act as compost and provide vital nutrients to the lawn, thereby reducing the need for fertilizers.

Converting pruned leaves and branches into compost or wood mulch

Huge volumes of debris are produced by landscaping companies through pruning leaves and branches of trees. Thanks to many recycling and composting centers that recycle this debris into compost or transforms it into wood mulch. The organic wood mulch so produced will easily settle down and decompose after a period.

Mulching tip:

It is commonly suggested not to use landscape fabric to collect the mulch as its slick surface will cause mulch to blow away in the wind.

Make it a point to get more such tips and professional Parker Lawn Care service from our experts only through www.bestyard.com.

Do you know that watering lawns and gardens can account for up to 50 percent of total water use by an average household? With a poorly maintained or outdated sprinkler design, you end up wasting gallons of water that will add to your expenses on utility bills. So, it is very important to repair, upgrade, and maintain your sprinkler in the best way possible to get the maximum benefits. You can easily check your sprinkler and sort out minor issues, which will make your device more efficient. If you are looking for a Highlands Ranch Sprinkler Repair service then you can rely on the expert technicians of BestYard.com.

Let’s find out as how to upgrade and maintain your sprinkler to getthe desired results:

• Check the timer which is an important part of your sprinkler. If it does not function properly, then check the wiring and/or the battery to get the desired power back-up.
• Set the correct watering time according to the type of sprinkler. Whether it is a rotor type sprinkler or spray type, you must ensure that all parts work properly and provide you the desired results.
• Check for any missing heads or nozzles and replace them. If you find clogged heads, then you must clean them out.
• Adjust each head for proper overlapping coverage and to avoid wasting water spraying driveways and sidewalks.
• Use spray heads for lawn and drip leads or lines for shrubs and flower beds.

Get technical help from a pro for resolving more serious problems

Broken underground sprinkler pipe needs to be repaired by an expert. Any leakage in the valve of a spray or rotor sprinkler needs to be repaired by a professional. A large leakage in the body of sprinkler may require replacement of the old sprinkler with the new one.

If any part of the irrigation system is not functioning properly, then it might indicate electric failure. Such kind of technical glitches can only be fixed by an expert who has the expertise and tools to resolve the problem.

Upgrade your sprinkler to make it highly efficient

Make your irrigation system smarter by upgrading your sprinklers to make them more water saving and efficient. You can simply follow these steps to make your device efficient:

• You can replace old nozzles of your sprinkler heads with water-saving nozzles. This is the most affordable way to upgrade your sprinkler and save water.
• You can equip your sprinkler with Smart Controller that uses advanced technology to gather and use weather data and information related to your yard, water schedule and others. What makes this smart is that they can adjust the watering process according to the season and yard conditions. This will save water and will enable you water your lawn in a seamless way.

Make it a point to upgrade your sprinkler through an expert Highlands Ranch Sprinkler Repair service from our technicians. Feel free to call us at 720-851-7550 or fill the Quote Request form on https://www.bestyard.com/quote-request/.

How does it feel to see your well maintained, green lawn suddenly hijacked by blooming dandelions? Spring is the nicest of seasons perhaps, but it brings some pesky landscaping problems with weeds probably the most irritating one. If left untreated they can take over the lawn or garden,which will reduce its appeal and value. No wonder, weeding is an important part of comprehensive lawn and garden care.  Here are some useful Parker lawn care tips on weeding:

Get the best kind of fertilizer for your lawn or garden

Maintaining a healthy lawn and garden is possible only when proper fertilizer is used at suitable times. Researchers at Colorado State University have found that weeds can even flourishin an unfertilized lawn orgarden. Proper fertilization is important as a healthy lawn actually is capable of fighting off weeds.Use a professional golf course type of fertilizer like a 65% slow release granular fertilizer that feeds your lawn slowly over 6 to 8 weeks.

Apply herbicide on healthy weeds rather than dried weeds

Weeds,when dried, lose its uptake of weed killing product. Drying out does not help as weeds can survive drought conditions. Therefore, it is easier to check the spread of healthy weeds through powerful herbicide than controlling the dried weeds.

Know your weed before you pull it

It is very important to know the class and type of weed before uprooting them manually from your garden. Some weeds can be easily uprooted and this negates their chance of re-growth. However, some weeds with their roots reachingtoo deep in the soil require extensive labor or a professional to be uprooted. Besides, uprooting these weeds may activate the regenerative root system that will trigger more growth.

Know your herbicide properly before applying

Having a proper understanding of the ingredients of herbicide as well as its limitations will help you select the most suitable weed killing product and make the most of it. herbicide come in two different forms: Selective products and Non-selective products.

• Selective herbicides are those that effectively check the growth of weeds without damaging the nearby plants. These products are ideally used in lawns, gardens, and crops.
• Non-selective herbicides destroy any and every plant they come in contact with. They prevent the growth of grass, dandelions and other weeds or thistles in the area. They are best suitable for areas near fence rows, drains and irrigation ditches, pavements or sidewalk crack, etc.

Hence it is a good idea to use a proper Selective herbicide,rather than using a general one,to eliminate weeds from your lawn.

Follow the label and guidelines for use to get the best result

It is very important to find out the key ingredients and follow the label and guidelines to get the best results from the use of weedicide. One must use the recommended amount of the product in case one requires preparing the solution mixing herbicide in water.

When it comes to using the herbicide, one must remember not to use it against other crops for which the product may be harmful. Besides this, one must also check the spread of dandelions seeds through the breeze.

A goodoffense is the best defense

It is commonly said that in a war an attack on the enemy is the best defense. If you want a healthylawn then you must be proactive to select and use the proper herbicide for early and effective treatment of weeds. You must properly maintain and water the lawn that will act as the best defense against turf weeds.

For dandelions it is important to nip them in the bud and remove or treating them before they develop.

If you require professional weeding or Lone Tree Lawn Care service then you can rely on a pro landscaping expert of www.bestyard.com.

There is no denying that the beautiful outdoor or landscape of any residential or commercial property adds to the appeal of the property as well as its resale value. Lawns and gardens enhance the comfort level of the residents and enable people to make the most of it. They need proper and periodic care and maintenance, which, although a strenuous and time consuming task,is worth every penny, considering the value and importance of your investment in your property.

If you are considering hiring a professional landscaping and garden service, these facts might persuade you to get one –

Nice landscape increases the resale value of the property

Buyers look for properties with beautiful outdoors. Homes with poor landscapes sell 8-10% below equivalent homes with good landscapes. Professional landscaping can not only add as much as 15% to the resale value of a building but also speed up the sale by as many as 6 weeks.

Provides maximum environmental ROI adding value to living standards

Proper maintenance of your lawn or garden provides you immense value. The investment of time and money to keep the landscape healthy simply manifolds the returns in terms of keeping your environment healthy and hygienic. But how? Let’s see:

• A single mature tree can absorb 48 lbs of Carbon Dioxide ayear, nearly equivalent to the amount of emissions from a car driven for11,000 miles. Thus, trees in your lawn act as the best pollution filters that will purify air.
• Lawns provide the best cooling effect that keeps the temperature of your home exteriors low and comfortable. The front lawns of just eight houses provide the cooling effect of 70 tons of air conditioning that is enough to cool 20-25 homes.

Reduces your utility bills and helps you to save money

Using professional landscaping and garden service and planting selected trees can cut energy costs as much as 25%.Planting shrubs and perennials in your lawn or garden lowers the temperature and keep your home indoors cool thereby reducing energy needs.

Grow edibles and get extra benefits

• Garden activities such as planting, watering or weeding for 45 minutesburns off as many calories as 30 minutes of aerobics.
• You can burn 300 calories in one hour of weeding.
• Besides the above, you are more likely to get 7 to 10 times of your initial investment in returns in form of your produce. The edibles that you will grow in your garden will save that much money you may incur buying the same stuff from the market. You can’t even get such an attractive rate of return in your savings account.
• You will get a sustainable and healthy supply of fresh fruits and vegetables from your garden. This will giveyou priceless health benefits.

It can be safely said that your lawn and garden and its effective care and maintenance will bring you immense value and maximum returns on investment. You will save your hard earned money, and will get fresh and pure air together with healthy homegrown produce. Feel free to visit us online at www.bestyard.com for more information and services.

A well maintained lawn or garden compliments the beauty and aesthetic elegance of your home. A beautiful lawn not only adds to the charm and appeal of your home but also adds to your comfort level. Besides this, it makes the best first impression on visitors and enhances your personal or social image. Taking care of your lawn or garden is a time consuming task, and if you are a busy professional you may not have enough time.

If this describes you, BestYard.com provides customized and comprehensive Lawn Care and Garden Maintenance Services in Arapahoe or Douglas county to make your lawn look its best.

Whether you are in Aurora, Parker, Castle Rock, Castle Pines, Highlands Ranch, or Lone Tree, you can easily get complete lawn care services from the dedicated team of BestYard.com.

Spring is the best time when the grasses of lawn or garden strengthen and expand their roots. Scientists at the Colorado State University have found out that over-watering of lawn in the spring just makes the roots shallow that dries sooner and develops brown spots. The shallow roots just curtail the growth of the grass, make them stressed and beg for more water.  

If the uppermost layer of the soil is let dry, then the roots of grass get deeper and that helps in the development of healthy and lush green grass, making it highly appealing and impressive. Like good parenting is behind a disciplined and well-mannered person, proper care and maintenance is behind a beautiful and lively lawn.

Tips to promote growth of lawn grass in spring

• You need not water your lawn in case there is a good spring rain every 7 to 10 days.
• Increasewatering to about every 5 to 7 dayswhen the days get warmer and windy.
• You must test the soil moisture before watering. To do that,use a stick not thicker than your pinky finger and push it against the soil. If it is hard to push, that indicates it’s time to water.

Be careful:South-facing slopes need special care and maintenance as the lack of sunshine can chill and kill the grass. Hence, the grass needs frequent watering.

Best way to watering lawn grass

• Watering an area of the lawn all at once for about 15 minutes will lead to run-off and wastage of water that may not be useful for your lawn.
• You can plan to break the time slot of 15 minutes in three parts of 5 minutes each and water the grass of your lawn with intermittent breaks after every 5 minutes. This will provide ample time for water to soak in to the soil and let the grass get complete nourishment.

With the timer on your sprinkler system you can set the schedule easily.

If you are looking for a hassle-free, professional lawn and garden maintenance service, then just give a call on 720-851-7550 or submit a Quote Request on https://www.bestyard.com/quote-request/.

Since the lawn & garden maintenance is seasonal business in Douglas and Arapahoe counties, we get that question all the time.  Many people assume that lawn care companies shut down after Thanksgiving.  That is the case for many companies, and used to be the case for BestYard.com.

What changed is clients asking us to also install Christmas lights, do snow removal, and winter chores for them such as winter watering, pruning ornamental grasses, shrubs, and trees damaged by  heavy  snow falls, and winter cleanup of wet leaves so the grass could get oxygen in the winter.  Bottom Line:  many clients wanted full service, year round, one stop shopping for all their landscape maintenance needs.

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