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Yes, there’s plenty of snow on the ground, but it’s not too early to think about this year’s garden.

Seed catalogs were mailed long ago, and the online business is already booming.

If you haven’t started planning this year’s garden, grab something warm to drink and cozy up to the fire with your laptop and order for spring!

• How much and when to order?

For most home gardeners, one or two seed packets per variety are all you’ll need.

To have the best selection of seeds, place your order soon.

Popular varieties will sell out, so be an early bird if you want to catch the best seed.

• Can I use any of last season’s leftover seeds?

While some plant varieties will produce seeds that will last for centuries, they are generally the exception.

Anasazi beans (collected from the cliff dwellings in southwestern Colorado) are good to grow.

Beans, grain, and corn are generally longer-lived than other plants but the hybridized versions we often use today don’t have a longer shelf-life.

Rule of thumb: check the expiration date on old seed bags and toss expired seeds.

If you have leftover seeds from past seasons that are questionable, you can check them out with a pre-season germination test.

Planting old seeds that don’t germinate can cost you two to three weeks of growing time–

the time you don’t want to lose in Colorado’s short growing season.

Plant a couple of seeds of each variety indoors in a sand/peat mix.

If they don’t germinate, don’t waste your time with them later.

• Can I use seeds harvested from last year’s garden?

Seeds from previously grown, hybridized plants are generally less reliable than freshly purchased seeds.

Why? As plants in your garden cross-pollinate with each other, they can create mixed seeds.

For example, if you plant seeds from last year’s huge pumpkin that grew next to the zucchini, the fruit that grows this year may be a surprise.

It may not look anything like last year’s prize pumpkin.

That’s part of the magic that matters when you select seeds.

• What about heirlooms?

Heirloom varieties are the old, favorite plants that go back generations, some to colonial days.

Heirlooms have been collected and maintained for generations and have not been hybridized.

These seeds can be collected for future seasons and will remain true to the original plant as long as they have not cross-pollinated with another variety.

To keep heirlooms unpolluted season after season, isolate them from non-heirlooms in your garden.

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

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

This winter has been full of more snow than in past years.
Being stuck inside can wear on our health and attitude.
Your yard and garden can be part of your “winter blues,” recovery.

Get moving.

• Exercise is a great way to get rid of those “winter blues”.
• 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! Clear your driveway and sidewalks.
• 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.

• Drink water! If you have been outside shoveling or have gone for a walk, 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.
• 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

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

For most houseplants, follow these guidelines:

• Keep warm. Put them in a room with a steady temperature of 60-75 degrees.
• Avoid temperature swings. Do not keep them near cold, drafty windows or heat sources like fireplaces or radiators.
• Make sure they get plenty of sunlight.
• Water less and ease up on the fertilizer. Like us, plants slow down in the winter. They will not 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.
Since homes can be dry in winter months, your 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

• Your lawn does not actually die each winter; it goes dormant.
• Dormant grass needs care too, especially in periods where there is a lack of precipitation.
• Turf needs water in the winter, though not as much as it does in the heat of the summer.
• Simply turning off the water until spring leaves your lawn at risk of drought stress.

• Drought stress creates favorable conditions for problems like turf mites.
• The damage (brown, straw-like patches) can show up early and can devastate the entire lawn if left untreated.
• The best defense against mites is to water turf over the winter.

• Just be sure to water when the soil is above 40 degrees. Do not water frozen soil.
• With the new snow, remember that salt or ice melt used on walks and driveways can end up in the lawn and cause damage.
• Use only when needed and avoid brushing or shoveling it onto nearby grass or plants.
• Give your landscape water a little attention this winter to make sure it returns to a healthy green in the spring.

Call BestYard if you are unsure about how much water your turf needs or are concerned about pests or diseases.

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

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