Your lawn has been resting all winter, and now is a good time to help it get in shape for the summer season. Aerating, a process of removing “cores” of soil from your turf, is a beneficial “exercise” as part of your landscape’s spring conditioning program. Spring snowfall has left the soil full of moisture, which makes it easier for the aerator’s tines to sink in and pull out plugs of grass and soil. The holes created allow water, nutrients,…
Want a beautiful lawn? Start your landscape off right this spring. Proper maintenance will keep your personal green space in tip-top shape for relaxing or entertaining. Consider grass cycling. Allowing grass clippings to remain on the lawn helps return nitrogen and nutrients to the soil. Water wisely. Provide your lawn a cycle-and-soak watering every few days, not daily. Watering your lawn too frequently often leads to shallow root growth. Control weeds. April is the ideal time to get in front…
At lower elevations and in protected areas, the early bulbs of spring are popping up to paint the first strokes of color across the landscape. Some places are seeing crocus and hyacinths – and daffodils and tulips are soon to follow. As we are well aware this week, April is (sort of) warming, but it can still be a time of heavy snow – and even a temperature dip into the deep freeze. Protecting early-flowering bulbs When the bulbs you…
The gardening season is long gone, and with it the aromas and flavors of seasonal herbs such as basil and rosemary. Still, we can enjoy their fresh flavors over the winter months by growing them indoors. Herbs make practical holiday gifts for gardeners and anyone who likes to cook with the freshest ingredients. You can order pre-made herb gardens online, but you’ll miss the fun of a quick DIY project. If your green thumb is itching to squeeze some soil,…
Poinsettias which are the traditional plant of the holidays, are not poisonous. Studies published by the Mayo Clinic and info online from Colorado State University Extension confirm neither people nor pets will die from consuming part of a poinsettia. Their milky sap may be mildly irritating to people with sensitive skin, especially those who are latex sensitive. Washing with mild soap usually solves the problem. Eating large amounts of flowers and leaves can upset the stomach, but plants are not…
One spark can send a dry tree up in smoke in a matter of seconds and spread fire quickly throughout the home. Watch this video to see how quickly this happens. Christmas tree fires can turn devastating and deadly within seconds. Here are 5 care tips for your fresh trees: Select a tree stand that holds at least 1 gallon of water. Immediately before placing the tree in the stand, cut off a few inches of the base so the…
Fall is when we need to start paying attention to the moisture our trees need to survive the months ahead. Trees are the most valuable elements of our landscapes and we need to be ready to water them this fall and winter. In the Denver metro area, October 2018 received less than 1 inch of precipitation. This dry spell follows on the heels of a hot, dry September during which temps on 80% of days were above normal and overall…
If you mow your leaves and leave them on top of the lawn, you will save yourself time and back-breaking work raking, bagging and pulling heavy bags out to the curb. You will help to cut down the 8 million tons of leaves that end up in landfills nationwide each autumn. In landfills, leaves create methane gas that heightens global warming. On your lawn, mulched leaves: Create nutrients and thereby reduce fertilizer needs. Help maintain soil moisture. After three consecutive…
In Colorado, we love our landscapes and we are spending more time outdoors where we can enjoy them. With so much of our state in drought conditions and under water restrictions, we are reminded we need to look for plants that are easy to grow, can handle summer heat-and don’t need a lot of water. If you are looking for more water-wise ideas for what to plant this year, here are some plants you might want to bring home to…
We have so many plant choices in Colorado, it’s easy to lose track of plants that have always grown here. Yet, there are good reasons to have a few native plants growing in our yards. The No. 1 reason to plant natives is that Colorado is NOT an easy place to grow plants. We have wild temperature swings, hard freezes, a dry climate and harsh winters. We can and do grow non-natives here, but non-natives can take more work, develop…
