If you’ve got some big planters in your landscape, they don’t have to stay empty and boring this winter. The rest of your landscape might be dormant, but your containers can add a pop of color and interest until spring blooms return. A colorful container can be a decorative element by itself. Use brightly colored ceramic pots to add some interest to your porch or stoop. But if you’ve gone with muted colors in your containers, you can still add some pizzazz…
This Sunday is National Poinsettia Day. Poinsettias are a great gift for this time of year. While they are not edible and could cause mild illness, they aren’t poisonous to kids or pets. Use them to decorate your home without fear but know that it can take some effort to keep them alive and healthy in Colorado. If the gift recipient isn’t a dedicated plant lover, you might consider a different, hardier gift plant. If indoor houseplants are more their speed,…
Were you one of the many people who planted new trees during the pandemic? If you’ve got a young tree with thin bark, you should consider wrapping it for the winter. Why wrap a tree?Colorado’s big temperature swings can cause frost cracks or split bark. Our sunny winter days can cause sunscald on tree bark that is left exposed after leaves fall. Using a tree wrap can protect the vulnerable bark of young trees against the harsh Colorado climate. Trees like…
It’s still winter—spring officially begins March 20—and heavy snowfall predicted this weekend is a reminder that despite the change in season, March is historically Colorado’s snowiest month. Deep snowfalls—especially spring snow that tends to be heavier and wetter than powdery winter snow—can break tree limbs, smother and crush ornamental grasses and splay upright evergreens. Here are a few things to keep in mind as we head into this snowy weekend. Before the storm: Got early bulbs sprouting? Protect them from…
Use Ice Melt Sparingly Snow and ice can wreak havoc on our sidewalks and pathways. The Front Range’s heavy snowfall can melt as the day warms up, then freeze in overnight temperatures, leaving you with a slippery situation. To avoid slips and falls, it makes sense to put down some ice melt. Responsible use of ice melt is important for people, plants, and pets. Misuse can cause its own set of painful problems. Most ice melts include salts and…
Winter Landscape Care Dry conditions across Colorado mean you’ll need to drag out the hose and sprinkler and water your landscape this winter. Snowfall usually provides far less moisture than rain, so you should supplement with winter watering when the ground is not frozen. Follow these guidelines from CSU on when and how to water this winter: Water when air and soil temperatures are above 40 degrees with no snow cover. Water mid-day so that the water doesn’t freeze overnight…
Some households are celebrating the end of a challenging year by putting on spectacular light displays for the holidays. If you’re planning your own holiday light show, keep safety in mind. It may have taken a backseat to other news, but Colorado is dealing with drought, raising the risk of fire from faulty lighting or wiring. If you’re lights are old or worn, consider an upgrade to efficient LED lighting. LEDs use a fraction of the energy that traditional incandescent…
Your lawn doesn’t die each winter – it goes dormant Dormant grass needs care too, especially in periods where there is lack of precipitation. Turf needs water in 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 as early as February and…
Your lawn is stressed out too Your irrigation system should be shut down for the season, but you still need to give the lawn a drink. You’ll need to drag out the hose and sprinkler. You may have seen—or still see—snow on the ground, but don’t count on that snow to be enough to get your lawn through the winter. Snowfall usually provides far less moisture than rain, so you’ll need to supplement that with some winter watering—though not while…
Wishing you joy upon joy this holiday season. – Camelot Design…
