Heading out this weekend?

Weather this week reminds us that we're at the jumping off point for another glorious season outdoors. We're deciding what to plant-more veggies, splashier annuals, more perennials for longer lived color.


Before we get busy and just go plant something, we need to pull back. Think big picture.

What do you want your landscape, your balcony, your front porch, your patio, your curb appeal to do for YOU? Where does your landscape meet your life and how can you make it better?

If your outdoor space is where you want to live (or want to live more) in the warm months, do everything you can to make it friendly for you, your family, your guests.

• Do you need an expanded lawn area for little soccer players to kick the ball around?
• Has the dog worn trails across the grass that need to be remedied?
• Would an outdoor food prep area make entertaining easier?
• If you added some color and greenery to your patio, would that draw you outdoors more?
• Could a real fire pit create a gathering place for the teenagers you'd like to keep closer to home?

Answering these questions is all about having a plan and in the landscaping world, we call that plan a landscape design. The design relates to how we want to live in our landscape in a very pragmatic way. It incorporates the details that make the pet happy, cater to the kids, create privacy and drive the outdoor ambiance we want to enjoy.

On the practical side, a new design can be a problem-solver. Creating the big picture perspective for your space (even a very small one) will also point out problem areas that could be solved. Screening off the AC unit or solving a drainage problem by the downspouts isn't as much fun as adding a fire pit. But solving those problems along the way will help your state of mind and safeguard your property.

This weekend, if you're out planting carrot seeds or pushing petunias into pots, get a fresh take on how you want your landscape to meet up with your life.




Tip of the Week reprinted courtesy of Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado (ALCC) of which Foothills Landscape Maintenance, LLC is a member. ALCC is the only only professional organization for Colorado's landscape contracting industry statewide. Tip of the Week is copyrighted by Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado and may be forwarded or copied by its members provided proper credit is given to ALCC

Need fresh ideas for your landscape?

Find inspiration for your landscape

Whether it's more Zen or more zing your landscape needs, you can find fresh ideas from ALCC's Excellence in Landscape Awards. This year's awards competition showcases the best designs, installations and maintenance projects throughout Colorado--and the photo gallery of recent recipients can inspire you for the outdoor season that's just weeks ahead.

Here are five fresh ideas from these award-winning landscapes that you might want to consider:


• Small spaces can be amazing places for outdoor living. A high-rise balcony or townhome backyard offer great possibilities. Or for an expansive yard, tucking a small living area into an inconspicuous space can make a cozy retreat.

• Outdoor lighting adds security, curb appeal and evening drama around a home.

• There's nothing like annual flowers for outdoor pizzazz. From new spins on traditional designs to exotic flower combos, annuals remain the number one outdoor fashion statement.

• Edibles are in and should not be segregated from the rest of the yard. Carefully placed combos of flowers and veggies not only ward off pests, but bring new visual interest to planting beds.

• Perennials are the newest trend for landscape value. Because they keep coming back year after year, perennial plants are the sought-after landscape investment for the long term. Seasoned gardeners know this--and others are catching on fast to this great outdoor value.


Tip of the Week reprinted courtesy of Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado (ALCC) of which Foothills Landscape Maintenance, LLC is a member. ALCC is the only only professional organization for Colorado's landscape contracting industry statewide. Tip of the Week is copyrighted by Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado and may be forwarded or copied by its members provided proper credit is given to ALCC

Fall is for loving your lawn

The calendar may still say summer. But in Colorado, the thermometer is already saying fall-ish.

We've noticed daily highs getting cooler and the daylight hours getting shorter. But did you notice the much cooler nights?

Right now, average night-time low temps are more than 10 degrees cooler than they were on August 1st. Cooler night-time lows mean fall is in the air and especially so, for the lawn. Cooler nights combined with fewer hours of daylight slows lawn growth considerably. And that means it's really time to crank down the water and soon, slow down the mowing.

Grass in fall mode needs less water and less mowing the closer we get to the official start date of fall in just a couple weeks.

Even with the grass slowing down, you still need to love your lawn a little longer this growing season with a bit more TLC. Do these fall lawn activities and you will build a hardier lawn for the winter and see a stronger come-back next spring.

• Apply a final application of fertilizer timed around the first day of fall, September 23rd. Using the same fertilizer you used earlier this season is fine. But if you need to buy more, look for a formulation high in Nitrogen and Potassium because these minerals are good for the roots.
• Core aerate the lawn before winterizing the sprinkler system. Aeration pulls plugs of soil and sod out of the lawn and these holes open up the soil so that the roots can take in maximum moisture during the winter.
• Zap turf weeds. Here's your last chance for this year to get after turf weeds. Giving one last round of control will really pay off next spring in terms of fewer weeds at the start of the season.
• Get expert help if you have had fungus or other turf disease or insect problems this summer.

Cultural practices like fertilization and aeration go a long way to reduce disease. But it's still a good idea to get problems properly diagnosed so you know what to do now and maybe next spring to get problems under control for good.

Tip of the Week reprinted courtesy of Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado (ALCC) of which Foothills Landscape Maintenance, LLC is a member. ALCC is the only only professional organization for Colorado's landscape contracting industry statewide. Tip of the Week is copyrighted by Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado and may be forwarded or copied by its members provided proper credit is given to ALCC

When it's hot there are weeds

When we get to July and the temperatures are hot, the summer crop of weeds shows up en mass in flower beds and shrub beds in particular.
Anytime you're dealing with weeds, the best defense is the proverbial offense. Being proactive right from the start gets weeds under control and keeps your landscape looking neat and trim.

What IS a weed?
We think of the common weeds like dandelions and thistle when we hear the W-word. But a weed can be any plant that is growing in the wrong place. An acorn that falls and starts to sprout an oak tree that will grow under the eaves of your house is really a weed. Any plant that is misplaced for aesthetic or practical reasons needs to be treated like the standard weed and removed.

Hot season weeds
Typical weeds in the hottest part of the growing season include spurge, purslane, mallow, bindweed and thistle. With the exception of bindweed and thistle, one of the best controls is simply using mechanical means to eradicate them-namely, pulling them out or hoeing, if the area permits.

But don't pull that thistle or bindweed!
If you've ever noticed that some weeds seem to proliferate after you pull them, you're right! This actually happens with certain weeds that have regenerative root systems. Literally, the more you pull them, the more weeds you'll get back.
When it comes to thistle and field bindweed, stop before you pull! Both of these weeds have amazingly long root systems. When you pull these weeds, most of the root system remains underground and will simply grow more weeds to replace the one you pulled.

The best control for these weeds is applying a treatment that will kill the above-ground plant and the root system so that they will be dealt with for good. If these weeds are in the lawn, be sure to select a product that will not harm the grass.
Some herbicides used to zap the designated weed may be harmful to other plants due to drift. Be very careful what you spray and when, as even a slight breeze can take the product where you don't want it.


Need help getting your weeds under control?
Call FLM at (970) 472-0690 or email us at foothillslanscape@comcast.net




Tip of the Week reprinted courtesy of Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado (ALCC) of which Foothills Landscape Maintenance, LLC is a member. ALCC is the only only professional organization for Colorado's landscape contracting industry statewide. Tip of the Week is copyrighted by Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado and may be forwarded or copied by its members provided proper credit is given to ALCC