Last year right about now, hundreds of Front Range homeowners had serious damage to their sprinkler systems when temperatures took an early dive well below freezing. ADG will begin winterizing irrigation systems starting Oct 8^th.

This unseasonal surprise caught many homeowners off guard because their sprinklers had not been winterized or even protected from possible freeze damage in advance of scheduled blow outs.

Nighttime temps are falling, so we know this year’s first freeze can’t be far away. It’s good to know what you can do with common household items to keep sprinkler parts from freezing until your system is fully winterized with compressed air.

Schedule a winterization, then go outside to protect your system for the meantime.

Protect the most expensive part in your sprinkler system: the backflow prevention device. This part is required on all systems because it keeps the water that’s in your sprinkler system from backing into the domestic water inside the house.

It’s also the most vulnerable part of your system if there is a freeze. It’s usually located somewhere right outside the home and next to the foundation.

There are 2 small parts on this device that can freeze:

• The bonnet and poppet assembly. If it freezes, it will blow apart and water will run until it’s shut off. The flooding can cause serious property damage and lead to a $100 or more repair bill.
• The valve. A broken valve is another problem and another $100 or so in repairs.

Here’s what you can do now to protect the backflow device from an early freeze. These precautions protect from those early freezes and still allow you to run your sprinkler system.

• Turn the valve handle at a 45 degree angle.
• Wrap the device with a towel.
• Then wrap everything with a plastic bag that you tape or secure in place.

After you have stopped watering for the year and before your system is winterized, take these additional precautions before winter sets in.

• Drain the backflow so there is no water in the backflow device. If you don’t know how to do this, call a pro.
• You won’t be able to operate your sprinkler system after draining it, so you are ready for the final step of irrigation system protection which is having the system winterized.

Winterizing the sprinkler system requires using an air compressor to push all the water out of the sprinkler pipes. Because water expands when it freezes, leaving water in the pipes will probably freeze and that expansion and pressure will break the pipes.

Repairs can be extensive and also expensive. That’s why it is critical to have the sprinkler system winterized before freezing temps set in. This should be done sometime in October and it is one job that’s usually best done by a professional who has both the equipment and the know-how to get the water out of the lines.

Information courtesy Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado

Curtis Manning, of Arcadia Design Group, was recently interviewed by Peter Jones, from The Villager Newspaper, for “Spotlight on Business – Paradise found… at home.”

The article discusses the approach and values of our company – as well as what makes us a full-service, customer-focused Denver landscaping firm.

“The time that we invest in each project is what differentiates us,” Manning said of the team-centered process.

We hope that you will enjoy the article and share it.

Click here to read the entire feature.

Besides bragging rights, we will be offering a five piece heirloom garden tool set from Fisher Blacksmithing valued at $250 to the winner of the best photographed vegetable garden!

Carl Wilson, horticulture agent, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, Denver, shares the following advise for planting which should help you think ahead for next year, and what you would like on your table.

By March, many vegetable gardeners have already planted the most hardy, cool-season vegetables, including peas, onions, lettuce, radish and spinach, but April is not too late. With peas, you reap a 50 percent higher yield by planting April 1 as opposed to delaying until May 1.

Semi-hardy vegetables can be sown in late April. They include beets, carrots, potatoes, Swiss chard and cauliflower.

Delay planting warm-season vegetables until May. By midmonth you can plant beans, corn, cucumbers and summer squash. For those intolerant of the lightest frost, don’t plant until the end of May, when the frost danger is well past. This very tender group includes tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, winter squash, cantaloupe, watermelons and pumpkins.

Besides thinking about timing, it’s important to plan ahead to be sure that you have the right climate, conditions, soil, planters etc before even making purchases – so be sure to get a head start so you can act immediately next year.

• Rock Gardens –  Rock garden consist of rough-hewn rocks, mountain flowers and foliage. Plus, they are suited well for sloped areas in your landscape that are hard to mow if covered with grass.
• Rose Gardens – There are a variety of colors and types of roses to choose from, you’ll have to find the right ones that suit your personal tastes.
• Shade Gardens – For areas of your yard that are always in the shade, many flowers and grass just won’t fair well, but all you need are a few shade-loving flowers and foliage to liven up those shady spots.
• Herb Gardens – Gardeners who are also cooks will love this garden. There are plenty of common cooking herbs, perennials and annuals that are easy to grow in the garden or in window planters. Many can often be arranged to have a pleasant and decorative appearance.

No matter what your purpose is, make sure you do the homework first or contact a professional.  If you want to enhance the beauty of your landscape with a beautiful garden, of any type, contact Arcadia Design Group.

Photo Credit: calfinder.com

We wanted to let you know that we’re really enjoying our back deck–all the plants are doing well and things look pretty!  That’s also the reason I’m writing to you with a question:  where do you go to get the soil that you used for our planters?  I’d like to get some for our garden if possible. Is it something the average person can pick up, or is it reserved for professional landscapers?

We replied:

Great to hear you guys are enjoying your deck!

The soil you’ll want to use is called ‘planters mix’ from Pioneer Sand and Gravel.  It’s not inexpensive but it’s the best way to go for a vegetable garden.  And, we also plant with a root stimulant called Myke – available at most garden centers.  That’ll give your plants a boost right off the bat.

You are probably aware of media reports about widespread concerns over dry conditions and snow pack this season.

Last week, Denver Water announced a Drought Watch (Stage 1) Response. Stage 1 is a voluntary call to reduce water use up to 10% and involves an advisory that continued dry weather could lead to a Stage 2 response.

“Our customers have done a good job of using water wisely, but this year saving water matters even more,” said Greg Fisher, manager of demand planning for Denver Water. “We need customers to cut back water use and be mindful of the impact of the dry conditions on supply availability.”

In response to the Stage 1 drought declaration, Denver Water is asking its customers to reduce outdoor watering. Customers can do that by:

• Watering only two days a week, and using a day of rain to skip watering.
• Only watering the areas of your yard that are dry. For example, if shady areas look fine, only water the dry areas that get the most sun exposure.
• Watering early in the morning or in the evening to avoid evaporation.
• Adjusting sprinkler systems throughout the summer, starting with using less water this spring. Don’t just set your sprinkler system once and forget about it.
• Watering two minutes less.

“We’re seeing conditions very similar to the drought that began in 2002, where we learned that reservoir storage is only one indicator of drought, and those reservoir levels can drop quickly when we don’t get much rain and snow,” said Fisher. “If the dry weather continues, our reservoirs may not fill and we will be vulnerable if there is low snowpack in 2013. We need to maintain our reserves in case we are entering the first in a series of dry years. We must consider the long-term potential supply outlook.”

Denver Water’s summer watering rules are:

• No lawn watering between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
• Do not water more than three days per week (there are no assigned days for watering).
• Do not waste water by allowing it to pool in gutters, streets and alleys.
• Do not waste water by letting it spray on concrete and asphalt.
• Repair leaking sprinkler systems within 10 days.
• Do not water while it is raining or during high winds.

“We will monitor conditions closely and keep customers informed of any changes in our watering rules,” said Fisher.

Find more watering tips at www.denverwater.org or contact us to find out ways we can design a more eco-friendly, and water efficient landscape for your home.

Once your plant is selected, it’s important to remember there are specific needs for maintenance. Ideally, they shouldn’t take any more effort than watering, otherwise you can increase the risk for failure. Also, we should select plants thinking about how it will grow and effect the overall environment many years down the road, not just from the time you put it in the ground.

As we walk through nurseries and even a perspective client’s yard, it is easy for us to identify plants, however for your guests it can be a challenge as they may be interested but not want to ask you, and even more you may not remember. So we recently came across a clever idea, using wine corks as plant markers, to help add a creative touch to your garden to help you remember. If everyone could label their plants, it would make it easier to remember when you go to select something that you know the name of it.  There are many other neat ways one can label areas of the garden, however we thought this was appropriate for Earth Day as it also helps us recycle.

If you need help determining which plants will do best in your yard, contact us for a consultation.