Happy Thanksgiving

 

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our clients for their continued support and

business.  We wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving. 

Freeze Warnings

In the last week, San Antonio has been warned of three different nights of temperatures dipping below freezing.  Depending on where you are in the area, you may have dodged the freezing temperatures or just had a quick freeze. 

If you were able to get your plants covered in time, they may still be looking good.  Be sure to uncover them now that temperatures have warmed up again and make sure they are moist. 

If you have some plants that couldn't handle the cold, they may be look brown and wilted.  If it is your seasonal fall plants that have taken the hit, you should go ahead and remove them.  If it is one of your shrubs, just leave it - it may not be dead even though it looks it.  Be sure to cover it for future freezes and wait until spring before removing it - it may bounce back.

With artic temperatures already dipping down to South Texas, we can expect more freezing temperatures this winter.  Take advantage of the warmer temperatures we have now to get your landscape ready for the next freeze.  The following post from two weeks ago should help you be prepared.
http://preferredlandscape.blogspot.com/2014/11/november-checklist.html
Stay Warm!

Give Thanks

As it is the week between these two holidays, we thought this was appropriate!

Ready or Not, here comes the cold

In last weeks post, we told you the average date for the first freeze in San Antonio is November 28th.  Well, we are likely to see that first freeze several weeks earlier than average.  As the cold front has moved in and settled in SA this week, it has gotten colder every day with possible freezing temperatures tonight.

So as everyone else is running to the grocery store for milk and bread, you should get your plants ready.  If you have plants in containers, you should pull them inside the garage tonight.  That should keep them warm enough.  For your other frost sensitive plants, you should go out and cover them with an old sheet or burlap sheet.

Preferred Thanks You

"Since the birth of our nation, there have always been brave men and women standing in the gap to protect our nation and ensure our freedom.

 

As we set today aside to honor and thank our veterans, let us be mindful that we should do this every day of the year and not just one"  ~Beth Pennington, foundermilitary-missions.org

 

We at Preferred Landscape and Lighting thank all who have and are currently serving our great nation.

 

 

November Checklist

Now that November has rolled in, it is important to know that the first freeze is predicted around November 28th in San Antonio.  That leaves only a few weeks to get your plants cold weather protected!

What can you do to protect your garden from frost?
1.  Mulch, Mulch, Mulch - mulching all landscape plantings and the garden is a standard cold-protection technique.  It helps insulate the root systems of all your plants.  It also traps soil warmth built up during the growing season and preserves any soil moisture.

2.  Move container grown plants into the garage or even indoors to protect them.

3.  When a heavy freeze is predicted, cover any freeze-sensitive plants at dusk after the soil and plants have absorbed the sun's heat; covering the plants traps the radiating heat. 

4.  Don't use plastic coverings or sheets to cover your plants!  Better choices include large cardboard boxes, thick wool blankets or bubblewrap.  Make sure the covering goes all the way to the ground to trap the heat.

5.  Uncover plants when the temperature rises above freezing to let the plant processes resume normal function - don't keep them covered all winter - they will suffocate!

Happy Halloween

Whenever Halloween falls on the weekend, it seems like the fun gets expanded to include the adults too!

Hope you have a fun and safe weekend!

Time Change on Sunday!

Daylight savings time ends this Sunday so remember to set your clocks back an hour.

We also recommend checking the timer on your lighting system as it is getting darker earlier now and many systems are set for our long summer days.  If you need help setting your timer, please let us know and we can help you.

It is also a good time to check your irrigation system.  If you have an established landscape, you can scale your watering down significantly.

Light up for the Holidays

Since the Christmas decor is now being displayed at most major retailers,  now is the time to start your holiday decor planning.

If you are a do-it-yourself decorator, you should start pulling out last years decorations and checking for damage and determine what needs replacement. When pulling out last year's lights, consider upgrading to LED lighting.  LED has come a long way with color options and it saves a lot of electricity (keeping more money in your wallet)!

If you need help with your holiday decor this year, now is the time to find a company to assist you.  It is important to find a reliable company that you can trust.  While Preferred Holiday Decor focuses on commercial holiday decor this time of year, we do offer some residential services.  Give us a call at 210-657-7737 if we can help.

Turn off your irrigation system!

Now is the time we recommend you turn off your programmed irrigation controller and run it manually as needed.  Now that we have cooler temperatures, the lawn is getting ready to go dormant and doesn't require as much water as it did during the heat of summer.  

Cooler Temps to Garden in!

Now that cooler temperatures have rolled in, it is a great time to get outside and get some gardening done! What type of landscape work does your yard need this time of year?

1.  Mulch, Mulch, Mulch - mulching all landscape plantings and the garden is a standard cold-protection technique.  It helps insulate the root systems of all your plants.  It also traps soil warmth built up during the growing season and preserves any soil moisture.

2.  Plant - Fall is the best time to plant as it gives the plants a few cooler months to establish themselves.  They will be bigger and more drought tolerant when the summer heat comes next year.

3.  Divide Perennials - if you have some perennials that are starting to be over crowded, now is the time to carefully dig them up and transplant the bulbs to a new location.  This not only gets you more blooms but it is healthier for

4.  Compost your lawn - For a healthier lawn next year, adding a fine layer of compost on the top of your lawn is the way to do it.

The first frost is predicted at the end of November in San Antonio so don't delay taking care of your garden!

LED Color Options - Endless Possibilities

Photo courtesty of http://www.colorkinetics.com/showcase/installs/ocres/

We are excited about the Phillips Color Kinetics LED Product!  We have installed many of the systems for our clients with amazing results.

The product is an intelligent color changing LED system.  It is programmable and offers endless possibilities in color options and design.  The system offers saturated, controllable light for exterior architectural applications, dynamic accent lighting and even intricate light shows.

If you are interested in learning more, you can visit their website at http://www.colorkinetics.com or give us a call at 210-657-7737.

All the Colors of the Rainbow

One of the misconceptions of LED lighting is that it has to a bluish color like many lights were when LED was first introduced.  This is NOT true!!  LED is available in just about any color you can imagine with fixtures that can be programmed to change colors.  Today, we wanted to discuss the different colors of white light that are available.

There are three main types of white light which you can see below:
Warm White - has a yellowish undertone.  This is great for uplights on the facade of your home
Pure White - also known as Natural White which is as neutral as you can get
Cool White - has a blue tone.  This tone is great on trees and landscape as it gives it a moonlight glow effect.

Picture courtesy of http://www.kichler.com/professional/landscape-lighting/new-landscape-lighting-products/design-pro-led-with-radiax.aspx

Stay tuned for our next post where we will discuss the other advances in LED lighting that opens up the possibilities.

LED Savings

I know last week we pointed out the cost savings realized when you switch a mercury vapor lighting system over to LED but I found more information I wanted to share.

One of our high end lighting manufacturers that we install on a regular basis, Kichler, has a fabulous feature on their website.  It is a cost savings calculator that you enter in the current wattage of your lamps and your electric cost and it will let you know exactly how much savings you would expect when switching over.  You can find the calculator at 

http://www.kichler.com/professional/landscape-lighting/new-landscape-lighting-products/design-pro-led-with-radiax.aspx

For a general comparison, they offer this chart that shows you the savings you should expect.

If you are interested in learning about switching to an LED system, give us a call at 210-657-7737.

The Importance of Curb Appeal

Whether you are planning on moving or not, curb appeal is an important part of your home.  It sets the tone for all of your visitors and more importantly, it is what greets you every day you return home.

Now that the weather is starting to cool off, it is a great time to increase your curb appeal of your home.  It doesn't have to be a big expensive project but rather focus on the easy, cheaper projects to get an instant improvement.

If you haven't already, it is time to pull out the annuals that have been baking all summer in your pots and replace them with some fresh, cool season annuals.  Even better, if you place a seasonal element near the pot like a pumpkin or two.

Another great way to add curb appeal is to plant a tree in your front yard.  Before buying a tree, take into consideration how big it will get and if it can handle the droughts once it is established.

Replacing your outdoor light fixtures can also make a big difference to the space.  Often the builder will put in a very basic, utilitarian fixture and it doesn't cost much to install one that looks a lot better.  Adding lights to your front yard is also a fabulous way to improve your curb appeal.  You can add path lights up the walkway, uplights on the facade of your home and landscaping lights to highlight your plants and trees.

Stay warm on cool nights with an outdoor fireplace

We are enjoying the cooler evenings and anticipate the long evenings spent outside this fall.  To really enjoy the cool weather, it is nice to cozy up with an outdoor fireplace.  

An outdoor fireplace is so much more as something to keep us warm when outside.  It becomes a gathering space for long chats or drinks with friends.  It is a place for your family to get unplugged from all the technology inside and enjoy each other outside.

Preferred has been designing and installing outdoor fireplaces for years and we would love to help you design your outdoor hardscape.  Give us a call at 657-7737.

First day of Fall

Today marks the first day of autumn and it is so great that the temperatures took a dip to really make it feel a bit like fall in San Antonio!

Now that we have some cooler temperatures, it is time get planting!  I know we have mentioned it before but wanted to remind you that SAWS is still offering a $100 coupon if you replace 200 sq ft of lawn with water saving plants.  They have a great website that have sample landscape designs you can use with drought tolerant plants.  This is a great autumn weekend DIY project that will save you money on your water bill AND $100 rebate!

For more information, http://www.gardenstylesanantonio.com/coupons-rebates/

For our past posts on the rebate, http://preferredlandscape.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-saws-watersaver-landcape-coupon.html

Ready to save some money?

Do you still have a Mercury Vapor outdoor lighting system?  It is time to save you some money with an LED Retrofit.  Not only do the lamps last a lot longer, it cuts the electrical cost by 75%.  The lamps last an average of 50,000 hours which is 10-15 years.  It also saves you time and money with the maintenance and lamp changes that the Mercury Vapor system requires.

LED lamps can put into your existing fixtures and offer you instant savings.  If you are interested in a free consultation, please give us a call at 210-657-7737.

Feed your Trees

Did you know that trees do most of their growing in the fall, not the spring?  And the most of the root growth occurs in the fall.   The best time to fertilize is when the tree is growing which is the spring and the fall.  This is especially important for trees that may be in distress from drought and summer heat.

The best way to feed your trees is through a deep root fertilization where the nutrients are delivered directly to the root zone.  An arborist has the special equipment and experience to properly administer a deep root fertilization.

If you are looking to fertilize them on the surface, you would want to use a slow release fertilizer with a 3:1:1 ratio.  Apply the fertilizer throughout the trees crown or drip line.  After application, you will want to slowly water in the fertilizer so the fertilizer can get deep down to the roots.  For the best way to water your trees, see our past post.  http://preferredlandscape.blogspot.com/2014/08/how-to-keep-your-trees-healthy.html

Are you ready for fall?

With cooler temperatures predicted tomorrow, we will get a preview of the fall weather that is still a few
weeks away.  Almost every landscape needs a fall refresh to give your landscape new life for the fall and prepare for cooler temperatures.
 

Now is the right time to do the following:

• Add mulch to the landscape beds
• Compost on turf
• Replace plants that have died over the summer
• Add seasonal annuals to your beds and pots

If you need any help with getting your landscape ready for fall, give us a call!

Al Fresco Dining

Outdoor cooking continues to grow in popularity and it is more than just the basic grill.  Outdoor kitchens have been getting bigger and contain the same amount, if not more, of appliances we have indoors.  Outdoor kitchens are now equipped with brick ovens for pizza making and beer taps for the big party.

If you are ready to start your cooking outdoors and would like help designing your dream outdoor kitchen, please give us a call at 210-657-7737.

Need More Space?

Socializing will move back outdoors as the temperature starts to fall.  Now is the time to consider an upgrade to your outdoor living space.  Outdoor living spaces not only add value to your home, they provide your family with a place to entertain and socialize.  The trend is bigger is better, the outdoor living space is expanding taking up more of the yard.

 These are pictures from a client who wanted several different areas to socialize and enjoy the outdoors.  We love the mix of materials used to create the bi-level space.

Mums the Word!

Now that September has hit, everybody seems to be in a fall fever even though it is still summer hot outside. It is a great time on getting started on your fall outdoor decor plan.  Chrysanthemums are a fall favorite but in our hardiness zone they are considered an annual and will not return year after year.

Mums need frequent watering because they have shallow roots, probably once a day for our area.  They also require good drainage so make sure you have added to your soil if needed.    They can take full sun but a little afternoon shade in our area is better for them.

We will be closed Labor Day!

What a difference outdoor lighting can do!

We recently completed an LED lighting job that really changed the look of their property and allows the client to truly enjoy their backyard at night.

Back to School for Gardeners

Are you interested in learning more about landscape and gardening?   Maybe it is time for you to head back
to school this fall with some new classes being offered:

The botanical garden offers a variety of different classes.  Here are a few of our favorites:

Getting into the Zone - San Antonio was recently moved to 9A USDA Hardiness zone and this class explores the impact of that change on your landscaping.

Go Native - Learn all about plants native to our area.

For detailed information, see their website at http://www.sabot.org/education/adult-classes/

Gardening volunteers of South Texas offer a free class every third Monday of the month from 12 -3.  The afternoon is broken up into two different sessions with new topics every week.    For more information, check out their website at http://www.gardeningvolunteers.org/gvstwp/classes-2/

A thorn in your side...how to control invasive vines.

Invasive vines really are a thorn in your side when dealing with these thorny vines that are almost impossible to eliminate.  Unfortunately, there is no shortage of invasive vines in Texas that can consume your landscape if not controlled.

One of the more common is the Greenbrier Vine.  The plant will start out as a small vine with heart shaped leaves but if not treated it will pop up in the middle of your shrubs and twine itself up your trees.  Within a short time, they will develop an extensive tuber system.  It then becomes difficult if not impossible to control this weed with a herbicide. 

If you can catch it as a seedling, you should either pull it away or spray it with a herbicide.  If you can untangle the vine from your good plant (wearing gloves - the thorns hurt!), you can carefully spread it out on a piece of landscape fabric or a tarp while keeping the stem intact.  You can spray it with the herbicide glyphosate and after two days, cut it off at ground level.   

However, if you have multiple plants in the same area, it is likely that the Greenbrier has developed its tuber which will continue to produce more plants even as you kill the others.  The first option is to dig up the tuber.  To do so, start pulling at the base of the weeds and see if you can find the root, dig it up and remove it.  This is harder then it sounds since it often difficult to find the location of the tuber.

The second option is to cut off the vine at the ground level and immediately paint the stem with the herbicide glyphosate. 

The plant is likely to regrow and the key is to catch it early and treat it with the herbicide.  These herbicide methods will also work with vines such as Poison Ivy and the Virginia Creeper. 

Are Fire Ants back?

While fire ants never really left, in the past few years we haven't seen as many mounds.  Typically during a drought, fire ants burrow deep in the ground seeking moisture therefore you don't see many mounds in your lawn and landscaping.  With the cooler summer we have had and the bit of rain we have seen, the fire ant mounds seem to be popping up across the lawn.  So what should you do?

To control fire ants, it is recommended that fire ants are treated with the "Texas Two-Step Method" which involves a broadcast treatment of fire ant bait and treatment of the mounds.

The bait is a slow acting and is meant to be used to prevent future mounds from popping up.  Depending on the product you choose, it may take just days for it to start working or several weeks.

The mound treatment is fast acting and meant to kill the ants on contact.  This won't necessarily get all the ants in the colony but it should get rid of the ant mound until the slow acting bait kicks in. 

Your local home improvement store will have many fire ant insecticides to choose from.  There are several products that can be used both for the mound treatments and baiting. 

How to keep your trees healthy

With the ongoing, never ending drought Texas has been in the last several years, many trees are showing signs of stress.  Obviously the best thing to do to help them through the drought is to water them. But what is the best way to water them?

During a drought, mature trees need to be watered about once a week.  Younger trees should be watered about three times a week.  To determine if it is time to water the tree, take a screwdriver and place in into the soil near the tree.  If you can't get the screwdriver in 6-8 inches, it is time to water because your soil is dried up.

While you may only need to water the tree once a week, you need to water it deeply when you do.  The preferred method for watering is with a garden hose or a soaker hose.  Start close to the trunk and keep moving the hose until you have covered the ground under the entire canopy.  You want to run the hose until the ground is no longer absorbing the water in each area before moving the hose.  The best way to check this is the doing the screwdriver test every 30 minutes until you

can easily push the screwdriver in 6-8 inches into the soil.

If you an irrigation system, check if your tree is getting enough water from it with the above mentioned screwdriver method.  If it isn't, you should supplement it using your garden hose or a soaker hose.

For more detailed information on watering your trees in drought conditions, check out the Texas Forest Service's website at http://texasforestservice.tamu.edu

Don't forget to look up!

Make sure you take the time this summer to look up at your trees and check if they are healthy.   Trees are often overlooked when it comes to maintenance but yet are so important to your homes value that it is devastating to lose a mature tree.

What should you be looking for?  A sick tree may have one of these symptoms:
1.  Discoloration of leaves - yellowing or lighter shade of green
2.  Spots or Holes of leaves - may indicate insect or disease damage
3.  Sudden dying at the top of the tree or sparse canopy
4.  Abnormal growth on branches or die back
5.  Sap seeping from the trunk

Hopefully all of your trees are lush and healthy this summer.  If your trees are looking stressed or sick, consider calling in a professional arborist who can help you diagnosis the problem and hopefully fix it. Preferred Tree Care has professional arborists who would be happy to come out and take a look if you need some help.

Is Nutgrass Driving You Nuts?

Nutsedge (also called Nutgrass) is a troublesome and difficult-to-control weed that is often found in lawns. It is a perennial plant that is not actually a grass plant at all, it is a sedge. This is why your normal grass and weed killers won't have any effect on the plant.

Nutsedge thrives in the hot weather and grows taller than the surrounding grass in the summer making it very noticeable.  It often thrives in wet soil from poor drainage or over watering.

Nutsedge reproduces by small underground tubers, called nutlets.  A single plant can produce several hundred of these tubers in one summer.  This is why one of the worst ways to get rid of this plant is pulling it out of the ground.  The nutlet that is left behind in the ground will produce multiple new plants.

So how can you eradicate it from your yard?   There is no easy answer to this but we will give you a summary of the best ways to win your yard back!

1.  Dry it out - this is one of the easiest things to do but not practical for most situations.  If you do have a drainage issue, fixing it will help dry out the nutsedge.  You should test your irrigation system to see if you are watering too much - see our recent post for directions on how to do this at http://preferredlandscape.blogspot.com/2014/07/are-you-wasting-water.html.

2.  Dig it out - if you just have a few plants creeping into your yard for your neighbors, this is probably the
best way for you to handle it.  The key is to do it as soon as you see the plants developing before they become more established.  You have to dig out the whole plant including all the tubers.  There are special weed puller tools to help you do this with minimal damage to your own grass.

3.  Chemical Applications - There are several Nutsedge killers on the market, Image and Sedgehammer, being the most well known.  You apply these according to the directions and it will start yellowing the nutsedge within a few weeks.  According to our research, to fully eradicate, you will need several applications of the product before seeing much improvement.

4.  Organic Application - Many people have had success getting rid of Nutsedge by spreading molasses on their yard.  Horticultural Molasses is a fertilizer for your soil that also has the added benefit of killing nutsedge.  When applied to the affected area, it works by attracting beneficial soil microorganisms that eat the nutlets attached to the root of the nutsedge.  This will likely take several applications prior to seeing results as well.

Have you had success with any of these?  Or do you have a different method that has worked for you?  We would love to hear them.  If battling nutsedge is not a DIY project for you, we would be happy to help.

Light up the Night

Landscape Lighting is often overlooked as it is usually the last thing to install in a large landscape project.  However, it really makes a huge difference to your home and your landscape.  It makes your home welcoming to guests and provides security.  It also can put a spotlight on your favorite areas in your landscape such as a majestic tree or water feature.  Pathlights can highlight your softscape or provide much needed light on a walkway.  If you have an outdoor firplace, you will be using it mostly in the dark so lights are essential.  If you are considering a lighting project, give us a call for a free consultation.  These lighting pictures are part of a large landscape project that we have recently completed for a longtime client.

NEW website offers great advice!

Earlier this month, SAWS launched a new website, Garden Style San Antonio.  It offers tools, tips and techniques on landscaping in San Antonio.  This is a great site for a DIYer or anybody who is looking for ideas.  Check it out at  http://www.gardenstylesa.com

Get some Jumbo Foliage with Elephant Ears

Elephant's ears love jungle like weather so they'll thrive anywhere summers are hot. However, they like to have moist soil so that is a big consideration here in SA with our seemingly never ending drought. A container is the easiest way to provide ideal growing conditions for elephant's ears with frequent watering..  In beds, plant in areas that remain constantly wet like near a backyard pond or stream.  Foliage will die back in the fall but bulbs will survive in the ground if they are mulched.

A comment that had to be shared...

Here is a recent comment we had posted to a Testimonial Tuesday blog posting earlier this month.  It was such a great kuddos to our employees for going above the call of duty that we had to share with those who may have missed it!  It also displays a capability that many don't know about Preferred - not only do we create great water features for our clients but we can assist in cleaning and repairing them as well.

"I want to compliment Augustine, and Helper, for coming to our home...earlier than appointed, on a Saturday morning and finding the reason that our pond was losing water.
Lots of water.
After working around the entire bog, they discovered, that the roots from the Monster Taro plant, had forced the edges of the liner to collapse.
They removed the entire plant...I hope... whose root ball was enormous, and the water level has remained the same since.
They were thoughtful and enjoyable to have.
We are so glad for the help.
Thanks,
Laura
p.s. I am very happy with the job that these two gentlemen did and understand that there is a gift certificate from the company, coming their way!"

Before and After

Here are pictures of a recent project we did enhancing a pergola...

Before

After

Are you wasting water?

In the last post, we discussed watering techniques and today we are going to continue that discussion showing you the steps to determine the amount of water your sprinkler system applies to the lawn.  This will help you decide how long you should run your system to apply 1 inch of water each time.

1. Set out 3-5 empty cans in a straight line going away from the sprinkler (or sprinkler head).  Set the last can near the edge of the sprinkler's coverage.
2.  Run the sprinkler for a set time such as 1/2 hour and then measure the amount of water in each can.
3.  Each can should contain a different amount of water.  Usually, the can closest to the sprinkle will have the most water.  The sprinkler pattern must overlap to get an even wetness of the soil.  Use this information to find out how long it takes your sprinkler to apply 1 inch of water.  For example, if you find the most cans contain about 1/4 inch of water after the sprinkler runs 1/2 hour, it would take 2 hours to apply 1 inch.

Run the irrigation system long enough to apply at least 1 inch of water or until runoff occurs.  If runoff occurs first:
1.  Stop sprinkler and note running time.
2.  Allow water to soak in for 1/2 hour
3.  Start sprinkler and if runoff occurs again, repeat above steps until at least 1 inch of water has been applied and allowed to soak into the soil.

Many soils will not take an inch of water before runoff occurs.  If this is a problem with your lawn, try using a wetting agent, also called a surfactant, which reduces the surface tension of water making it wetter.  This wetter water runs into the soil at a faster rate and goes deeper than water in a non-treated soil.

*This information is courtesy of the Texas A&M Agricultural Extension Service.