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!