Hurry- Free Rain Sensor Rebate ends Saturday!

Back in December, we mentioned a rebate program offered by SAWS which was for a free rain sensor for irrigation systems that didn't have a working sensor.  The program runs through March 1st so if you are interested, please give us a call today!

http://preferredlandscape.blogspot.com/2013/12/free-rain-sensor.html

Mayor's 2013 Light Up Downtown Contest Winners Announced

Now in its third year, Mayor Julián Castro's Light Up Downtown Holiday Contest registered more than 7 downtown properties and had a record number 4,799 votes in the annual holiday contest. Two of the winners were lighting displays done by Preferred Holiday Decor!


The first award was for the Greenest Lighting Display and the winner was the Pearl Brewery. The second award was a peoples choice award for the Whataburger Downtown location.

“The record number of votes reflects the progress we are making in increasing the vibrancy of downtown. Congratulations to all the participants who helped downtown shine during the holidays,” said Mayor Castro.


For a list of the winners, visit lightupdowntownsa.com.

Employee Anniversary

Laura Hernandez is celebrating her one year anniversary with Preferred Landscape and Lighting.  Laura joined the Preferred team last year as a Manager for our HR and Accounting Department.   She has done a great job and we are so happy she is a part of our team!

Banner year for Bluebonnets?

The bluebonnet is to Texas what the shamrock is to Ireland, the cherry blossom to Japan, the lily to France, the rose to England and the tulip to Holland.

- Historian Jack Maguire

The wet weather we got in the fall plus the cool weather this winter has the potential to make 2014 a banner year for wildflowers in the Hill Country.  We still need favorable weather this spring to seal the deal but so far, so good. 

However, good conditions for our much loved wildflowers is also great conditions for weeds that invade our lawn and landscaping beds!  Make sure you checkout our most recent blog series on the secrets to a weed free lawn so you can be doing all you can to prevent unwanted weeds from popping up in your landscaping.

Valentines gift for the gardener in your life

Give the gift that keeps giving – give your valentine a plant this Valentines Day.  No gardener would be disappointed with a plant instead of cut flowers.

You could give a rose bush instead of a bouquet of roses.  It could be transplanted into their own garden or kept in a container on the patio.

Or you could give a flower houseplant that will keep blooming inside for Valentines Day and every day for years to come.

The Five Secrets to a Weed Free Lawn

Over the last few weeks, we have gone over in detail the five secrets to a weed free lawn.  In case you have missed any of the previous posts, I am going to do a quick summary and include the link to the post below.

The best defense against weeds in your lawn is to have a healthy lawn.  If you have a healthy, thick lawn, the weeds will have a tougher time taking root in your lawn.  So how do you make sure your lawn is healthy? The following are the five secrets we have unveiled to creating and maintaining a weed free lawn:


1.  Pre-Emergent Herbicide
http://preferredlandscape.blogspot.com/2014/01/secrets-to-weed-free-lawn.html
2.  Aeration
http://preferredlandscape.blogspot.com/2014/01/secrets-to-weed-free-lawn-aeration.html
3.  Fertilization
http://preferredlandscape.blogspot.com/2014/02/secrets-to-weed-free-lawn-feed-it.html
4.  Proper Mowing
http://preferredlandscape.blogspot.com/2014/02/secrets-to-weed-free-lawn.html
5.  Correct Watering
http://preferredlandscape.blogspot.com/2014/02/secrets-to-weed-free-lawn-watering.html

If you have any additional tips or thoughts on the subject, we would love to hear them!

Secrets to a weed free lawn - Watering

In our series, Secrets to a Weed Free lawn, we have established that the best way to do this is to have a healthy lawn.  One of the key components to a healthy lawn is the proper watering of your lawn.  Here are some tips on how to water your lawn in San Antonio:

1.  Inspect your irrigation system every year to make sure it is working properly.  You may have some broken heads that need replacing or to readjust the spray pattern. 

2.  If you are starting a new lawn, consider installing drip irrigation under your turf.  Just like in a landscape bed, drip irrigation is the most efficient way to water your lawn and creates a green, lush lawn even during periods of drought.

3.  During the season, water once a week in San Antonio (unless there are drought restrictions in effect which limit that).  This will help your lawn create deep roots