April 2017
Longer, Warmer Days Ahead!

We did it!  We made it through another winter!  Although this winter was warm and dry, the longer days are ALWAYS welcome.  We may still receive some heavy wet spring snows, so stay prepared for those! 

We have been making our “Supreme Organic Mulch” as fast as we can so that we will have all of our varieties stocked and ready for you to spruce up those flower beds. We’re proud to say that we recycle 100 percent of our tree debris in our ongoing efforts to be as GREEN as possible.  If you want to take a closer look, we have displays for you to take a look at. Click here for further information on our mulch!
We would like to wish you and your families a happy Easter. Have a safe and happy holiday.
Trees:

Once again, the weather this early spring has driven how we care for our landscapes. The first three months of 2017 have been very dry and much warmer than normal so we have been telling everyone to get outside and water their landscapes. Over the last two weeks we have begun to see the benefit of those efforts. We are seeing Plums, Apricots, Crabapples, Forsythia, and Pears flowering all over town. Now we are excited that the rainfall from the last week of March will spur the flowering of the Apples, Cherries, and Redbuds.

It is very crucial to always be two steps ahead of Mother Nature when it comes to caring for your landscape. Stress in trees is often masked by the reserves of the tree until it is nearly too late to reverse the decline. Supplemental watering during dry winter months is just one of many steps to include when maintaining a healthy landscape. A few other things to put on your list of landscape care tasks for the spring include:

  1. Apply a pre-emergent herbicide to your turf to keep pesky weeds from getting a foothold.
  2. Apply a layer of fresh mulch to your bedding areas to insulate plant roots, retain moisture and suppress weeds around flowers and shrubs.
  3. Fertilize your trees in the spring to make sure all the necessary nutrients are available. Be sure to look for plants with obvious deficiencies like iron chlorosis in Maples and Oaks.
  4. Clean up any leftover leaf and branch debris throughout the landscape to help reduce the pressure from overwintering pathogens.
  5. Monitor the weather forecast to help stay ahead of dry weather patterns by supplementing with irrigation.
  6. Plan any outdoor projects so they don’t adversely impact existing tree roots.

We know it may seem like there is always so much to do around your landscape, but that is where we can help alleviate some of that burden. Let our expert Arborists help you trouble shoot existing problems as well as plan ahead to avoid problems.  
APRIL 2017
We invite you to join us in our efforts to raise money to support the Children’s Diabetes Foundation. To double the impact of your tax-deductible contribution we will match your gift up to $500. Every dollar helps, and any size donation is welcome.
Tip of the Month

Wait to prune your Lilacs until after they have flowered. Once the flowers have died off you can go in and prune your Lilacs to remove old canes, deadwood, and shape to promote optimum shape and structure.
Lawns:


The time is right to start caring for your lawn:
Early spring is the time to get a jump on getting a happy and healthy lawn for the entire season. A good green-up in the spring will help with root development and will allow the yard to fill in any winter damage more quickly. By acting now, your lawn will also be much better prepared to fight off the heat of summer. With the warm weather this March, weeds are already popping. Dandelions, mallow, and plantain can be found  throughout many yards and rock areas. Get a jump on those weeds before they really take off with a spring lawn service from Mountain High.
 
Early season lawn care is a combination of timing of the crabgrass pre-emergent herbicide application and getting down fertilizer for root development and growth. It is crucial that the timing is proper for the best results. Pre-emergent also acts on other seeds, not just crabgrass, so if you are planning on seeding, the use of pre-emergent needs to be left out of the normal lawn care regimen. 
 
Aeration is another key to a good healthy lawn. The roots of the grass need to be able to breathe. In addition, with less soil compaction water is better able to penetrate, which in turn helps with developing a deeper root system. Another thing aeration does is to help break down thatch naturally.
 
Another thing to keep in mind is proper fertilization helps to take a yard out of dormancy without major stress and then keeps feeding it while also working towards a dense, healthy lawn. Getting a well-timed spring fertilization will also contribute to deeper roots and better color, giving you a healthy base to enjoy your lawn all season long.
 
Preparing your lawn for spring also includes getting debris off the yard. A good spring hand raking, will also help to fluff up the lawn so air can better circulate through the grass blades. This will reduce problems with diseases while also allowing easier penetration of moisture to the soil. (Power raking is not recommended for most lawns because it can expose roots and can do major damage to the lawn.)
 
If you would like a free estimate on your lawn, call Mountain High.  Let Lee and his team take care of your lawn fertilization and weed control needs. 
 

By letting the lawn care professionals at Mountain High take care of your lawn fertilization and weed control, you will be placing your lawn in the best and most caring hands in the business.

 

Winter mites are still a problem:
 
As the lawn care season gets rolling please keep in mind winter mites have been bad again this winter. They will continue to do damage to Front Range lawns until regular watering begins. Do not let your lawn fall victim to them. 
 

Keep an eye out for dry crunchy grass. Lawns should never be crunchy, instead even a dormant lawn should have a soft texture. Mites like to feed on south and west facing areas of your lawn. Also watch out for areas along fence lines and under evergreens. All are prime areas for mite damage.

 

Should you see brown crunchy crass that has a straw-like appearance chances are good you are seeing mite damage. Getting a spray before it gets too bad is important to helping your lawn recover. Don’t hesitate to call the Mountain High lawn care team for a mite spray
Tree Planting

It’s that time of year again! The Crabapples and Pears are in bloom, and buds are beginning to sprout. This month we’re going to take a look at a gorgeous flowering tree called the Golden Rain Tree (Koelreuteria paniculata). This tree grows to a height of 35’ and spreads to around 35’. It has large yellow blooms in June and July which fall to form an attractive yellow carpet around the tree. The flowers are followed by very ornate seed pods and lovely yellow leaves in the fall. It’s a very hardy tree for our climate, and a great addition to a lawn or garden. I do not however, recommend planting this tree over the top of where cars will park or along the street, as it will drop its flowers and seed pods. Just as vehicles have their specific stomping grounds, trees are just the same. You wouldn’t take a smart car to rock crawl in Moab, but it’s a fantastic vehicle for city living. Finding the right tree for the right location, and planting them properly can be a daunting task. Give the experts a call, we are more than happy to help select and plant the right tree.
Spring Has Sprung!

March was mild and warm with Colorado Springs breaking several record high temperatures. Just today I saw flowering Forsythia, Plum and Crabapple trees. This is easily 3 weeks ahead of a normal year. The National Phenology Network tracks the start of spring, called the Spring Leaf Index, by measuring the appearance of leaves, blossoms and other early season events such as the first Crocus plants. The map to the left shows locations that have reached the requirements for the Spring Leaf Index.

What this means for our trees and plants, is that their new leaves and blossoms will likely get damaged by cold temperatures and frost. This will minimize fruit production and impact pollinating insects. With the weight of leaves, flowers and seeds on some trees, we could see breakage with wet spring snows.

If you have concerns about your trees or shrubs, call Mountain High at 719-444-8800
Mountain High Tree, Lawn & Landscape | 5717 W. 11th Ave. | Lakewood, Colorado | 80214 | 303.232.0666
Mountain High Tree Care & Consulting | 3450 Astrozon Pl. | Colorado Springs, Colorado | 80910 | 719.444.8800