Great Denver Gardens-Off Season Preparation is Essential to Having a Great Garden.

Great Denver Gardens - Off Season Preparation is Essential to Having a Great Garden.

By:Jonathan Manning, CLT
A Better Garden Maintenance, LLC
Denver, CO

Denver’s is snow finally melting and temperatures are forecasted to stay in the 40’s and 50’s for the next week or two. Now is a good time to get the rest of the leaves cleaned up in your garden. Some bushes need to be rejuvenated or just cleaned up. Adding mulch to your garden will make your yard have color during the bleak days ahead until spring. A little extra care now can make your Denver garden healthy and vigorous this growing season.


Plant growth is stunted when disease is present. Many plant pathogens over winter in the leaves of the plants they effect. Removing these leaves from the garden will seriously decrease the risk of pests and diseases being present this next gardening season. With perennials last years leaves have lost their color and began new basal growth (new lush green growth at the bottom or base of the plant). These plants need to have the old growth of the plant cut off and removed from the garden. Remember, most perennials die back to their base and begin new growth for the next season. Bushes are similar, yet are more specialized since their growth produces lignins which strengthen the previous years growth.


Shrubs are also termed as a “woody plant” since these chemicals produced affect the strength of the shrub, usually allowing it to grow much larger than a perennial. They also will produce new buds towards the end of the growing season which are where the new leaves or beautiful flowers are produced for the following Denver spring. It is important to understand the bushes characteristics, such as whether the buds will be flowers or leaves, before pruning any branches of shrubs in your garden. If necessary it is important to revitalize the shrub when growth gets too old or to remove any spent flowers such as rose hips or other seed pods created last year. Branches that cross each other and which might rub together should be removed as well. All debris such as branches and the extra leaves stuck between newly branches should be removed to give your garden a wonderfully clean look.


When the garden is clean of all leaves and debris, mulch should be the next consideration. There are a few varieties of mulch to choose from. Shredded cedar and bark mulch are the by far the most popular selected. They add a lovely touch to any home or business in Denver or Greenwood Village. Various people also appreciate a more recycled and colored mulch. Metro mulches are produced from construction waste, tree limbs and other recycled products. These woody materials, once recycled and steam treated to reduce weed seeds, are stained different colors to accent your house or commercial building. Mulch beautifies your property and by helping to retain water in the soil, enriches the life of all plants in your garden.


Great gardens, whether in Golden, Denver, Lonetree or Greenwood Village, are based upon the preparation provided when plants are not visibly growing. Your garden‘s, whether residential or commercial, risk for disease is reduced as leaf debris and pruning debris is removed. A well groomed woody plant or shrub, from pruning, makes for healthy, vigorous growth in the upcoming spring season.
Mulch will give some color to the bleak winter days where your garden plants sits seemingly idle. If these items are out of your skill range or if you just do not have the time, give us a call (303) 433 - 3750 and we can help you have A Better Garden.

Storm Damage - Disaster bring opportunity to refresh your gardens

Storm Damage - Disaster bring opportunity to refresh your gardens.

By: Tonya Wisch
A Better Garden Maintenance, LLC
Denver, CO

On Monday, July 20, a large storm packed with high winds, large hail and a considerable amount of rain hammered the Denver-Metro area; particularly the Northwest side and cities such as Lakewood, Wheat Ridge and Arvada.



Excessive rain, damaging winds and large hail stones reaped havoc on many homes, cars and garden landscapes. The storm left many Coloradoans without power and with quite a mess to clean up inside and out. In some cases, trees were completely uprooted or their branches stripped bare. Garden landscapes were washed or blown away, buried under inches of nickel and quarter sized hail or, in some cases, all three! It was a storm unlike any Jefferson County residents are used to experiencing.



At A Better Garden Maintenance, we can help you mend your trodden garden landscape. Whether you just want to have your existing landscape restored to its pre-storm condition or you’re thinking now would be the perfect opportunity to finally make some of the changes that perhaps there has not been time for, we’ll be glad to provide an estimate regarding your landscape needs. Additionally, we strive to fit your schedule and make your landscape recovery as quick and effortless for you as possible and can provide weekly or bi-weekly maintenance of the property thereafter if desired. Call today to see what we can do for you. We look forward to helping you in pursuit of A Better Garden.

Garden Cleanup is Here- Schedule now to get prompt service

Spring Garden Cleanup is Here- Schedule now to get prompt service

By:Jonathan Manning, CLT
A Better Garden Maintenance, LLC
Denver, CO

Already the grass is starting to show a little green through the yellow straw. The garden is bursting with the first buds of spring. Color is sinking back into the world around us. Tulips and hyacinth will be emerging and giving the hope of color and warmer weather. Daffodils will be shining brightly in the midst of the garden. In May, the Tall Bearded Iris will be blooming. All this is possible by making sure the garden has been cleaned, planted and maintained properly.

Many landscapes are built through a lifetime of labor. Even when landscape construction happens there is something else that is an afterthought. A touch the designer didn't think was desired can be added by a small construction crew or by gardeners. The amending, planting bulbs & perennials, trimming back bushes properly, mowing the lawn at the right height (most home lawns require to be cut at 2 1/2" - 3"). Hand weeding, restoring mulch, and watering properly all lend to having a well groomed yard or commercial property. All processes of leaf & garden cleanup(spring cleanup, fall cleanup), regular mowing at a proper height(cutting no less than 1/3 of the grass blade at any one time), lawn core aeration (spring & fall), fertilizing (slow release granular 3-4 times per year), proper watering methods (deep, less frequently instead of shallow, frequently) all lend to a synergism allowing your lawn, garden, retail business or office park to look its best.

Spring Leaf & Garden Cleanup - Yard Restoration and Renovation

Spring Leaf & Garden Cleanup - Yard Restoration and Renovation

By:Jonathan Manning, CLT
A Better Garden Maintenance, LLC
Denver, CO

The snow is melting and the garden areas are being exposed. Now, before the buds break on the shrubs and trees, it is time to remove the leaves and debris from the garden. The leaves being left in the garden can cause issues with pests and disease. It is a great thing to remove the potential hassle and it makes the lawn & garden look great.

Here is an example, the garden below was not cleaned up for two (2) landscaping & gardening seasons.
"Accumulation of leaves & debris in the garden can cause disease and pest issues"

The important things to remember for a spring garden clean-up;

1. Cut back perennials to the "basal growth." Basal growth is the new soft shoots coming out of the base of the plants in your Denver garden. You should not have any dead plant material left on the garden perenials unless it is the shoot leading to the fresh groth.


2. Remove any overgrown sections. Gardening is about what you want to see; if you do not appreciate how the garden looks it needs to be pruned to make it look nice.


3. Large shrubs should be trimmed as needed by their species. Some shrubs such as Dogwoods are thinned to allow new colored wood. Lilacs need to be pruned after flowering in the spring. Some shrubs need to be pruned for a gradual renewal also known as sheering. Some shrubs might need to be fully rejuvenated. Schedule a gardener to come out and perform this service if you are unsure.


4. Rose bushes need to have the winter dieback and rose hips pruned out. Sometimes thinning cuts and new trellising/posting are needed to support bushes.


5. Broken Branches should be cleaned up to provide a proper & clean cut for the plant to heal.


6. Weeds should be pulled by hand or sprayed chemically to reduce issues throughout the season.


7. Leaves & garden debris should be removed with a wire rake first and then a blower should be used to give a clean garden area.


8. Top Dressing of all organic mulch beds should only be done as needed (mulch should not be deeper than 4 inches)

Below is the same picture after the garden had a spring garden cleanup was performed.

Reclaiming a garden is not only possible but a reality when we help you have A Better Garden.

CONTACT US TODAY TO SCHEDULE A SPRING CLEANUP.

(303) 433 - 3750

Mulch - Mulching and it's Effects

Mulch - Mulching and it's Effects

By:Jonathan Manning, CLT
A Better Garden Maintenance, LLC
Denver, CO

Mulch can be divided into two categories; Inorganic and organic mulch. Rocks, or rubber chips would be consider to be inorganic mulch. Bark chips, western shredded cedar, Idaho Shredded Cedar, Metro Mulch (colored recycled chips) and any other form of mulch which biodegrades would be considered organic mulch. Both sources have a positive effect on plants & soil.



Mulches allow water to be dispersed or more has a dampening effect. Rainfall or any water causes compaction as it hits open ground. Mulch allows a cushion and protects the soil structure from compaction or crusting. Both organic and inorganic mulch allows water to be retained in the soil and heat to be moderated. This will reduce the amount of water which needs to be supplemented.



Not only do mulches affect water and soil temperature, but they have a direct effect on your garden. Mulches cover up and help prevent germination of weed seeds. It also allows for easier weeding as the increased water retention makes it easier to get the whole root structure.



The choice of which mulch you utilize is up to you. You need to decide whether you want to see white rocks, dark shredded cedar, large bark chips or even a brightly colored red mulch. The benefits of inorganic mulch is it does not decompose. This means you will not have to top dress, unless you just want to add some fresh color. But at the same time, if the mulch does not decompose, organic matter is not added to the soil profile.



Organic mulch is lost throughout the season from decompostion. This is a great benefit to any garden as organic matter increases the water retention capacity of the soil. With natural mulch, the garden will need to be topdressed regularly to ensure the benefits are being received. Be careful, the addition of more than about 4 inches of mulch can actually cause disease, absorb the water, and even not allow air to the roots.



Just remember, we provide all gardening and mulching services. Contact us today and we can get a gardener out to provide cleanup, pruning, weeding or mulching services. We hope this help you have A Better Garden.