Wintry Last Day Before Spring - Denver engulfed by heavy snow storm on last day of winter.

Wintry Last Day Before Spring - Denver engulfed by heavy snow storm on last day of winter.

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

Today is the last day of winter and the storm Colorado is experiencing is a firm testament to that. Across the Denver Metro area, from Golden to Highlands Ranch, we are receiving plenty of wet & heavy snow. The storm began dropping snow flakes beginning around 6 AM, just before Denver residents morning commute. The storm did not start accumulating on most sidewalks, driveways or parking lots until around noon. Sections of pavement which are heavily shaded, such as north facing sides, began accumulating earlier mid-morning. The storm is expected to continue through until tomorrow morning with light accumulation after midnight.


Tomorrow morning, be careful as this extremely wet storm will very likely freeze and cause ice. The roads will be extremely treacherous until Saturday’s temperatures warms up. There will also be heavy drifting with the winds Denver has been experiencing.


If you need help with snow shoveling or plowing give A Better Garden Maintenance, LLC a call at (303) 433 - 3750. We provide full service snow removal contracts for most of the Denver Metro area. We service all types of properties; residential homes, business parks as well as all retail & commercial sites.

Early Denver Snow Storm - White snow blankets Denver this morning.

Early Denver Snow Storm - White snow blankets Denver this morning.

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

The Denver area has been struck by a storm which has many wondering just how much snow will be dropped. Already in parts of Denver there is up to 3-4 inches accumulated. This snow is just the beginning. Everywhere from Arvada & Golden, to Highlands Ranch and Lonetree are covered in white powder. It is important to get this snow removed promptly.



When snow is not removed as it falls or soon there after it can create ice. With cold temperature down in the low 20s ice is sure to be formed. When people or vehicles travel over snow it compacts. Compaction of snow, especially when there has been rain prior to the snow fall, is the beginning of the formation of ice. In Denver, Golden or Lakewood, its not a matter of if, but when ice is going to form.



Anywhere you live across the Denver Metro area ice is an issue which needs to be dealt with. Ice melt is the best solution.




****Ice melt can cause pollution to turf areas and to city storm drainage. Ice melt (Sodium Chloride, Magnesium Chloride, Potassium Chloride), Sand & Salt (Sodium Chloride), and Slicer(clay coated Magnesium Chloride) should be used sparingly, but not as to effect the ability to make the site (Residence, Parking Lot, Building Complex, Apartment Complex, Retail Establishment) safe.


A little goes a long way is the phrase to remember. Yet there are those situations where a lot of ice melt or ice removal materials are needed. Safety is the number one concern and dictates the use of deicing materials. There are situations (bad drainage from storm gutters, clogged storm gutters) which place additional water in major pathways. These issues should be addressed immediately to reduce the chemicals which will need to be used during a Denver snow event.




A Better Garden Maintenance, LLC is still accepting clients, Commercial Snow Removal Contracts & Residential Snow Removal Contract, for snow plowing and snow shoveling. Call or email us today.




(303) 433 - 3750

or
abettergarden@abtrgarden.com

First Snow Storm of the Year! Snow Removal Contracts Still Available.

First Snow Storm of the Year! Snow Removal Contracts Still Available

By:Whitney Gronseth
A Better Garden Maintenance, LLC
Denver, CO

With the first snow fall of the year, many of us have been caught off guard. Snow removal is back breaking labor that is necessary when one has a property. Whether yours is residential or commercial, A Better Garden Maintenance can professionally and quickly remove snow to make access and use of your property easy during this winter season.

Even though the first snow has akready here, it is not too late to get your snow removal contract with A Better Garden Maintenance, LLC. Contact us for both commercial and residential snow removal contracts at (303) 433-3750. You can also contact us at our website at www.abtrgarden.com.

Frosted snow in October - Light dusting of snow & ice covers entire Denver Metro Area. Frosted snow in October - Light dusting of snow & ice covers entire Denver Metro Area.By:Jonathan Manning, CLTA Better Garden Maintenance, LLCDenver, CO Today was the first day of waking up with a cold, stiff accumulation of snow in Denver. Even with the minimal accumulation we received there remains the danger of ice. Soon enough it will be more than just a light glaze upon these Lakewood & Golden neighborhoods across the Denver Metro area. A Better Garden Maintenance, LLC wants to remind you that if you don’t want to shovel yourself this year there is a better option. Whether its for a house, commercial business park, apartment or condo complex, Home Owners Association (HOA) or Retail Business Establishment A Better Garden offers snow shoveling, snow plowing, snow blower labor, ice melt application, ice slicer application, and sand & salt application for the majority of the Denver Metro Area. Call now to inquire about Snow Removal Services.(303)433-3750****Snow storm expected in Denver beginning late Tuesday(10/27/09) night through Thursday (10/29/09)afternoon.

Frosted snow in October - Light dusting of snow & ice covers entire Denver Metro Area.

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

Today was the first day of waking up with a cold, stiff accumulation of snow in Denver. Even with the minimal accumulation we received there remains the danger of ice. Soon enough it will be more than just a light glaze upon these Lakewood & Golden neighborhoods across the Denver Metro area.




A Better Garden Maintenance, LLC wants to remind you that if you don’t want to shovel yourself this year there is a better option. Whether its for a house, commercial business park, apartment or condo complex, Home Owners Association (HOA) or Retail Business Establishment A Better Garden offers snow shoveling, snow plowing, snow blower labor, ice melt application, ice slicer application, and sand & salt application for the majority of the Denver Metro Area. Call now to inquire about Snow Removal Services.




(303)433-3750




****Snow storm expected in Denver beginning late Tuesday(10/27/09) night through Thursday (10/29/09)afternoon.

Denver Commercial Snow Removal Contracts - Sign up today and get the assurance offered by our trained staff.

Denver Commercial Snow Removal Contracts - Sign up today and get the assurance offered by our trained staff.

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

September often produces the first snow storm of the year in the Denver Front Range. Golden, Lakewood, Morrison and Littleton are usually more heavily hit with greater amounts of snow as they are the foothills to the Rocky Mountains. With every property there are areas in which snow will drift and never melt. Some develop ice on sidewalks or parking lots. It is very important to know and understand the best placement of snow and utilization of snow and ice melting materials for an individual property.




We will meet with you at the commercial property, assess the site and discuss the best plan to fits the snow removal needs. Services include but may be limited by availability to snow plowing, skid steer, snow shoveling, ice melt application (time plus materials), sand & salt application (time plus materials), and ice slicer application (time plus materials).





Call us today (303) 433 - 3750 to get signed up for your commercial complex. A Better Garden Maintenance, LLC provides commercial snow removal contracts to Apartment Complexes, HOA's, Shopping Centers and Office Buildings in the Denver Metro Area.

Commercial Snow Removal Denver - Sign up now before the first storm hits.

Commercial Snow Removal Denver - Sign up now before the first storm hits.

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

Even with the summer still blasting us with 90 degree days in the Denver area, we need to look forward to being prepared to have the right people in place to remove the snow when it falls. Its a matter of when it will snow, not if it will snow. Small accumulations can be even more hazardous given the right temperatures, shade, traffic, drainage and other situations.


Let us know the issues you have experienced in the past and we can note the potential problems to alleviate any issues this 2009-2010 colorado snow season. We also will meet the property manager, resident or owner onsite to discuss where the snow should be placed or we will make a decision on our professional site evaluation.



We will recommend a tolerance level of the amount of snowfall in inches before you receive service. A standard tolerance for businesses and homes is 1 inch to shovel sidewalks & driveways and 2 inches to plow parking lots. Ice melt is an optional service and is highly recommended to provide a safe environment. Businesses should always have ice melt as well as a combination of slicer and Sand & Salt in the parking lots.


Jonathan Manning leads the snow efforts at A Better Garden Maintenance, LLC. He is a vetran of the past Blizzards and has maintained "No Tolerance" properties in Golden and Arvada. In Golden, the business park was a two building Class A Office Suites. They required a combination of snow shoveling, plowing, bobcat/skidsteer use, slicer application, magnesium chloride application (Caliber), sand & salt, and a variation between ice melt and magnesium chloride flakes dependent upon the temperature. In Arvada, the other property he managed dealt with keeping Ambulances on the road for Pridemark during the 2006 Blizzard.



At A Better Garden Maintenance, LLC we offer commercial snow removal to the Denver Metro area (exclusions apply) snow plowing, snow shoveling, ice melt application,sand & salt application, slicer, and larger equipment as needed. Call us today to setup a contract for the 2009-2010 snow removal season. Serving both commercial snow removal & residential snow removal properties. Call us today (303) 433 - 3750.

Dangers of Salt

Dangers of Salt

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

Most people do not consider the impact of using snow and ice removal materials. The makeup of the materials are mainly salts, besides the inert ingredients (clay in slicer, sand with the Sand/salt mix, etc.). These salts (sodium chloride, potassium chloride, & magnesium chloride) which lower the temperature at which ice melts are extremely toxic to your lawn and garden.

Most people have heard about how the Romans dealt with Carthage, the fields were plowed through with salt to utterly destroy them. Well in the same situation we are salting our fields when shoveling snow, if we do not consider where we are storing our snow and ice. The snow and ice which are mixed with salts can cause the same effect.

You may wonder, "How are we destroying our gardens?" To attempt to make this clearer, let me explain. Salts are very attracted to water (hydrophyllic or water loving). Think of how meat used to be stored. The outside was salted to pull water out of the meat. The same is true with soil, the salts we place in our gardens will pull the water out of the soil or at least make it unavailable for plant use. This is because the water has a higher affinity to the salt molecule.

So be careful how much salt (ice melt, slicer and sand & salt) you put down and where you store your snow & ice. Try to push the snow of your main walks, where you have placed lots of ice melt, into the streets or into a rock area which is not utilized for plant growth. Limit the amount of Snow & Ice Removal materials you put down to only what you need for peoples safety. Just as with a lot of things in life, "A little goes a long way.."

Ice Patrol & Blowing Snow

Ice Patrol & Blowing Snow

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

Today, I was out performing what is known as "Ice Patrol." Ice patrol is put in effect for a property for the 2 days following a snow event where a sites snow tolerance was triggered. (If the snow event was not triggered services must be requested.) Usually, this just involves checking properties for ice and putting down the appropriate Snow & Ice Materials requested for onsite use. Meaning if you only have a sidewalk put down ice melt as the appropriate snow material, not sand & salt or slicer. And do not use ice melt for a parking lot. Instead use sand & salt for traction and slicer to break through the ice. Some people even request slicer to be put down for all main drive areas. Each site is different and a plan should be made in accordance with the specific needs (north sides, heavily shaded areas, drainage issues, etc.).



Yet today the denver metro winds crusted most all edges and steps with a sheet of snow. I say, "sheet of snow," because the snow was partially melted together and came up in sections or sheets. It made my job a little harder, yet with a snow scoop shovel I got the job done. It is important to recognize that I used a scoop snow shovel, instead of a push snow shovel, since it made it possible to collect the chunks of the snow sheets & ice as I shoveled. I made sure the curb lines/gutters were clear of any snow and ice. I add ice melt to the steps, walks and anywhere there was ice and I then it is time to be off to the next property to repeat.



Remember it is important to always check the sites you maintain. The amount of snow is sure to be different as you move across Greenwood Village, Denver, and Golden.


A Better Garden Maintenance, LLC Website

Snow Shoveling

Snow Shoveling

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

When snow shoveling, it is important to recognize that you save a lot of trouble by not creating compaction and ice by not walking on the snow to be shoveled. A lot of the time a clean surface will be left, after shoveling the snow, when you have had no traffic over the area from which the snow is being removed.
The effort and method will vary with each snow event, but there are a few tips you should do anytime when performing snow removal.
The snow might be wet & heavy or the snow might be very light and dry powder.


To make this easier I will just list the tips for snow removal along with the reasoning behind the tip.


#1 Always try to completely clear the pavement or sidewalk.
This includes the snow along the curb lines of a sidewalk.
When this is not removed it is usually kicked over the area which was shoveled.
If not removed or left to melt the snow will turn into ice.

#2 Do not put ice melt down during a snow storm.
When ice melt is applied, it melts both snow and ice into water.
As more snow continues to accumulates this water will inevitably become ice.
There will always be exceptions to this and you will need to make your own choice.

#3 Always attempt to put the snow from the shoveling in a place where it will not melt and run back down across the areas which were cleared.
This is not always possible, yet should be attempted to reduce labor, material costs and the salts (ice melt) in the storm drain system.

#4 When removing ice, flip the shovel head over and use the other side of the shovel. Not only will this aid in breaking up any compacted snow or ice, it will sharpen the tool to make shoveling more effective.


A Better Garden Maintenance, LLC is not liable for any snow removal activity not directly performed by A Better Garden Maintenance, LLC.)