Metco's Blog

Did we mention winter watering?!

Metco Landscape Inc. — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 22:44:14 +0000

METCO LANDSCAPE, INC.

An Open Letter to All It May Concern,
Periods of drought are common on Colorado’s front range but even in years when drought is not a concern winter watering is crucial in maintaining a healthy landscape. Colorado’s front range has received less than average precipitation for October and November, and December seems to be following the same trend.
Growing trees in a naturally semi arid, short grass prairie is hard enough without the situation being affected by drought. Here are some things to keep in mind as Colorado’s precipitation remains below average.
Evergreen trees are more at risk from drying winter conditions and need more water to survive because they retain their needles and can lose water all winter long. Winter winds can compound the problem by pulling water from the needles. Winter damage is typically more severe when trees are located on hot, dry exposures such as the south or west sides of structures. Symptoms from lack of winter watering can appear immediately and will include browning of needles. The entire tree may be affected.
Even though deciduous trees appear dormant during the winter, their root systems continue to slowly grow and need moisture to survive. Water is lost through twigs and must be replaced to prevent damage. Deciduous trees most at risk from drying winter conditions are shallow-rooted species such as maples, lindens, birches and any recently planted tree. Damage from lack of winter watering won’t show up until the following spring and could include branch dieback, reduced leaf size, chlorosis (yellowing of leaves) or tree mortality.
Some winter watering tips:
• Water your deciduous and evergreen trees up to two times a month between October and March.
• Check soil moisture levels around the drip line of the tree to determine how much water is needed. To accurately determine soil moisture, dig down at least 4-6 inches.
• Water during the day when temperatures are above 40 degrees to allow the water to soak in before freezing night temperatures. Do not water if soil is frozen. Hand watering, soaker hose or drip applications are allowed up to two hours per area with no day or time restrictions.
• Soaker hoses, soil needles or hoses with a soft spray attachment can be used to water trees in the winter. Do not turn on your irrigation system to water your trees.
• How much water your tree should receive depends upon the tree size. A general rule of thumb is to use approximately 10 gallons of water per inch of trunk diameter for each watering. Measure trunk diameter at knee height. General formula: Tree Diameter x 5 min. = Total Watering Time
• The most important area to water for deciduous trees is within the drip line (from the trunk to the outer edges of the trees branches). For evergreens, water 3-5 feet beyond the drip line on all sides of the tree.
Well-timed fall and winter watering may allow a tree to survive on less water than a regime of plentiful water applications during the growing season.
The hourly rate for winter watering with tank is $55.00 per hour. A hard bid will be submitted upon Customer request prior to commencing work upon Customer request.
Please contact your Metco Account Representative at (303) 421-3100 to schedule watering on your property/properties.
Respectfully Submitted,
Brandon, Mike, Steve, TJ, and Darlene
Metco Landscape Maintenance Team

The many talents of Metco Landscape Inc…..

Metco Landscape Inc. — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 21:17:51 +0000

Stephany Lupher of Metco Landscape Inc. is proud to present the truly awesome work of her husband and brother-in-law, (their combined talents representing Lupher Arts) resulting in 5 different versions of commercials they have entered in the Doritos and Pepsi Max Super Bowl Commercial competition. There are stars (Big Poppa – Eriks Pencis) and guest stars (Sexy Doritos Eater – Brian Reynolds) also representing Metco in the commercials….Until the snow falls we have to keep the guys busy….

5 – http://www.crashthesuperbowl.com/#/gallery/?video=1843
4 – http://www.crashthesuperbowl.com/#/gallery/?video=1703
3 – http://www.crashthesuperbowl.com/#/gallery/?video=1118
2 – http://www.crashthesuperbowl.com/#/gallery/?video=785
1 – http://www.crashthesuperbowl.com/#/gallery/?video=650

Let us know what you think….we have a feeling these guys have a good chance to win it all and we may be losing some employees to Hollywood! Stephany will be “red carpet ready” and we can’t wait to cheer them on!

On the snow front, reports for mountain snow persists….however, just wind for us in the metro area and a 10% chance of flurries for tomorrow. Turkey Day looks like it will be sunny but cold….bundle up for the Trot and we will see you there. For all you holiday travelers, take it easy and enjoy yourselves (DIA will be the 6th busiest airport in the country!)….we will check in next week and see how the holiday went…don’t worry about eating too much, that’s what this holiday is for! With great appreciation for our friends, families and customers….we hope everyone has a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Snow, but no accumulation…..

Metco Landscape Inc. — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 00:01:16 +0000

So far this season the snow has been falling and melting. The flurries falling quickly this afternoon will meet the same fate. The wind is moving the storm from the North West part of town straight to the South East. The National Weather Service is calling for another slight chance of snow after midnight. For now the plows sit…but Metco is ready! Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisory’s are in affect for the Mountain areas, including Steamboat, Georgetown and Fairplay. The extended forecast for Denver does not call for snow through Monday. We will update this information as things seem to change rapidly when it comes to the weather here in Denver. We hope that our snow trend remains the same through Thanksgiving. Here at Metco it is important to us that all our customers and employees are able to be safe and well fed, at home with their families on Thanksgiving. Metco Landscape went one step further and when the Denver Rescue Mission announced last week it was thousands of turkeys short of its normal quota, Metco helped out by donating 100 turkeys this past Saturday. Tomorrow, November 17th we will be attending the Apartment Associations Power Lunch. The topic for discussion is “Seize the Day: Increase Productivity to Increase Results” with National Speaker, Amy Kosnikowski. We look forward to seeing you there! Have a great week.

First Snowfall for Denver Area

Metco Landscape Inc. — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 23:58:03 +0000

Yes, the white stuff is flying! No accumulation this time, except for possibly on the grassy areas. This storm will be ending in the metro area by midnight. The Mountains are definitely going to be ready for the skiers – a Winter Storm Warning is in effect for Aspen, Crested Butte, Snowmass and Vail through 6 pm this evening…..6-12 inches of snow, with wind gusts near 40 mph are likely. Also, a Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for Breckenridge and Pikes Peak. That area should pick up 3-6 inches of snow. Wednesday will be chilly with a high of 47 degrees. Another snow storm will move through Thursday with accumulating snow (possibly) in Denver. The next storm system will move in Sunday and Monday bringing another slight chance of snow.

Drive safely, get your homes and cars winterized and as always let us know if we can be of any assistance.

Winter Watering

Metco Landscape Inc. — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 16:40:17 +0000

Gary LeCaptain of Horticultural Specialists Inc. (Our Tree Guru) provided us with valuable information from 2 sources regarding the affect of the warm, dry weather we have been having on the trees. “The Green Scene” October Newsletter, from CSU states, – “Fall watering for tree, shrub and perennial root health going into winter is good practice. The result of long, dry periods during fall and winter is injury or death to parts of plant root systems. Plant injury doesn’t show up until the following Spring or Summer.” Another article Gary found on the topic was out of “Horticultural Magazine” – they suggest, “Simply supplying supplemental water once a month during the late fall and winter can protect your plants from death.” Let us know if you would like us to walk your property this winter to assess the needs of the turf and plant material.

The Rocky Mountain Real Estate Expo on Tuesday was fantastic. The Keynote Speaker, Eric Weihenmayer, was great. He signed his books, one of which is entitled “The Adversity Advantage, Turning Everyday Struggles into Everyday Greatness”. His story will inspire no matter what business you are in, or what challenges you may face. Here at Metco Landscape we are constantly striving to get better, using adversity to improve. Please check out Erik’s story.

Saturday, November 6th Metco Landscape Inc. will be at the Rocky Mountain Chapter Community Associations Institute’s Fall Conference. The conference is from 7 am to 1:30 pm at the Sheraton Denver West, 360 Union Blvd. in Lakewood. Please stop by and see us. We are booked for snow removal customers this year, but would love to chat about landscape maintenance projects for next Spring.

For those of you living in the beautiful Denver Metro Area, a fun random item I heard on the news this morning is that the next 3 days will be warmer here, than in Tampa Florida! However, next week brings a change…a slight chance of snow for the Denver area, very slight – but cooler temps are on the way. If you are able to attend – the Veteran’s Day Parade is this Saturday at Civic Center Park (Colfax & Broadway). It’s a great way to show appreciation to the brave men and women who have fought for our country. Enjoy the weekend!

November Happenings

Metco Landscape Inc. — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 13:08:26 +0000

First I’d like to invite everyone to come by the booth today to visit with us. We will be at the Convention Center for the Rocky Mountain Commercial Real Estate Expo and DU Fall Forecast. Stop by from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., 700 14th St. Denver. Drop your business card off for a chance to win a Kodak Digital Frame…hope to see you there!

Let’s talk weather…averages and extremes….average snowfall 10.7 inches – Snowiest – 42.6 in Nov. 1946…so far we have a mild start to the month. The average wind speed according to Weather Central is 8.2 mph….better check the average wind speed for October, last week we definitely had more wind than usual! Speaking of wind, the leaves and pine needles are falling…fall clean up is underway.

Important Dates for November…today…Election Day….Daylight Saving Time ENDS this Sunday, November 7th…Change the clocks Saturday Evening….November 11th – Veteran’s Day – a HUGE heartfelt Thank you to everyone who has served and to all their families who sacrifice so much. Lastly, Thanksgiving Day – November 25th this year….we try to be thankful everyday – getting together with family and friends is a great reminder of all we have to be thankful for….For those of you who are feeling sick from eating too much Halloween candy and need to turn your diet around before the next “eating holiday”…the Turkey Trot 5K Race is always a good way to start the day. We will see you at Wash Park!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Metco Landscape Inc. — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 22:13:00 +0000

Are you ready for snow? This year we got a jump on snow contract renewals by sending them out to customers this summer. Rule of thumb for property owners and managers dictates having bids in by September 1^st and to have contracts in place by October 1^st. September 1999 we had 3.1 inches in Denver, but in most recent years the snow has started in October, with 17.2 inches falling in 2009. It is beginning to look like we may not have any snow recorded for the month of October in the metro area for 2010. The mountains are getting measurements up to a foot, as we all look forward to ski season, this is a welcome statistic. Metco Landscape Inc. will post snow totals and other interesting snow facts throughout the winter. As property owners and managers know, the metro area has several micro climates. It is not unusual for Highlands Ranch to get 10 inches of snow, while the same storm could drop 2 inches of snow in Commerce City. For billing purposes, managers and owners with properties in multiple locations find specific storm stats very useful, especially if the invoices are being paid from offices located in states where the white stuff doesn’t fall! With assistance from the National Weather Service Website and varying other references we will keep you informed. We will keep you updated before storms and post all the pertinent information you’ll need after it snows. Metco Landscape Inc. has the capability to provide the most responsive snow removal service in the metro area. The blades, plows, and crews are ready to go…..are you ready? Whether or not you are a snow customer of ours, check this blog for the latest and greatest snow stats. Be safe and warm, but most of all prepared during this snow season.

Greetings From Metco Landscape Inc.

Metco Landscape Inc. — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 20:58:00 +0000

Company Profile

Metco Landscape, Inc was established in 1987 as a full service landscape management company. Our offices are located in Aurora, Colorado Springs and we are excited to announce the opening of our third office in Arvada at 5503 Marshall Street. We perform work throughout the Front Range. Our senior management team has over 100 years of experience and Metco is considered one of Denver’s premier landscape companies. Additional information can be found at www.MetcoLandscape.com.

Landscape Installation, Maintenance & Snow Removal

Metco Landscape provides services to commercial properties ranging from Retail, Health Care Facilities, Multi-family properties to large urban Metro Districts. Our highly qualified staff includes approximately 250 employees, most of whom are trusted landscape technicians. Metco Landscape’s foremen average 10+ years experience and are well versed in all areas of landscape management. We’re licensed by the State of Colorado to apply herbicides and insecticides. Our licensing also includes backflow prevention devices.

We have 4 Key Divisions:

Landscape Maintenance & Snow Removal
Custom Design Build
Commercial Landscape Install
Home Builder Landscape Division

Our staff qualifications include:

Landscape Architects
Certified Landscape Professionals
Certified Landscape Technicians
Irrigation System Management
Water Auditors

“We’re there when you need us”