Greeley exists in an interesting part of Colorado. Just 25 miles east of the Rocky Mountains, Greeley is situated in the high plains, meaning it enjoys some of the winter weather of the mountains, but shares a lot of similarities with the rolling plains of eastern Colorado. This unique position means that you need a unique approach to landscaping in Greeley. Here at Pribble Lawn & Landscaping, we’ve been finding creative ways to care for your yard for more than 20 years. Before you get started on your next yard project, here are a few things to consider.
Hardiness Zones
It’s the kind of name you’d expect to find on a menu or a soup can, but hardiness zones are a real thing. The U.S. Department of Agriculture produces hardiness zones that help guide farmers and gardeners to let them know what types of plants will thrive in certain areas. Colorado has five different hardiness zones across the states, ranging from the chilly zone 3 to the much warmer zone 7. Greeley falls within zone 4, meaning that we enjoy long summer days with high temperature, and then equally long cold winters.
Since we’re in zone 4, you’ll need to consider planting gardens that are ready for winter and can survive colder temperatures.
Soil Types
If you’ve ever planted a garden in Greeley only to watch it wither and die, you’ve probably wondered about what you did wrong. Well, it probably wasn’t your irrigation system or how often you fertilized your yard. In fact, it was probably the soil you planted your garden in. Greeley, like much of the Front Range, has hard, clay-packed soils. In some spots, the soil is very sandy. Fortunately, there’s a simple way to get a sense of the type of soil you have in your yard.
Pick up some soil in your hand and put some water on it. Work it in between your fingers. If the soil begins to pack together and forms a ball, it has a high clay content. If the soil begins to disintegrate in your fingers, it’s sandy. If the soil falls apart and feels a little gritty, you’ve got some nice soil. You can work with your landscaper to find plants that will thrive in your particular soil.
Dramatic Temperature Changes
If there’s one thing that’s consistent about the weather in Northern Colorado, it’s that it’s inconsistent. It’s not uncommon to wake up to a few inches of snow on the ground in the morning and have a brilliant day of sunshine by the afternoon. These dramatic changes in temperature might make for great small talk, but they aren’t so great for your plants. Temperature swings mean that the soil freezes and thaws rapidly. This harms your plants in a variety of ways. Tree bark can be injured, shallow-rooted plants can be pushed out of the soil, and some plants bloom out of season. Warm winters also mean that plants bloom too early, only to be killed off again by an early spring snowstorm. To make sure your landscaping makes it through the wild weather of Colorado, work with your local landscaper.
Plants Thrive in the Sunshine
There’s no denying the challenges that landscapers in Greeley face, but they also enjoy some real benefits. Greeley enjoys an average of 244 sunny days a year, meaning that some plants flourish in the extra sunlight. It’s no wonder you’ll find brilliant flower arrangements in garden beds throughout the city. The high intensity of light ensures that strong stemmed plants and flowers have spectacular blooms.
Healthier Plants
We all love the look and feel of a healthy lawn, and Greeley is a great place to grow one. That’s because all of that sunshine means that the snows of winter melt quickly. This limits the spread of mold and other diseases in your lawn. When paired with the cooler nights of summer, lawns in Greeley grow robust and healthy. Similarly, these conditions are one of the reasons that home gardeners can raise great crops of cool-season vegetables every year. Greeley also enjoys low-levels of humidity throughout the year. This ensures that diseases and molds do not spread in gardens and yards.
Care For Your Yard Today
Pribble Lawn & Landscaping has been serving the Greeley community since 1995. We offer a complete suite of yard services, including landscape design and installation, irrigation installation and repair, and snow removal services. Give us a call today and see how we can completely transform your outdoor living spaces!