A Healthier, Happier Lawn
With Yard Guard!

Author: Colin

When Will My Weeds Go Away?

So, you just signed up for a Yard Guard lawn care program—woohoo! You’re probably thinking, “Awesome! My weeds will vanish, and my lawn will be the greenest one on the block after just one treatment… right?”

Well… not quite. Let’s chat about what to expect, especially when it comes to those pesky weeds.

Timing is everything when it comes to weed control.

Managing weeds isn’t a one-and-done deal—each season brings different challenges. Here’s what you can expect throughout the year, based on the timing of your Yard Guard Lawn Care applications.

Spring Weeds (May – June)  | Application 2 of 5
In the spring, when we’re mostly addressing dandelions and clover. You’ll typically see broadleaf weeds begin to desiccate (dry up and curl) within 7 days of treatment.

Dandelions: These will start to curl up within 2-3 days. Typically we can address about 99% of the spring population on the first application.

Clover: Clover is a bit more persistent. You’ll see a noticeable reduction after the first treatment, but complete control may take a couple of years depending on lawn conditions and follow-up care.

Summer Weeds (July-mid September) | Application 3 of 5
In the summer, we’re still addressing some dandelion and clover presence, but are starting to move on to the tougher weeds to manage, including thistle, bindweed, creeping bellflower and black medic, just to name a few! As with the spring, you’ll usually see them curl up around 7-10 days, sometimes the heat can make it go a bit longer.

Thistle: This is a rhizomatous weed, which means it spreads via its roots and can be very difficult to control, especially if it’s been allowed to go uncontrolled for a while. We can absolutely reduce the population and take care of it, but if you have a lot of thistle growth, it can take years to fully eradicate them. 

Bindweed: Also rhizomatous and well known for its pretty white and pink flowers that sprout when it’s doing well (also likes to wrap around your ornamentals in your landscape beds or to climb up fences). Typically after the first treatment, you’ll see this weed start shriveling up, but the second year of your services, you’ll see that it’s well managed in the lawn.

Creeping Bellflower: This weed is quite a challenge and is typically seen in some of the older neighborhoods of Bozeman, Livingston and Belgrade. I had it everywhere at my house when I lived near downtown Bozeman. Unfortunately, if you do have this, you’ll never see it fully go away. The best thing you can do is to be on an Organic or Blended Organic lawn care program so that you’re helping the grass roots choke out invasive weeds on it’s own. You can also dormant seed in the fall to add more grass to hopefully continue to choke it out. 

Black Medic: commonly confused with Clover, this will typically start to pop out in the late spring and continue through the summer. Our first application of weed control will typically have the curling up and you should see that it’s under control by the second year of your lawn care service. 

Fall Weeds (Late-September – October) | Application 4 of 5

In early fall, we switch up our weed control formula to give a final punch to stubborn summer weeds like thistle, bindweed, and creeping bellflower. These weeds are moving energy into their roots for winter, which helps carry the treatment deeper into the plant.

Usually, you’ll start to see twisting of the weeds by 14 days. 

You’ll see the same weeds during this timeframe as you do in the summer, but may see the dandelions come back as the nights get cooler. 

Fertilizer Applications | Early Spring and Late Fall
Applications 1 and 5 – done in early spring and late fall – focus on giving your lawn a big boost of nutrients through fertilizer. These two treatments are actually the most important in the entire program… and also the most commonly skipped.

A lot of people think weed control alone is the magic fix. It’s not. Weed control definitely helps us get ahead of things, but fertilizer is what makes your lawn strong, healthy, and naturally weed-free.

When your grass is thick and well-fed, it starts to outcompete weeds all on its own, meaning weed control becomes less and less necessary. In fact, my own lawn doesn’t even need weed control anymore. I just use our organic fertilizer, and it thrives because it’s so healthy.

Depending on the application and season, you’ll usually start to see weeds curling up within 7–14 days after a treatment. If that doesn’t happen—no worries! Just give us a call and we’ll come back to spot-spray those stubborn areas.

Here’s a quick outlook:

  • Year 1: Expect around 85% weed control on the varieties already germinating in your lawn.
  • Year 2: That typically jumps to 95%+, assuming you’re also on top of proper watering and mowing.

Yard Guard’s Guide to March Lawn Care

Yard Guard’s Guide to March Lawn Care

From Snow to Spring
Montana’s snow is melting, and the promise of spring is in the air. At Yard Guard, we love our snow—but we love our lawns even more! This blog will help you understand what to expect as your lawn transitions from winter to spring. With Yard Guard’s Guide to March Lawn Care we’ll cover mowing in the spring, vole damage, and snow mold, as well as how spring fertilization can set your lawn up for success.

Snow on Your Lawn
As spring approaches, it’s important to consider how winter’s heavy snowfall has affected your lawn. Some common issues include melting out, vole damage, and snow mold.

If you didn’t know, your lawn essentially hibernates over the winter. The grass stops growing actively, turns brown, and shuts down its leaf crowns to conserve energy. Snow can act as an insulator, preventing freezing temperatures from penetrating the root system and hydrating the soil as it melts. However, prolonged snow cover can also create conditions for mold growth and rodent activity.

Vole Damage
With the heavy snowfall Montana experienced this winter, vole populations are likely thriving—which means increased damage to lawns and landscapes. These small rodents tunnel under the snow, feeding on grass and creating unsightly trails and bare patches.

While eliminating voles entirely can be challenging, there are some effective preventative measures. Protect your trees by placing mesh guards around the bases to prevent girdling. Additionally, setting mouse traps along their trails can deter them from returning. Fortunately, grass damaged by voles typically recovers with time and proper lawn care.

Snow Mold
Snow mold is a common lawn issue caused by prolonged snow cover, particularly on the north side of properties. It presents as straw-colored or pink circular patches in the grass. In severe cases, the affected areas can become matted.

This fungal disease thrives in cold, damp environments. Wet leaves, excessive mulch, and tall grass left untrimmed before winter can contribute to the problem. While fungicide treatments are available, they are most effective as a preventative measure. The best way to manage snow mold is by raking the affected areas, removing debris, and exposing the spores to air. Another common cause of snow mold is road salt from shoveled snowbanks, which can stress the grass.

First Mow of the Season
As the snow recedes and the ground begins to thaw, the first mow of the season is a crucial step in your lawn’s spring revival. Mowing helps promote even growth and removes any lingering debris. This is also a great time to seed any bare spots in your lawn.

It may be tempting to start mowing right away, but patience is key. Ensure the grass is completely dry and that temperatures are consistently around 40°F. Mowing frozen grass can break the blades, leading to dead spots. Even walking on frozen grass can leave footprints that take time to recover. Waiting for the right conditions will help your lawn transition smoothly into spring.

Fertilizing in the Spring
Finally, give your lawn the nutrients it needs with a spring fertilizer application. This will help bring the grass out of dormancy and promote strong, healthy growth. At Yard Guard, our fertilizer mixtures prioritize high-quality ingredients such as iron, kelp, molasses, humic acid, worm castings, and amino acids. Proper fertilization replenishes essential nutrients lost over the winter, strengthens root development, and enhances resistance to pests and diseases.

By following the tips in our Guide to March Lawn Care, you can create the best possible environment for your lawn to thrive throughout the spring and summer months. As March arrives and Montana’s snow melts away, it’s important to assess your lawn’s condition. Keep an eye out for signs of vole damage, snow mold, and other winter-related issues. Once the timing is right, begin with a careful first mow and consider overseeding any bare patches.

If you have any concerns or notice signs of damage, don’t hesitate to contact Yard Guard for an evaluation. We hope this blog has provided valuable insights into how snowmelt affects your lawn and the importance of spring fertilization. As your lawn awakens from its winter slumber, taking proactive steps now will ensure lush, vibrant growth for the months ahead.

Holiday Lighting Installation Process

Wondering what it means to get your Christmas Lights installed professionally this year? All companies have a different way of doing it, but this is ours.

Measurements & Design:
One of our arborists visits your home to come take some measurements and discuss design options with you. By being able to show examples of homes we’ve decorated previously, it gives you the opportunity to envision what your house could look like. Once we hear your decor dream, we use a software to mock up exactly what you are looking for. The software is really fun, we can darken the picture we take of your home, then begin adding decorations, lights to the roof, a wreath over here, garland on these posts, and lights on these trees. Check it out:

Quote:
Once we have finalized your design, we tally up what is needed for the job and work up a quote. We try to make our pricing simple, most things are by the bulb or the linear foot, with the exception of wreaths which are by the size/ quantity. If an area or home requires a lift to install then we simply add a surcharge for either a day or a fraction of a day to cover that cost. 

Purchase:
We try to do what is best for you as the client. For holiday light design and installations we want you to own your lights. Because they are custom fit to your home, you should benefit from this partnership by owning the lights. This helps to align our incentives to build quality products that will last you for holidays to come. We don’t upcharge on any of the materials we supply you, we work really hard to find quality products that we know are going to work year after year. We have a $250 minimum for light purchase (design and build) and a $700 minimum for full service installation & takedown. 

Only the installation cost will reoccur year over year. This charge covers installation of your holiday lights, light maintenance i.e. bulbs go out or a string falls, taking down the lights, coming back after the snow melts to make sure there are not any clips that got lost on removal, and drying, maintaining, and storing your lights. We want to give you a worry free experience, but we don’t tie you into any contracts. If you decide you ever don’t want to continue you can pick up your lights anytime!

Build:
We use the design we built together (see above) as our template for our crew to build out your lights. The first time we service your property we custom cut and screw on the bulbs to fit your home. We have a wide array of non-invasive ways to attach lights to your roofline. The crew decides what will work best for your home and gets to work. They take bulk wire, add the clips for you, along with the color bulbs you want. 

Installation:
This is the fun part and our team makes it look easy! They take the products they have put together and go through installing them on your home and trees. As they are doing that, they label each strand with colored zip ties to mark exactly what goes where. Once we’re finished, we use a software to take a picture of your property and overlay with colors where each piece was installed so it can be replicated the same way year after year.

Then the fun part!:
We get to invite you outside and share your creation come to life on your home! We can then make any adjustments that might be needed. (We have a number of customers who leave for the day so they can surprise their family when they get home). We love getting to share in the excitement and feel a sense of pride in this service!

Add Ons:
The fun part of this whole process is getting to be creative to design and install your holiday lights! Some of the fun add-ons people choose in order of most common would be wreaths with bows, trees (both big bulbs on evergreens and branch wrapping deciduous trees), garland (on posts, above doors, fences, etc), or all the above!

Service calls:
We honor everything we do, if you ever have a light out or a piece falls – just shoot us a message and we will usually be out the same day or next day to take care of it! We want to do everything we can to take the hassle out of your holiday light experience. 

Takedown:
The most important part of our process is how carefully we take down and tag everything for next year. We bring everything back to our shop to hang and let dry before they go into labeled bins for storage until next year! 

Check out our holiday lighting page for samples of our Christmas light installations: Yard Guard Holiday Lights

Wondering if our method might work for you and your family? Give us a call! We love doing this service for our customers and sharing in their holiday joy! Our Holiday Light Installation process should make this hassle-free and easy for you. We can’t wait to decorate your home!

How to Reduce your Watering by 25%

At Yard Guard, our mission is clear: to accelerate the transition to a sustainable landscape, starting here in our own backyards. While water retention and soil conditioning products have been available for some time, we’ve waited for a solution that truly aligns with our mission. And now, we’re excited to introduce a product and service that does just that.

In 2024, as we witness a limited snowpack and an increasing need for water retention, it’s more crucial than ever to understand how lawns hold water and how we can optimize watering practices.

How lawns hold water & how much to water
Watering your lawn properly requires you to understand your property’s unique characteristics. Things like soil health and structure, sun exposure and grass height will all influence how much water your lawn holds and requires to be healthy. In order to learn these characteristics, we recommend adopting the practice of deep watering. Deep watering encourages the roots to grow deeper, resulting in a healthier plan. This means you water your three days a week with a ½” of water each time. Analyze your lawn and adjust the watering time (increase or decrease) depending on what your lawn needs. 

As a side note: It’s essential to adjust your sprinklers in spring and again as summer approaches to account for changing conditions.

For more detailed information on how to water your lawn properly, check out our blog post dedicated to this topic here.

How Moisture Retention Products Work
Moisture retention products help the soil hold more water, reduce surface tension to evenly distribute the water, and to pull water from the atmosphere. The product we are choosing to use is a surfactant that’s bonded to compost, mimicking the natural water-retention properties of organic soil. 

Every sprinkler system has some sort of inefficiency. That may be due to needing an adjustment or maybe your lawn isn’t level all the way through, either way you will probably have some areas that receive more water than necessary and some areas less. This product breaks the surface tension of water which brings us closer to equilibrium on water distribution throughout. 

You’re probably familiar with the moisture absorbing packets that are placed in shipped goods. The product works similarly to those where it pulls moisture from the humidity in the air and holds it in the soil. 

The application needs to be applied and watered in before drought conditions, and the product we use lasts for roughly 90 days. Therefore, we will put it down in June so we can get through the hot summer months.

Photo credit

Setting Realistic Expectations

Companies claim that you can reduce your watering up to 50%, we think that is a little bit of a stretch. It depends on what kind of soil you have, how much organic material is present, how hot/dry the weather is, and the quality of your irrigation system. We live in a dry climate and we all struggle to give our lawns enough water in the hot summer months. This application is only going to help keep more available moisture for the plant and reduce drought stress. 

If you are satisfied with your watering practices, we would recommend cutting water around 20% as a starting point once you receive your Water Saver application. 

What Moisture Retention Products Don’t Replace
This isn’t a magic solution – if you have poor soil, no or poor irrigation, or poor mowing practices this will not save your lawn, but you can definitely expect reduction of problem areas and the overall ability to hold over 20% more moisture. 

Who Could Benefit:
Everyone who lives somewhere dry and windy, aka Livingston! But really anyone. This service is primarily for lawns, but similar products could be used for planter boxes or perennial plants. Even properties that have great sprinkler systems and good soil. We live in a dry climate and moisture retention products are a great way to give your plants a little bit of an edge to hold more moisture.

How Much do Moisture Retention Products Cost?
One time applications start at $129 for a “normal” in-town property (less than 5,000 square feet of turf). This is for a one-time spring application that lasts through the summer.

 

So are you ready to start reducing your watering by 25%? Text “Water Saver” to 406-222-1152 and one of our customer service representatives will get you a custom quote for your home! 

While we are excited to offer this service, we would be even more excited to see long-lasting results. If you haven’t been adding organic material back to your lawn, mowing at the tallest height or watering properly, we would love to see you add those into your regime so we don’t see temporary fixes. If you’re unsure on where to start, give us a call and we are happy to walk you through that!

 

How to Keep Weeds Out of Your Rock Beds?

rock area weed control

Have you ever walked outside and looked at the landscape beds where all your beautiful perennial plants live or where you park the camper and noticed that the weeds have made it their home instead, even though you put a weed mat down? Let’s talk about what it looks like to keep your landscape beds weed-free with our Landscape Bed Care Program. 

In a lawn, healthy grass can out-compete incoming weeds, but in your rock/mulch areas or your gravel driveway, there is nothing to compete with them. Rather than continuing to pull or spray weeds all summer long, we offer a service where we can prevent over 80% of weeds from growing in these areas without having any negative effect on perennial trees & shrubs.

How it works:

  • Step 1 –  is a pre-emergent (weed-preventer) that works as a root pruner to block over 80% of weeds from germinating. Once those new seeds push out their first feeder roots, the roots simply dry out and the plant can’t grow. Because this only impacts the first ½ inch of soil, there is no impact on existing plants with a deeper root system. 
  • Steps 2-4 – We spot-spray the 20% or less that make it through.

How much it costs and what you get:
For the average in-town home with rock/mulch beds around the house or maybe along a fence (about 2,000 sq. feet worth of area), it’s $245 for the season. This includes the spring application of pre-emergent (weed preventer) and three spot treatments to hit any weeds that pop up. All estimates are based on the total square footage of the area being treated.

Where to use it and where not to:
Customers love this service on their rock/mulch landscape beds around their homes, gravel parking areas, and anywhere else you have weeds and don’t want them. However, this doesn’t work well if you are trying to plant anything from seed, because the pre-emergents job is to prevent seeds from growing, or if you plan to disturb the soil (pre-emergent only impacts the first 1/2 inch of soil, so once moved around, it’s no longer effective).

How long does it last?:
Roughly six months, which in Montana gets us through our growing season. In more southern parts of the country, they require a second prevention application.

The results:
You no longer need to spend hours being miserable pulling weeds. Every year gets better, once the existing weeds are cleaned up we can continue to prevent new growth. I recommend spending your time doing this instead: 

colin mountain biking

What if we discontinue the service?
After six months, it’s like we were never there. Slowly new weeds will continue to germinate with no competition for growth.

A few things we want you to keep in mind:
We come close to being magic, but depending on how long these areas have been neglected there may be some cleanup. We can only treat existing weeds within 12 inches of existing plants and all treated weeds once brown will need to be pulled or weed whacked. All of this would have to be done regardless.

We believe our services should give you back your time to do things you love. Give us a call today if you have rock/mulch beds that need some Yard Guard care!

How To Properly Water Your Trees

Your trees represent one of the most significant investments for your property, yet they are sometimes quickly forgotten once they are considered “established.” While there are various ways to care for these beautiful trees, let’s highlight the most crucial step that you can take without relying on the assistance of a lawn and tree care company – let’s discuss the proper method of watering your trees.

There’s an overlooked aspect worth noting: we’ve planted trees, which typically flourish in forests, into a residential lawn area and then anticipate the same successful growth despite the significantly different conditions from their natural habitat, which clearly isn’t going to happen. In a forest setting, trees benefit from shaded soil which helps retain moisture, receiving rich nutrients from decomposed material in the soil, and importantly, they don’t compete with lawn turf for nutrients and water.

As a general rule, trees typically require a minimum of 10 gallons of water per week per inch of Diameter at Breast Height (DBH). However, there’s often an assumption that trees will receive adequate water during a regular weekly lawn irrigation schedule. Unfortunately, the lawn tends to absorb most of this moisture before the tree roots can access any significant amount. Unless you have a drip irrigation system specifically directed toward your trees and shrubs, it’s almost certain that your trees are not receiving sufficient water. The diagram below shows how to measure DBH.

How to measure DBH - diameter at breast height

This blog is broken out to show how to water your trees per season in Southwest Montana. 

Spring Watering:

In spring, it’s crucial to water your trees before they begin to bud and produce leaves. Around mid-March (depending on the weather), start watering your trees weekly. Typically, this means pulling a hose to your trees, turning the water on to a steady trickle, and leaving it to run at the base of the tree for about 30 minutes. In the weeks following, check the soil. If the top 3-4 inches around the tree are dry, it’s time to water them again.

Encouraging slow, deep watering helps your trees’ roots grow deeper, enabling them to draw more nutrients from the soil and become more resistant to drought and disease.

Summer Watering:

Continue the same watering schedule from spring. If you notice the leaves appearing limp, it’s a sign that they may need more water. Once again, check the top three to four inches of soil, and if they’re dry, give the trees a thorough drink by turning on the hose.

Fall and Winter Watering:

During fall and winter, focus primarily on watering your evergreen trees. Deciduous trees typically enter dormancy by late fall and will likely have shed their leaves and require much less attention at this time. Because evergreens retain their needles throughout winter, they need more water to prevent drying out from the severe winds and cold temperatures experienced in Montana. If they become dehydrated, they may suffer from “winter burn,” where the wind and cold weather strip them of moisture, kind of like windburn. This issue is especially prevalent in the Livingston, Montana area.

Starting in October and continuing through November, water your evergreen trees twice a month, dedicating approximately 30 minutes per tree. Use a gentle flow from the hose to facilitate deep watering. This serves two crucial purposes. Firstly, as the trees prepare for dormancy, the water assists in transporting nutrients to their roots, crucial during the winter. Secondly, it provides a reservoir of water for the trees to access, rather than relying on moisture from their needles as a last resort.

Watering your trees properly is going to prevent them from being susceptible to disease and drought now and for years to come. Make sure to give your trees a good drink to bring them to life in the spring and then continue that throughout the summer and early fall. Once you start getting into late fall and winter, specifically October and November, make sure to water your trees at least twice for each of those months! 

If you are watering your evergreens properly and you’re still seeing winter burn, we do offer a service that helps hold in moisture that we do twice a year, once in the fall and once in the winter as weather permits. Please call our office to find out more or to get on the schedule for our Winter Burn Prevention service. 406-222-1152

Happy watering!

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