A Healthier, Happier Lawn
With Yard Guard!

Author: Sidne

Our Favorite Winter Activities

Happy New Year! Hopefully, you’re reading this after doing a little bit of celebrating for the year to come, even if it was just a quick raise of the champagne flute!

We write a lot of blogs that are focused on helping your property be the best it can be, but for this one, we want to help you get to know some of our staff more so that the next time they come out to visit your property you can strike up a conversation on a mutual interest! Our customers and our staff are the heart of our business!

So we went around the room and asked our staff that are on for the winter season:

What are your favorite winter activities?

Keri (Customer Service Representative):
Keri is the happy and bubbly voice that helps you figure out all of your lawn, tree and holiday lights needs!

Keri’s Favorite Winter Activities:

      • Staying Inside – she’s not a huge fan of the cold.
      • Selling stuff from her phone on her couch – If you didn’t know, Keri also runs her own online boutique called Just Rad Market and it is truly RAD! Check it out if you’re also hanging out on your couch shopping. 
      • Hanging out with her family of 6 + 2 Great Danes – (hopefully you’ve seen Gus on our Instagram, if you’re not following us yet, start now!)
      • Snowshoeing – She braved her fear of the cold and rocked some snowshoeing! 
      • Potentially Pow Surfing – she said that she was getting a Pow Surfer for her husband, Ricky and that she would maybe be giving it a shot. Of course let’s all encourage her to do so! 

Tate (Field Manager) –
Tate gets to do a little bit of everything at Yard Guard, but his main focus is helping out current staff with questions and maintaining quality control, but you’ll also see him training new staff, spraying lawns and trees here and there and helping customers when they have questions about their property. 

His favorite things: 

      • Skiing – if you didn’t know, it’s said that Yard Guard has created a bit of a ski cult, eh hem, I mean club and Tate is a full contributing member of the club!
      • He loves Mexico, so he can’t wait for the next time to go surfing and buy the amazing street tacos!
      • In his spare time, he’s also growing out his mullet and may take up bobsledding. We wish him good luck in his endeavours 😂. 

Cisco (Customer Services Representative):
Cisco’s voice rivals Morgan Freeman and if you’ve ever called and spoke with him, you probably get the overwhelming sense that everything will be all right.

Cisco’s Winter Favorites: 

      • Hopefully skiing – We’re also trying to induct Cisco into our club, we’ve found him some boots and it’s only a matter of days before he’s ripping down Bridger Bowl!
      • Watching Football and cheering on the Georgia Bulldogs!
      • Spending time with family – his girlfriend Victoria and their two dogs!
      • Smoking Things – as a Georgia native and an expert in BBQ, we get pretty excited when Cisco offers to cook something for the team on the Traeger! Check out our Facebook post for our End of Year party when he whipped us up a crawfish boil!

Colin (Owner):
The man who makes it all happen! Colin makes sure all of us are well taken care of and that Yard Guard is running efficiently! Most days he spends his time in the office, but he loves to get out and meet our customers and vendors when he has the chance.

Colin’s Winter Activities: 

      • Skiing – Colin is the leader of this infamous Yard Guard ski club. If you joined Yard Guard and didn’t ski before, you certainly do now. 
      • Snowmobiling – rivaling his love for skiing, you’ll also see him zipping around and enjoying the “sweet” smell of two-stroke.
      • Working – if you know Colin, you know he loves what society would consider “working.” For him, finding a better way to do lawn & tree care or reward his employees brings him a ton of joy and in the winter he gets to focus on Finding A Better Way to do these things.
      • Going to Mexico – Colin & I (Sidne) love going to Mexico and enjoying the sun and reading a book on the beach. Usually we’ll try and make a couple of trips down in the winter. 
      • Traveling – because winter is our down time, now is when we get to take the time to travel. Beside Mexico, Colin loves doing ski trips or loading up the camper or sled and heading to different places to explore. This year we’re (Colin and I) headed to Japan to ski some POW!

Sam (Lawn Technician) –
Sam is one of the kindest people you’ll ever meet! He’s always willing to lend a hand and is well known for helping our customers as much as he possibly can so they’re excited about the health of their property. 

Sam’s favorite activities: 

      • Skiing – Sam’s been skiing forever and has now become part of our club! He’s one of the bada** skiers ripping down Bridger! 
      • Pow Surfing – he’s also a big fan of Pow Surfing so hopefully he’ll be teaching Keri a thing or two!
      • Hanging out with family – if you know Sam, you know that hanging out with his wife, Madi and their black lab, Lida brings Sam so much joy!

Reilly (Lawn Technician) –
Reilly has been with Yard Guard for two seasons now and is always eager to help and learn! When he’s not hiking around Three Forks, he loves making sure the shop is clean and that everything is running smoothly for his teammates!

Reilly’s Winter Activities: 

      • Snowboarding – (maybe one day we’ll get him to ski ;)) but this year, Reilly is learning how to snowboard!
      • Leaving – when he’s not learning how to snowboard this year, he’s excited to travel South to the warmer weather!
      • Going to the Hot Springs – While he didn’t have a favorite, it was very clear that he was excited to hang out in the hot springs and relax with a beer!

Sidne (Office Manager + the person writing this blog)
It’s always hard to write a description for yourself, but my main focus at YG is making sure the customer service team has the support they need and then helping Colin with whatever needs to get done. I love working on growing the business and helping with marketing when time allows!

My Favorite Things: 

      • Skiing – I was also not a skier when I first started at YG, but you should see me now! This winter, I’m just praying for snow….
      • XC Skiing – I love a good workout, so cross country skiing is a good alternative and something I can do quickly after work to burn some calories.
      • Traveling – I love planning fun trips in the winter, whether that be our quick getaway trips to Mexico or something larger like Japan! 
      • Reading – because we’re not as busy in the winter, I’m able to take the time to learn from different books that will help during our busy season! 

I would assume that if you are living in Bozeman or Livingston during the winter, you can relate to many of these! Hopefully we see you the next time we’re on the mountain (please pray for snow)! 

Happy New Year to you! Cheers to 2024. 

The Best Holiday Lights Around Bozeman

Tis the Season For Holiday Lights!
There’s a reason every Hallmark Holiday movie looks like it’s set in Bozeman… we’ve got charm, loads of cute puppies, a fun bunch of small businesses and snow! Holiday Lights are an area where Bozeman really shines! 

We’re also home to light displays that would make Clark Griswold need to kick it up a notch, too! What better way to get your family into the holiday spirit than tossing everyone in the car with some hot cocoa or coffee, turning up your Christmas playlist and staying warm while you take it all in!

Yard Guard has helped to add to the festivities around Bozeman this year by installing lights on loads of homes in the area, so we’re privy to some of the best drives. Friends don’t let friends miss out on an awesome time, so here’s our list of must-see neighborhoods and experiences! 

Use our interactive map to help you locate all the fun stops listed in our blog!

Livingston

You won’t want to miss the Christmas light display at Depot Park! It’s straight out of a Hallmark movie and we guarantee an awesome time! 

Find them on Facebook for event updates!

Bozeman

Sherri’s Christmas Drive Through

Sherri’s Christmas Drive Through at 8670 Fowler Ln is a local favorite with a light display that gets bigger every year! This one is THE Christmas house! While you’re there, make sure you also drive through the Home 40 neighborhood- just start at the intersection of Clancy Way and Fowler Ln and you can’t miss it- it’s like an explosion of Christmas cheer! Yard Guard did several amazing homes in that neighborhood! 

902 West Babcock Street


Photo Credit

West Babcock Street is a local favorite as well- this one’s known as the Bah Humbug house and once you see it, you’ll see why! 

15 S Western Ave
Western Avenue always goes all out and this neighborhood will keep the Merry Christmas vibes rolling! 15 S Western Ave is the showstopper, but you’ll love driving down the whole street! 

313 Powder River Ave
You know a house is gonna be great when you can see it before you even turn onto the street! This is one of those rad houses that has music synced to the display- just turn your radio to the station listed in the yard and enjoy the show! 

4486 Shadowglen Dr
This house is known as Christmasland, so you know it’s gonna be good! They may even have a hot cocoa station set up;  if you need to replenish your mugs, here’s your chance! 

Black Bull Neighborhood
This neighborhood went all out with holiday lights! When you’re driving down Love Lane, you’ll see several houses in the distance just twinkling with joy! This one’s a personal favorite of Yard Guard’s- we’ve got several amazing Holiday Lights customers over there! Durston and Baxter are the streets you’ll be looking for! 

Gallatin Heights
After you drive through the Black Bull neighborhood, you might swing over to Gallatin Heights and check out another neighborhood that really decked the halls! We’ve got a house in Bobcat colors that we’re pretty crazy about over there and 349 Mammoth Fork is another local favorite- your whole car load will have fun pointing out the movies in their display! 

Belgrade


Photo Credit

Belgrade has some of our favorite events for the holidays! You’ll definitely want to take a look at some of these dates and put them on your calendar! The Truck Convoy is one of my favorite events of the year- I’m sure your families will love it too! 

(Belgrade Holiday Events you don’t want to miss!)

Belgrade Senior Center 


Photo Credit

The Belgrade Senior Center at 92 E Cameron Ave will put a smile on anyone’s face! This one’s a walk-through display, so button up those coats and stretch your legs while you take it all in! 

527 Red Barn Dr
If you’re in the mood for a 15 minute perfectly festive light show (and who isn’t?), this is the one for you! Tune your radio to 103.9 and you’ll be in for a treat! 

Cameron Bridge Rd
You’ll definitely want to make some time to take in the awesome displays off Cameron Bridge Rd, too! 185 W Cameron Bridge Rd has a lighting display set to music and you’ll also want to swing by 51 Cameron Bridge Rd while you’re there!

And that wraps up our Bozeman Holiday Lights Extravaganza!
We hope it brings some joy and fun to your December!


Interested in being part of the display?
If all of those Holiday Lights have you feeling like Clark Griswold, but overwhelmed with all that work- we’d love to help! Our Holiday Lights Program has been wildly popular this year and we take so much pride in being part of the festivities around town! 

Contact us in the office and we’ll have a custom quote for your home on the same day! With our Holiday Lights Program, you can leave the ladders, ice, fuses and tangle of lights to us- we’ll build out your custom lights, install them for you and even set the timer so that all you need to do is sit back and enjoy the season! When our roofs are covered in snow come January, we’ll also take them down and store them for you here! 

 

 

Citation Links: 

https://blog.bozemancvb.com/blog/where-to-find-holiday-lights-around-bozeman
https://www.belgreatmt.org/fol-info
https://bozemanrealestate.group/blog/best-christmas-lights-in-bozeman
https://knoffgroup.com/best-holiday-light-displays-in-the-bozeman-area/

Weed Control

Weed ControlWhen we do need to apply weed control, our products are applied with your kids and pets in mind. By taking care of both our customers and our employees, we are able to retain long-term, career-minded staff who understand plant science. You’ll have peace of mind knowing that everyone who steps foot on your property is a trained, licensed applicator.

Weed control requires more than just a “one-shot knock some weeds back” approach. At Yard Guard, we promote better soil and healthier turf that can fight weeds on its own.

To keep the weeds at bay, we feed your lawn with proper nutrients from the start. Our program is built based on the Montana soils and climate and around the feeding period of our nutrients. By using high-quality, slow-release products, we can extend the feeding period to about 40 days. With proper watering and mowing, you will have a lawn so thick that there won’t be room for pesky weeds!

During the second application of our five-step program, we can start tackling any of the newly germinating weeds making your yard a home.

Some common weeds we remove include:

  • Crabgrass
  • Dandelions
  • Quackgrass
  • Clover
  • Cinquefoil
  • Black Medic
  • Creeping Charlie
  • Broadleaf Plantain
  • And more!

When we do need to use weed control, our products are applied with your kids and pets in mind. By taking care of both our customers and our employees, we can retain long-term, career-minded staff who understand plant science. You’ll have peace of mind knowing that everyone who steps foot on your property is a trained, licensed applicator.

If weeds appear in your yard, help is just a phone call away or get a quote online. The longer you wait to initiate weed control, the bigger the problem becomes. You should never delay weed removal. Remember, a thick, healthy turf means there’s nowhere for the weeds to go!

Deep Root Fertilization

Deep Root FertilizationWhen is the best time to plant a tree? Yesterday! If you didn’t start yesterday or want to have bigger, healthier trees, give us a call. Deep Root Fertilization could be the solution you need.

Not only do well-nourished trees and shrubs have better resistance to disease, insect attack, and drought, but they look better, too. Through a process called deep root fertilization, or soil injection, we inject a long-chain nitrogen source that feeds your trees and shrubs for an entire growing season. With a bit of help, your newly planted twigs will soon become fuller.

How Does Deep Root Fertilization Work?

Through this process, liquid, time-release fertilizer is pressure-injected in a grid pattern around the root zone of the tree or shrub. Liquid fertilizer is injected directly into the root zone area for maximum benefits. By injecting into the soil only, the tree can use the nutrients, not the grass or unwanted weeds in the root zone. The products we use are built to mimic what the trees would find and break down in a natural environment while decomposing.

Deep root fertilizing provides a myriad of benefits to your trees, including:

  • Providing more accuracy than pellet and stake fertilizers
  • Quickly absorbing the nutrients by the trees
  • Meeting your trees unique needs

If you’re considering deep root fertilizing, the most important thing to keep in mind is knowing when to fertilize. Before we start the process of fertilizing your trees, we’ll make sure they need it. There is nothing worse than fertilizing a tree when it doesn’t need an extra boost. Overfertilization can result in burning and dieback. If you’re unsure about your needs, call our office to schedule service or get a quote online.

Tree Spraying

In nature, only the strongest survive! At Yard Guard, our mission is to tip the odds in your favor.

Plant healthcare is what we do. Our highly trained staff inspects your property to identify any disease or insect issues before they can do damage.

If you think you may have an issue, or have a question about your trees or shrubs, please don’t hesitate to give us a call or text anytime. We can provide options of what we can offer or suggest things you can do yourself. At Yard Guard, we love to do anything we can to help.

Tree Spraying

Tree spraying is one of the most effective ways to combat a variety of different disease and insect issues. The beauty of tree spraying is that you can get instant contact and have the ability to time things perfectly with the weather. Tree spraying is effective for anything from boring insects like Mountain Pine Beetle and fungal issues, to simple things like Aphids.



Aeration

Aeration Service

Compost Tea is how Yard Guard does liquid aeration.

We start with locally sourced compost from YES Compost, blend in premium worm castings, and extract the best parts by brewing a concentrated elixir that is packed with fungal acids, humic acids, amino acids, and micronutrients.

The acids and carbon in our solution work together to make small air pockets in compacted soil that allow oxygen and nutrients to penetrate to the root zone of the soil to nourish your grass’s roots and give your grass a fighting chance against weeds, pests, and diseases. It changes and improves the structure of the soil while also allowing for better water and nutrient absorption that reduces the need for excessive watering.

Compost Tea is less invasive than mechanical aeration and is a chemical free way to introduce beneficial microbes that strengthen the soil while fostering a safer environment for your family and pets.

Give us a call today to schedule a consultation to add compost tea to your lawn care regimen!

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