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What Types of Trees Thrive in Utah?

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Beside aesthetics, there are two essential aspects to bear in mind when choosing trees to plant in your garden: the climate and the composition of the soil. Utah being located in the rain shadow of California’s Sierra Nevada and of the Wasatch Mountains and also an area that features high mountains of its own, with soil that is alkaline and heavy with clay, choosing trees that not only survive in the area, but also thrive is not easy. Here are a few varieties that grow well in the state and are also beautiful additions in any garden: Oak varieties – bur and chinkapin are attractive, resilient and they can grow about one foot per year; Tulip tree – also known as yellow poplar, this variety is a member of the magnolia family and it brings beautiful, delicate, yellow flowers; Golden rain tree – this medium-sized tree is a real survivor and it looks its best in early fall, when it becomes covered in beautiful flowers; Lacebark elm – this tree comes from Asia and it is not only beauti

Which Summer Projects Require Me to Get in Touch with a Utility Locator?

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Whenever you plan to start extensive digging in your garden or in the yard, the best way to ensure the safety of the project is to contact trained utility location services . Utility locator companies use special, sophisticated devices to identify buried utilities that run through the area that you want to dig or to excavate, allowing you to do your digging safely, without damaging the utilities and without exposing anyone to the risk of accidents. There are lots of excavation and digging projects that can be made much safer and much more efficient if you get the ground checked by a utility locator before the digging starts, here are some: Soil or lawn removal – if you want to replace the topmost layer of soil in your garden with new, more fertile soil or if you want a new lawn, but you have to remove the old lawn to make space for the new, checking the ground with a utility locator device is the best way to ensure you will not dig into a utility line; Planting a new tree, especia

The Best Places to Visit in Utah This June

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Utah is spectacular and it is at its very best in June. If you are currently planning your upcoming visit to the Beehive State, here are a few tips: Visit the Great Salt Lake –the 75-mile long and 35-mile wide lake can be explored by boat, you can drive around it or you can check into one of the resorts around the lake to have more time for explorations; Visit Salt Lake City – the capital of Utah is also worth visiting for at least a few days. The city is a center for culture, for history and for the arts, a place of unparalleled architectural beauty and of an atmosphere that you will find nowhere else; Visit Temple Park – the most popular destination in the state has beautiful parks, lots of great museums with family-friendly programs and great restaurants where you can enjoy the best local dishes; Visit Zion National Park – the oldest and most appreciated of all the national parks in Utah has sandstone cliffs that display all shades of red and brown, waterfalls, rivers and othe

Fun Lawn Gifts to Get Your Dad This Father’s Day

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Father’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of June to honor fatherhood and parental values and to surprise dads with small gifts. If your father likes nature and enjoys working and playing on his lawn, here are a few great gift ideas that will surely delight him: Lawn games – there are lots of great lawn games that the entire family can enjoy together. Croquet sets are easy to transport and they have lots of potential to have fun, disc golf is another great game that can be enjoyed outside and ladder balls are perfect not only for the lawn, but for a small backyard as well; Golfing shoes – if your father loves golfing, he will surely be delighted by a pair of beautiful, new shoes for the golf course; A collapsible water bottle – proper hydration is essential, whatever you do outdoors. Collapsible water bottles are comfortably sized when filled up and they can be folded really small when empty; An engraved army knife – these multi-functional knives are small and useful wherev

Some of the Top Reasons Why You Might Be Digging in Your Yard This Summer

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Digging in your yard is a common activity if you want to plant trees or herbs, or get a few new rose bushes for the garden. However, it doesn’t always have to do with planting and flashy flowers. In some cases, it might be something as simple as tending to your lawn or removing pests from your property. When summer comes, most people would think that they just have to relax with a cold beer and forget about all troubles. However, once the weekend comes you might realize that there are a lot of things left to do that you haven’t yet considered. New construction projects for your yard will have to be properly addressed by having tree experts come over to check the location of your tree roots. You will need to call before you dig Utah 811 professionals to check for utility lines that run under your house and yard. In many cases there will be a lot of digging involved, to establish whether or not your new project might cause any sensitive damage. Another reason why you might be diggin

Backyard Celebrations for a Fun Memorial Day – How to Organize a Great Barbecue

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Kicking off summer with Memorial Day, a lot of American couples and families tend to want to enjoy the festive and friendly spirit of the holiday outside, with a backyard BBQ. But what’s the real secret to an enjoyable barbecue with family and friends? Should you try something old-fashioned, or should you consider setting up themes and really getting into the festive spirit? The attitude is extremely important, and a positive, upbeat approach to the whole party will make everyone feel at home. That being said, the real allure of a barbecue is of course, the food. And here are a few quick tips on how to make your guests enjoy themselves with the best Memorial Day food you can muster up: Try starting out with a delicious and healthy fruit salad to offset all the protein and fat you’ll be charging into later on. While meat might be the main attraction of a good barbecue, it’s always good to add smaller snacks too. Consider sliders to show off your grilling skills without adding too m

Getting Through the Necessary Complexity of Protecting Your Trees from Backyard Construction

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Backyard construction can be important if you’re planning a home remodel, building new structures in the backyard, or repairing old sheds, gazebos and walkways. However, when conducting such repair or construction work, it often happens that the plants and trees that are a vital part of the ecosystem and of our grounds can be severely damaged. Broken branches and roots can severely deplete your trees’ energy and leave open wounds that can be entered by pests and diseases such as oak wilt. Fortunately, there are measures you can take to prevent that. One of the first is to instruct construction teams to keep the work farther away from the tree in order to protect the branches. Another one is to determine the radius of the roots – which can sometimes extend to a great distance from the tree – and make sure the construction workers avoid cutting through the tree’s roots. When it comes to determining the right course of action for such issues, it is essential to ask for help from a legi