Posts Tagged ‘landscape’

Seed Pods and Drooping Fronds – Palm Trees in Arizona Landscape

Friday, June 4th, 2010

In and around Phoenix, Scottsdale, Litchfield Park, Chandler, Mesa, Avondale, Gilbert, and Tolleson, many of the various types of palm trees are beginning to seed.  It is that time of year; time to trim and prune your palm trees. When trimming your palm trees, or having this done by a professional, you want to wait until the pods seed to be sure you get all the seed pods in one trimming.  Depending on the type of palm tree, this usually begins between the first and middle of June.

Only trim the brown drooping fronds on your palm.  Do not trim off the ones that are still green; the tree needs them to collect sunlight to create chlorophyll for growth and best health. To prune palm trees the key care factor is that only the palm knows when a frond needs to be pruned off, and that is when it is dying (yellow or brown). As each new leaf opens, it will take the place of a dying leaf. The palm knows the exact amount of fronds needed for a healthy Palm Tree. When Palms reach their ultimate height, the fronds will decrease in size and the palm trees will decline and die. As a new frond emerges, the oldest frond dies. The age that a frond may attain will be determined by many factors including size of mature palm trees and number of fronds produced.

  • Fertilizing established palms is an important way to keeping them vigorous.

 

  • In Arizona, nitrogen is the most commonly deficient nutrient; when it’s missing, the older fronds turn yellow or pale green.

 

  • Some palm trees show Magnesium deficiencies; causing a yellow band on older leaves, with central vein remaining green.

 

Remember, discolored leaves on your palm trees do not recover. Therefore, preventive fertilization is best.  Your palm trees will look more attractive when they have adequate nutrients.

Discover the difference!  Request multiple bids for the services you need – at no cost – and you may remain anonymous. Go to www.QwikBids.com today. Service providers compete for your business, and when the job is completed and you give feedback, QwikBids will donate $10 to the charity or non-profit of your choice.

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Now is the Time!

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

QwikBids Investigates – Brian M. Smith

Doubts in our economy have caused many problems and setbacks for consumers and businesses alike. 2009 was a difficult year indeed, as we witnessed record job-losses, businesses failing or cutting back and consumers spending much less. These things apply to us all, but there is much to rejoice about in 2010.

As our economy slowly makes its way back to recovery, the result is increased consumer spending. This spending is what fuels the engine for our valley businesses, and is vital to being successful with QwikBids.

QwikBids has hung in there, and the reward for patience is paying off.

Recent data tells us we are in recovery, and as we heal from the past 2 years of hardship, there will be an influx of consumer spending not seen since the recession began. Projects by homeowners and commercial businesses have been put off, and this year we project a large swell in bid requests to fulfill these needs as they come in larger numbers.

Now is the time to act!

Yes, it’s time to prepare for the inevitable consumer and business spending. No longer should service providers put off being in place to bid on projects in their respective professions. If it’s affordable, proven and easy to set up, coming aboard QwikBids just makes sense!

Take it from our own service providers.

John Wifler, owner of John’s Design and Tree Service, is playing it smart. Specializing in landscaping, tree care and irrigation systems, John realizes the importance of being ready and willing to take on additional projects to keep his crew busy. “Since joining QwikBids, I have been really busy, especially since December. People seem to feel a little safer about the economy and are now spending more money,” John states.

John says that he also landed a commercial job from a local college on QwikBids, and adds that the client was so happy with his services, they’ll be using his company again. In the beginning John rolled the dice with his marketing budget and joined QwikBids, and after his initial experience, it dawned on him just how valuable our services really are.

“I decided to sign up to QwikBids for an additional two years instead, as they gave me a discount on a special they have. It was a no-brainer. I’m now looking to expand my crew and invest more money in my business,” John says with confidence, adding, “Both door to door and word of mouth also work, but immediate results came with QwikBids.”

Getting involved with QwikBids is easy, economical ($399 per year; no hidden fees) and exposes registered users to ready-to-buy consumers. Set-up can be done online, but if assistance is needed, businesses are encouraged to contact customer service or arrange a visit to offices located in Scottsdale. Ask about specials that QwikBids offers to valley businesses as well.

Much is being accomplished to draw consumers to use this service, free of charge. It allows the consumer to remain anonymous if they wish, choose the best value for their needs and all from the comfort of their own home. What’s more, consumer confidence is high with QwikBids, as they know all service providers are verified for licensing (if it applies), insurance and reputation (references). These things are vital to consumers looking to spend their money again.

Lastly, QwikBids donates to charity when consumers leave feedback on a business that performed work for them. Giving back to the community is yet another incentive for consumers and service providers alike.

Again, we cannot express the importance of being prepared for the re-growth of our economy. Don’t put it off, visit QwikBids today. Now is the time!

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Why Customer Feedback is Crucial!

Friday, January 22nd, 2010

Qwik Hits!

 

Word of mouth is always great when you seek services and have no idea where to begin. But sometimes, there are projects around the home that require a specialist for an array of odd things you may need done. Too often, there are no suggestions from family or friends. However, there’s an alternative to having to “shoot in the dark” when choosing a service provider for your many projects. 

In the metro Phoenix area, whether it’s landscape, swimming pool maintenance, or handyman service, rely on feedback from homeowners like you!

QwikBids offers a unique rating and feedback system that’s easy to understand and is always completely free to consumers. Aside from word of mouth, feedback from other homeowners is the most reliable way to know you’re getting the best deal in addition to supreme workmanship.

Consumers have an incentive to leave feedback too. For their feedback, QwikBids donates $10 to the charity of their choice! How cool is that?

Very recently, a homeowner decided it was time to visit QwikBids with an assortment of projects that needed to be done. From what we could tell, she was looking for one company to come in and do it all. She placed her bid request (always free!), got numerous bids and scheduled a reputable handyman to come out to do the work.

After the work was completed, she happily gave feedback. She wrote, “Dan is the best! He is very knowledgeable, efficient, honest and his prices are very fair. He did a great job on fixing a messy electrical problem I had in my master bathroom. Dan is the first person I will call when I need any electrical, plumbing or repair work done in the future.”

This feedback will help many in choosing a service provider, but this is also very favorable to Dan, as he has now established a customer relationship through his performance and fairness. Good job, Dan!

What’s more, the customer chose Sequoya Elementary School for the $10 donation. She had her projects done superbly at a great price, and helped our kids!

It all starts with all-important feedback. Visit QwikBids today to take advantage! It’s free to consumers, plus you remain anonymous until you choose a service provider. Convenient, easy and just makes sense!

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Home and Landscaping Show: QwikBids is back at it!

Thursday, October 8th, 2009

Cathy’s Clips

 Once again, QwikBids hit the road to spread the word about a unique way for consumers and service providers alike to come together. The destination this time was the Maricopa County Home & Landscape Show at the Maricopa County Fairgrounds in Phoenix. The mood was cheery, and the smell of food cooking was everywhere. We found our referred service providers are able to handle all Phoenix landscape needs!

We got situated rather quickly, then settled into the routine of meeting consumers and the many service providers that came out to show their stuff. We had more visibility this time around, so we were busy! Thousands of consumers were in attendance, wanting to get the most for their money during these recessionary times. These consumers represented the many homeowners looking for home improvement ideas. Yes, consumers want to spend money!

We explained to consumers (and service providers) what we were all about, and they knew we would come in handy for their upcoming projects. There was one that was interested in using our service but also owned a business. So they are not only a consumer using QwikBids, they are also now a service provider on our site. Awesome!

I had the crew by my side, and as always we had tons of fun. The bid requests have picked up as a result, meaning business is picking up for our service providers. The three days at the show were a success, and look forward to attending many more.

Next up is the American Cancer Society Charity event in Goodyear (we are a sponsor), then we will be attending the Arizona’s Ultimate Women’s Expo at the Phoenix Convention Center October 17th and 18th. Come on down and visit our booth, I would like to meet all of you personally!

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Ambience, with Exterior Lighting

Wednesday, June 17th, 2009

QwikBids Investigates

    

I live in the shadows of trees, among well-lit surroundings, and my home at night sticks out like a sore thumb (a dark one at that). I have been putting off  installing new outdoor lighting for some time. The ones I had died long ago, for they were installed when the house was built. My budget was stretched thin, so I needed to find a way to get the lighting I needed for the least amount of money (and avoid being labeled the “dark creepy place” by the neighborhood kids). Security was also an issue. Naturally, with registered providers at my fingertips through QwikBids, I knew the chances for finding the right person for this job were good.
Installing it myself wasn’t an option. I wanted it done right. With the time I’d have to spend trying to do the research and figuring it all out, it would be worth paying for. I found the installation to be cheaper than I thought. The winning company I chose to go with explained, in detail, what was needed to get a good price with a lighting scheme that was right for my home and landscaping. Choosing the right fixtures was first, followed by placement. On a side note, I was told that 100 watts should be the maximum on each line of lights to eliminate voltage drop, which would cause the lights farthest away from the transformer to be dimmer (of course, for a little more money there was a way around this).
So my landscaper went to work. I wanted lighting effects that would best accent the beauty of my home while enhancing security and made it happen. I got lighting on the walkway in front of the house, and had a couple upward lights for the two palm trees. Suddenly, I felt like I fit in with the neighbors! The provider said there may need to be some adjustments made after dark but was certain the lights were placed in great position. Come nightfall, I couldn’t have agreed with him more. It was like a work of art. My home took on an entirely new, classy look that I was proud of. For a fraction of what I thought it would have cost. Having multiple bids on the QwikBids site made a huge difference. Oh yeah, and the neighborhood kids could visit on Halloween night again without carrying a big stick!

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