T’isn’t the season for swimming pools and petunia planting.
However, with Colorado’s unpredictable weather, some swimming pool companies and landscapers keep on working.
Some in seasonal jobs find other seasonal jobs – from stringing Christmas lights to selling poinsettias.
Aqua Pools in the north metro area sells Christmas trees.
“Honestly, we can build swimming pools in almost any weather in Colorado,” said Bill Blakley of Keenesburg, owner of Aqua Pools. But pool installation definitely slows in the winter.
Designs by Sundown, a landscaping company, decorates homes with Christmas lights.
That job continues into January, when the company also remove the lights.
“We cut back big-time, but we can still do some work in the winter, such as placing rocks and building walls,” said Heather Noschese, assistant manager of operations.
The company lays off about 100 employees of its 160-member staff in the winter.
Richard Repp, a Sundown employee, does substitute teaching in the winter. He has a degree in social sciences and teaches in Denver junior and senior high schools.
He’s done landscaping for 14 years but is glad to have a college degree “tucked in my back pocket. I have aches and pains from landscaping.”
Paulino Gardens, which normally sells flowers at its north metro store, sells 8,000 poinsettias and 2,000 Christmas trees around Christmas.
Calvin San Miguel of Dean’s Sprinkler Co. in Englewood does snow removal in the winter.
“It’s always good for us when it snows,” San Miguel said.
But if the weather is decent, Dean’s can still do sprinkler work.
It also makes repairs when homeowners forget to turn off their sprinkler systems or turn them off inappropriately, San Miguel said.
Gary Lavoi of G & D Sprinkler Co. drives a tow truck on Interstate 70 near Strasburg in the off season. Lavoi, who lives in Deer Trail, noted that there is always a market for his services.
Country Fair Gardens in southeast Denver sells live Christmas trees and decorations and is open 361 days a year.
“Right after Christmas, people want to fill the holes where the Christmas decorations were, so they buy houseplants,” said manager Dave Brandenburg.
“To me, spring starts Dec. 26,” he said. “I have already started Tumbler tomatoes in hanging baskets and I’m just salivating for them. They’ll be ripe by the end of February.”
They need direct sunlight, so Colorado is the perfect place. “And then we begin bedding plants,” he said.
Virginia Culver can be reached at 303-954-1223 or vculver@denverpost.com.
