Photo from Unsplash
Originally Posted On: https://pacific-lawn.com/2022/11/17/things-you-can-do-to-prepare-your-landscape-for-winter/
This blog will give you tips for great ways to prepare your landscape during the winter.
Our tips are designed to ensure that your yard blossoms once the warmer weather rolls in.
Read them carefully to ensure your landscape is as healthy as it can possibly be next spring!
How Winter Affects Your Lawn
Winter is long. Snow is cold this should not be news to you. However, the implications of those two facts do not bode well for your landscaping that is, unless you do something about it.
The cold snow has the potential to undo any progress you’ve made with your grass. It can kill your flowers yes, even your perennials unless the right steps are taken.
The Things You Can Do:
The things you can do to protect your lawn are many. There is no end to the amount of preparation you can do. It all depends on how much work you want to do. Or, of course, you could hire your local landscaping experts for the job (hint, hint).
Lawn Aeration, Lawn Fertilization
Aeration and fertilization go hand in hand. Of course, you can aerate without fertilizing, but fertilization won’t go far unless you aerate your lawn in tandem.
You want to ensure that your lawn is aerated so it can absorb oxygen, water, and fertilizer more readily. These are a few elements that will ensure that your lawn bounces back healthily once hibernation is over.
You can ensure even better results by giving your lawn one final mow before the snow falls.
Treat Your Lawn Against Snow Mold
If the melting snow on your lawn doesn’t correctly drain every year, you could be prone to lawn-destroying molds. Unknown fungus on your lawn can be detrimental to its health.
Snow mold is easy to spot. It looks just like the white mold you might find in your old spaghetti sauce container that you’ve left in the fridge too long. You know, the white fuzzy stuff? Snow mold also commonly takes shape as circular patches of dead-looking grass. Neither type of mold is good for your lawn and spreads easily. It’s best to take care of it as soon as you spot it or defend against it before winter drops.
The best thing you can do is protect your lawn from mold with a lawn fungicide. Contact your local professional if you are not comfortable with these chemicals.
Mulch!
Mulch is a broad term. It refers to small bits of organic material that assist in plant growth. Whether for your lawn or garden, mulch is a great way to prepare for winter.
An easy way to make your own mulch is to use the leaves that have fallen from your trees and evenly spread them over your lawn. Take your mower down a setting without the bag attached, and run your mower over your grass one more time – this will create a layer of mulch that will slowly break down and feed your lawn. Additionally, you’ll have mowed your lawn for the final time before winter: two birds, one stone.
Mulch Your Flower Beds
Mulching your flower beds is essential in our climate. Once November swings around, it is too late to fertilize, but optimal time to mulch.
You can use your leaves again for this job. Spread them over your soil – this helps insulate the ground and breaks down into food for your soil!
Insulate Perennials
Spreading a thick layer of leaves or mulch around the stems of your perennials can protect them – this is easy and, more importantly, inexpensive.
Protect Shrubs
Now we are getting into the more advanced things you can do to protect your lawn and garden.
You can wrap your shrubs in burlap to protect them. It keeps them a little warmer during the winter, and if your perennials are close to the edge of your property, this can help save your plants from road salt.
Dig Up Delicates and Tubers
You may as well dig up your delicate plants and tubers before the winter. Your delicate plants, flowers, etc., will not survive the winter.
If you still want to enjoy your flowers, you can dry them out after digging them up and place them in flowerpots. Dry flowers are pretty too!
Plant Bulbs
Plant bulbs are a little boost for your garden. You can plant your bulbs pretty late into the season as long as the ground is not frosty. Before November is ideal, but truthfully, planting the bulbs can be done as late as early December.
Once springtime comes back, they will blossom and bring life back into your garden. Also known as flower bulbs, these are a favorite of any gardener.
Empty Pots
You should empty any pots with plants outside. The pots themselves will get too cold, and that won’t be good for the plants inside them. You should empty out the soil too.
Soil loses nutrients quickly when stored in pots and should be refreshed every spring.
Trim Your Trees
You should trim your small trees and your large ones if possible. Remove all dead branches or branches hanging low. Pruning your tree in the autumn encourages your tree to grow faster come springtime. If there is a big winter storm and you haven’t trimmed your trees, they could break off and cause damage.
But Wait, There’s More!
The above things mentioned were all the main things you should focus on. If you just do those things above, your landscaping will be in pretty good shape come springtime, but there is always more you can do.
Remember to think about anything that might get damaged under the snow. Hoses, landscape lighting, outdoor plumbing, sprinkler systems, lawn furniture, statues, etc. These items should all be put away safely.
If you’re curious about how else to prepare your landscaping for the winter months, please call Pacific Lawn Maintenance.
In Conclusion:
Preparing your lawn and garden will yield much better results in the spring than if you did nothing to prepare which is what most people do. So, if you want your lawn and garden to impress onlookers, you should do the things we mentioned above or contact a local landscaping expert to do it for you.
We wish you luck in preparing for the winter season!
