3 Ways to Care for your Landscaping during Winter
Most people think they can leave their yard as-is during Winter and address any issues when the snow melts. You could do that, but you’ll have landscaping issues to deal with come spring.
There are many things home, and commercial property owners can do during Winter to make sure their lawn and landscape is in an ideal position to look perfect when the warm weather hits. That’s why we at Forest Green decided to put together a list of three things you can do to care for your lawn in the Winter months!
1. “You Kids get off My Lawn!”
Winter lawn maintenance is relatively simple, but what you have to do care and maintenance-wise is crucial if you want your grass to stay the way it is. Winter lawn care is all about making sure your grass is as free from stress as possible. But what does that mean? It means staying off.
Lawns look brown and ugly during the Winter months because the grass has gone dormant. Dormancy is triggered by lower amounts of sunlight and dropping temperatures. This is your lawn essentially protecting itself from the characteristics of Winter, i.e., a lack of nutrients, cold temperatures, etc. However, another downside to this survival method is that your lawn is no longer growing. That means that any large patches of grass destroyed or uprooted during Winter aren’t coming back.
Staying off your lawn during the Winter months minimizes stress on the organism and keeps it intact. Grass benefits from heavy snowfall and snowmelt, however, a wet lawn is muddy landscaping, and muddy grass is easy to destroy with foot traffic and car tires. Keep people off your yard, and save yourself the headache of planting new sod or seed come Spring.
2. Mulch is Key
Mulch is key to Winter yard maintenance because it protects the roots of organisms from freezing conditions. Putting a nice layer of mulch over the base of the plants in your yard adds an upscale look and protects your landscaping from the frigid months. Think of it as a sort of coat for your plants, allowing their Winter dormancy to be less stressful on them than it already is.
Mulch is also great for the Spring, Summer, and Fall months. Its shredded, fibrous structure is excellent at trapping and holding moisture and nutrients. This landscaping technique makes your watering go much further when it is hot and can protect against early Winter conditions as your yard starts turning for Fall.
3. Get the Snow off of the Trees
Snow will fall on trees; that’s just a part of Winter. However, too much snow can kill trees. You’re going to want to make removing snow from trees a regular part of your Winter landscaping maintenance because too much snow can put a lot of stress on them.
While snow by itself is not heavy, as it accumulates, it can be too much to handle—especially when it becomes icy. A snowfall of a few inches isn’t going to hurt your trees. However, if snow does not melt and continues to fall, the weight can be too much for young trees, old trees, and weaker branches.
Doing something as simple as batting down snow with a broom or rake can do a lot to protect the trees. Making this a regular part of your Winter yard maintenance routine can significantly affect their longevity.
*Note, use caution when doing this, as ice could fall from branches and cause serious injury. Branches weakened by heavy snowfall could also be subject to falling.
Let Us Handle It!
Winter lawn and landscape maintenance practices are simple but challenging if you have zero experience or let the elements take a number on your property. These three tips are a great way to get started taking care of your land during Wintertime. However, Forest Green knows and understands more about Winter yard maintenance beyond these three useful tips. We can evaluate your landscaping, and do the necessary work required to protect against Winter. We can also provide you with further tips that are especially relevant to YOU.
Give us a call at (402) 543-5397, or request an estimate with us online now! We’ll make sure your yard survives Winter, so it can look great once the weather gets warm and you want to start enjoying it again!
