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Winter Is Coming: Here’s How to Prep Your Landscaping

The fall season may have just begun, but the first frost will be here before you know it. That means now is the time to start preparing your yard for the impending winter. If you fail to protect your property, you may detract from the value of landscaping you’ve added in the past; having to invest in lawn repair services or redoing an entire landscaping project will set you back come next year. Taking the time to prep in the present will allow you to get the most you can out of your yard and eliminate unnecessary frustration in the future.

Winter Preparation Checklist Recommended by Delaware Landscaping Companies:

  • Prune, aerate, and fertilize
    With many species of plants and trees, the fall is a good time to trim. Pruning during the dormant season can stave off disease and eliminate overgrowth or damaged branches. After all, a tree that shades an outdoor air conditioning unit can increase the unit’s efficiency by 10% — but your trees may not be in the best shape upon spring’s arrival if you don’t maintain them now. You’ll also need to aerate your lawn, a process that breaks up the soil and allows water, oxygen, and nutrients to get to the roots of the grass. Finally, plan to fertilize your lawn and your trees during this time. This can improve the health of the soil and allow your grass and plants to thrive once the seasons change again.
  • Cut back perennials
    Perennials are meant to come back every year, so you don’t need to remove them from your landscape planting areas — but you do need to trim them back. Clean up the area and remove any old stalks or leaves. You should also cut the perennial stems back to an inch or two above the ground. Then add mulch, straw, or pine needles. This will protect them from the long winter ahead and add moisture to the soil while keeping diseases at bay. If perennials are a significant part of your yard, this can retain the value of landscaping year after year.
  • Keep on watering
    Homeowners often assume that once the hot weather is over, they don’t need to be so diligent about watering their plants and their lawn. This simply isn’t true. Often, the damage that trees, grass, and other plants sustain during the winter is due to the fact that they can’t draw up water from the frozen ground. Before the ground freezes, you should perform a final deep watering for many of your trees to get them through the winter season. If temperatures stay above freezing where you are, you can water your trees about every month. You should also continue to water your lawn until the first frost.
  • Remove leaves and weeds
    Raking leaves might not be your favorite fall activity, but it’s essential to protect the value of landscaping in your yard. Removing leaves will allow your grass to obtain the light, water, and other nutrients needed to survive the winter and to keep mold from taking over. You should also take care to remove weeds to ensure the health of your remaining plants and the soil. In fact, weeding in the fall is actually more effective at removing perennial weeds (like dandelions) than making an effort to do so in the summer.
  • Store your tools
    Of course, you need to protect the value of landscaping on your property. But you also need to protect any tools or equipment you use throughout the growing season. That means you need to store your garden hose, lawnmower, watering cans, and other hand tools properly. Drain the gas from your mower, clean off all grime, make sure everything is stored in a dry shed or garage, and cover as recommended. That way, you’ll be ready to go when the weather turns warm again.

Maintaining the value of landscaping around your home is likely important to you. That’s why it’s imperative you prep your property for winter now. Please contact us today with any questions you may have about winter landscaping preparation. We’d be happy to assist you.