Preparing your outdoor space for winter is a chore that not many property owners enjoy doing. It can be a big task, but it’s essential to prep your landscaping for our long and cold winter months. Using the fall season to prepare your outdoor space gives it a better chance come spring and will help you avoid costly landscaping repairs. Here are some tips for winterizing your outdoor space.
Clean Up
Before the snow hits, you want to ensure you’ve cleaned everything up well. When the leaves fall in September and October, they look beautiful, but they can cause damage to your lawn if you let them stay there under the snow. Fallen leaves prevent sunlight from reaching the grass underneath snow, which can impede growth and damage areas of your grass.
Aerate, Fertilize and Prepare Your Lawn
While many of us assume that landscaping before winter is a waste of time, it’s actually one of the best things you can do to give your lawn extra attention so it will thrive in the spring.
Aeration and fertilization are essential practices to do in the fall. The holes that aeration creates allow for more oxygen, nutrients and water to reach the roots of your grass. Feeding your lawn with a winter-specific fertilizer will help improve and increase the growth cycle of the grass, reduce the number of weeds, and protect against any environmental stress. In the case of a dry fall, you should continue to water until frost is about to come.
Taking care of trees and shrubs never stops, even in the winter. Fertilizing trees in the fall encourages root growth and nutrient absorption. The healthier your trees and shrubs are, the easier time they’ll have surviving the winter.
Before the snow hits, adding mulch to your lawn can be a great source of nutrients for your grass. It keeps your soil temperatures consistent over the cold months, helps make weed removal more manageable, and keeps your soil light and airy.
Winterize Outdoor Plumbing
If your property has a swimming pool, outdoor kitchen, water features or a sprinkler system, prepping your outdoor plumbing for winter doesn’t take long and can save you from disaster. A frozen or burst pipe can be an expensive fix, so winterizing your plumbing is crucial.
Flush out sitting water, clean out drains, remove hoses and add winter-specific chemicals to your pool and water features that will stay functional or with water in them. Pay attention to cracks or damage to any of these items and get them repaired as soon as you can.
Maintaining Perennials and Remove Weeds
Part of regular landscaping is maintaining perennials and gardens and removing weeds. Prune perennials gently before winter, as removing too much can reduce the plants’ nutrient flow and damage them. Remove any broken or fallen branches, decaying branches and leaves, and clean up the area if needed.
Fall is a great time to plant spring-flowering plants with mulch to help protect them from the cold. Any delicate species should be transplanted into an indoor space to thrive away from the cold.
Protect your deciduous plants and trees from bugs by spraying them with oil before the temperature reaches 10℃ or lower. Do not spray them during temperatures lower than that.
Taking care of any weeds is ideal in the fall, and it will save you a lot of time and maintenance come spring. Weeds will compete with your flowering plants for nutrients and resources, so take them out before they freeze.
Protect Wood Structures
Many properties have wood structures, and winter is particularly tough on them due to the moisture in the snow. Any furniture, planters, or outdoor equipment you have on wooden decks or structures should be removed. Leaves and debris should be cleaned as they can keep bacteria in place and cause your wood to rot. Once you’ve cleared and cleaned the wood, a water-tight sealant can help prevent moisture buildup and swelling.
Hire a Professional
For all your landscaping needs, no matter the season, Summit Property Group can handle it all. Our solutions for your property are customized to your specific needs and will enhance your outdoor spaces. Our landscaping maintenance is accessible and responsive. We understand curb appeal and safety are paramount, and we are committed to our customers and the environment to provide the best landscaping services possible.
We offer:
- Cut and trim
- Aeration
- Hardscape & sod
- Fertilizer
- Power raking
- Litter control
- Lawn maintenance
- Weed control
- Certified Arborist
- Grading & loaming
- Seasonal clean-ups
Summit Property Group is here to help if you want a seasonal clean-up or ongoing landscaping maintenance. Request a quote today.