December 21st will officially be the start of winter in the Northern hemisphere. What does that mean for your beautiful home’s landscape? It means it’s time to prepare your yard(s) for winter through the tips and tasks we’ve laid out below. If you’re lucky enough to live in warmer climates, then you get to skip some of these steps, but we recommend you monitor the temperature swings and prepare accordingly.
The Trees
The best tip we have for your trees is to wrap them up! Especially those trees that are still young and thin. That’s right, trees need to be warmed up too to avoid damage to the trunks from the brutal cold weather where the sap can freeze and cause cracking just like those infamous potholes in roads. We recommend using paper tree wrap and applying at the base of the tree and working your way a few feet up the stem.
Add mulch around the tree to keep the insulation layer throughout winter. This will help retain moisture in the soil, as well as provide a coat to the soil, so it does not get exposed to those extreme temperature swings.
The Yard
Clean up debris from fall such as leaves and branches. It’s best to utilize that debris for composting purposes, so we can bring the whole lifecycle of nature around!
Continue mowing your lawn until the grass begins to stagnate in growth. Be careful to not mow too short though!
Aerate your lawn to prevent soil compaction. Soil compaction is when the soil becomes dense leading to the shortening of grass roots which results in less healthy grass and overall lawn aesthetic. Aerating can be done by purchasing or renting out an aerator from a local home improvement retailer. Aeration creates holes in your soil which will allow for the grass to grow those deeper, healthier roots.
Use the compost collected to fill those holes that you’ve created during aeration. Compost contains key nutrients that will help revitalize the soil.
Seed your lawn 1 to 2 months before winter. This important task sets up your lawn for the spring season, so that any grass lost during the cold season is replaced with those seeds that were spread and are ripe for growth. We recommend using a rotary spreader to spread your seeds to ensure uniform distribution of the seeds across your lawn.
The Shrubs & Plants
Water those shrubs. Seriously. Get those beautiful bundles watered a couple of weeks before winter hits to make sure they have enough moisture going into winter. This will help maintain their longevity throughout the season, so they can be ready for rejuvenation in the spring.
Consider protecting the shrubbery with wire mesh to prevent little furry animals from digging into them and potentially damaging their state of growth.
Sow and plant any vegetation bulbs that you want to grow in the spring season. Ensure you do this at least 1-2 months before winter hits, so that the bulbs have enough time to start growing roots in the soil and avoid rotting.