All About Landscape Journal News

7 tips to repair your landscape for winter

Oct 18

It would be best if you didn't let winter take you off lawn care. Even though you won't pay as much attention as in other seasons, you can still do practical tasks to ensure your landscape is healthy and vibrant come spring.

These winter lawn care tips will help keep your landscapes looking great for spring.

1. Book an Early Winter Cleaning Service

Your lawn might have been left with leaves from the fall season. These leaves can be a breeding ground for disease-causing microorganisms if they get wet. 

Schedule a thorough cleaning service for the winter to remove all leaves and prevent your lawn from becoming suffocated. You can also use a heavy-duty tarp to move leaves, weeds, and brush.

2. Proper mowing is the first step

If your grass grows too much, you should mow it immediately to prevent winter from getting started. This will ensure adequate air circulation around your plants, which is essential to stop the growth of snow molds. 

Mowing is not an easy task. Many lawn-owners don't know how to mow their lawn correctly. It would be best if you slowed trim the grass, and did not do it in one go. 

Keep the grass cut short to prevent small animals from finding shelter.

3. Limit Foot Traffic

Even though the grasses may be short and brown, it can be very inviting to walk on the lawn. Even though grasses are well-known for their resilience, heavy foot traffic can cause severe damage to the parts. 

The cold temperatures of winter can slow down the lawn's recovery. Keep your property looking great by not allowing vehicles to park there. Also, curb the urge for people to wander around the yard.

4. Snow Removal

Snowfall that is too heavy can cause damage to your yard and any plants that live there. To reduce snowfall, you can brush the snow gently. 

You might end up harming your plants if you try to remove the ice from the shrubs and trees. These ice formations can melt quickly, even if temperatures remain constant. It is better to leave them alone.

5. Lawn mowers should be kept in reasonable condition

Your lawn mower is an essential tool in maintaining a healthy lawn. Maintaining it after it has been used to prepare your yard for winter is crucial. To prevent it from wearing out:

  1. Drain the gas tank completely.
  2. Make sure you do the basics, like changing the oil and sharpening the blades.
  3. For safety reasons, unplug the spark plug if you plan to repair your mower yourself.

6. Winterize your hand tools

Make sure to wash all garden tools, including the trowels, garden hoses and shovels. After a long gardening season, soils and rocks can sometimes be left behind in garden tools. 

You can remove the ground with a brush and wash the tools before you store them. Spreading motor oils on the devices will keep them from rusting, while wiping linseed oil onto wooden equipment will stop them from drying out during the cold months.

7. Cut plants

It would be best if you did not forget other winter jobs. The cutting of perennial plants is one of these. Cut the brown tops off any dormant plants. You can wait until they turn brown or yellow if they are still green. 

The top is still sending energy to the roots. Based on your area's snow, you may need to wait until spring to complete this task.