For optimum health and beauty, gardens and lawns require year round maintenance. Giving your outdoor space some TLC before winter will give you a head start in the spring. Here’s where to focus your attention now:
Prepare Your Lawn for Winter
There are a few tips you should follow when preparing your lawn for winter to ensure ensuring it emerges greener than ever when spring arrives.
- Mow grass to a height of 2-1/2 inches and leave clippings on the lawn (returns nitrogen to the soil)
- Moisten and aerate the lawn. To create passageways for essential nutrients and worms that contribute valuable microorganisms to your soil
- Overseed now for a thicker healthier lawn in spring.
- Fall fertilizing gives your lawn the nutrients it needs to stay healthy.
Fall Clean Up
- Divide spring and summer blooming perennial plants.
- Turn off outside water connections. Drain garden hoses. Shut down irrigation.
- Continue watering trees and shrubs until the ground freezes.
- Wrap screening around fruit tree trunks to protect from small animals.
- Mulch rose bushes.
- Clean fallen leaves in downspouts and gutters.
Fall planting for spring flowers
Daffodil, tulip, hyacinth, crocus and snowdrop are spring flowering plants that must be planted in the fall as they need the dormant rest period of a long, cold winter. Plant from September to December, even after the first frost if the ground can still be worked.
Start planning your spring projects
There is no better time than now to start planning next year’s project. Our crews can make site visits, review photos and discuss your plans. There may not be time for us to complete the job now, but all it takes is a phone call to put you at the front of our list for 2014.
