Checklist: Winter Landscape Tips

With the arrival of cold weather, it is essential to complete a few landscaping projects to keep your yard and garden protected through the dormant months. Prepare shrubs, trees, and grass now and they will return healthy in the spring and will also leave you with a neat, well-tended landscape through winter.

Lawn

It's a common misconception that grass stops growing in the fall. During the fall, the roots are actually growing deeper to prepare for winter, which means that during and just before fall is the best time to reseed and fertilize. Feeding the lawn early in autumn will give the roots a boost before winter arrives. A second round of fertilizer toward the end of fall will keep your yard winterized and strong during the extreme weather.

Sod

If your lawn has some bare patches, early autumn is a perfect time to sod or reseed. Adding sod gives you an instantly perfect lawn that will be a pleasure when the warm weather returns. To firmly establish new sod, keep it moist for the first week after it is laid. After the first week, it can be watered as needed. Avoid having sod laid in hot, dry weather, as it will be hard for the roots to establish.

Be sure that the sod contains varieties of grass that are indigenous to your region. The sod should not look dry and should be sitting on a pallet no longer than two days. It should not be warm to the touch. You can eliminate a lot of uncertainty if you buy sod from a reputable grower.

Pruning

Pruning is very important to encourage healthy growth in spring. Most pruning should be done after the leaves turn, indicating that the plant is dormant. A good rule of thumb is to prune spring blooming shrubs immediately after flowering and to prune summer blooming shrubs in the dormant season. Pruning late in the growing season will encourage new growth that will be damaged by frost.
When pruning, use caution to make a good cut at a slight angle about 1/4 inch from the branch. Hire a professional gardener to help with this delicate task.

Some shrubs need to be wrapped with burlap to protect them from frost. If you have experienced frost damage in the past, make sure to protect these plants before the temperature dips down. Spread a layer of mulch around the base of plants to provide insulation for the winter. Wait until spring to fertilize shrubs and trees.

Trees

Like most of the plants in your yard, trees need special care. It is important to keep tree limbs away from power lines and away from the roof of your house. Branches can easily pull down gutters or cause other costly damage if they are hanging over your house.

When planning to prune trees, consult with a professional arborist . He or she will know the best method for your species of trees and the correct time of year for pruning. A professional arborist will also know how to safely remove any troublesome branches.  Typically, pruning should be done in early autumn or late spring.

To find local home maintenance experts who can help you with your winter checklist, visit www.ServiceMagic.com.

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