Fall is the time to winterize your yard and get it ready for sleep. September is the perfect month to start walking around and making your list of things to do before the first frost comes. There are lots of reasons to winterize.
First, do you really want to be looking at dead plants all winter? No? Then you (or your teenagers) are going to need to get out there and remove dead landscaping.
- Remove dead annuals.
- Cut back dead or poorly looking ornamental grasses
- DO NOT prune. Pruning encourages growth and winter isn’t the time for tender shoots to bud.
- However, if you see dead branches on trees and shrubs, you can prune those out.
- Remove dried hydrangea blossoms, but DON’T remove the stalks. Even though they look dead new buds will form in the spring.
Winterize Your Shrubs and Plants
Next, it is time to protect those delicate (and probably pricey) shrubs and plants:
- Put a good winter fertilizer that will help your be healthy as they enter into the winter. Do this before the rains come and wash away all your hard work. Ask your local nursery for the best kind for your plants.
- Rake up leaves and debris from under trees and shrubs.
- Spread 2 to 3 inches of good quality mulch under your trees and plants. Buy a mulch rather than use free mulch to keep diseases that may have entered the mulch from ground up diseased plants. You don’t want disease spreading into your plants. This helps protect roots from frost and retains moisture.
Winterize your Lawn
Now for your lawn. Healthier lawns start with good practices. Now is the time that your lawn is producing new tillers that will become new grass creating a denser turf next year.
- Aerate your lawn that opens up soil long dry and compacted from summer heat. This allows air and water to get to the roots of your lawn and helps nutrients get into the soil for lasting results.
- Fall is one of the most crucial times for fertilizing your lawn. The benefits of fertilizing now can be a pay off in a healthier summer lawn next year.
- Weed prevention starts now. Pull weeds that can germinate seeds in the fall.
Don’t forget to winterize your water systems! Freezing temperatures can do expensive damage to your irrigation. Burst pipes and repairs on hoses can be pretty expensive, especially if you have an emergency situation that needs immediate attention. Save yourself the hassle, cost and worry and shut off all outdoor water systems and drain out pipes.
Time to Organize
This is also a great time to organize your garden storage area. Get rid of old fertilizer, chemicals and oil and sharpen tools. Winterizing your yard doesn’t have to be frustrating. And if you need help consider hiring a good landscape maintenance company that will take care of your winterizing your yard for you.
Don’t Forget Lighting
September is also the month to start checking your outdoor lights for issues. As the nights get darker you are going to want those lights to be working with efficiency and the time to make sure all is well is not after you trip over something in the dark. Bulbs and wiring need to be check to make sure all is functioning well. Lights also can be moved during the summer when friends and family are playing in the yard. Check if your lights are aimed in the right direction and doing their job.
Need to help?
Greenhaven is a full-service landscape company that whose passionate about creating and maintaining beautiful yard spaces. We handle everything from design to lighting to maintenance. And a lot in between. Contact us about how we can help you create your perfect space.