Don’t hesitate! Protect your landscaping from the winter months while you still can. Do not wait until it is too late. Winter is almost upon us and there are things that can be done in preparation to protect your plants and trees. With how harsh the colder months can be we have seen what can happen to a landscape that has not been taken care of before and throughout those frigid temperature months. Here are some tips for taking care of your landscaping during the winter.
Know Your Zone
With help from the USDA, you can find out based on the climate of your particular area what plants are best suited for the weather where you live, what plants are best for winter months, and what plants will have a hard time thriving in the winter.
Prioritize Winter Blooming Plants And Flowers
Modifying your landscaping seasonally will help in the care of your outdoor space during the winter season. Planting winter flowers such as Christmas roses, winter jasmine, pansies, and violas will fare much better through cold temperatures. Winter-friendly shrubs and bushes are great to keep your outdoor space looking green.
Winter Pruning
Pruning your plants is an essential part of caring for your landscape but pruning at proper times is beneficial as well and will ensure that your flowers, trees, and plants will bloom again when the season calls for it. Winter pruning when done correctly helps maintain the shape of your plants, trees, and bushes and because most of your existing foliage will be dormant it makes it easier to see and get rid of limbs and branches that may be damaged or unhealthy. It also minimizes the risk of disease in your landscape.
Prepare Your Sprinkler System For The Cold
To avoid your sprinkler systems from freezing and bursting in cold to freezing temperatures it is best to prepare them. The way to do that would be to force compressed air through the system to push out any accumulated water, doing this will help your pipes not freeze and burst.
Continue Racking And Watering
You should continue to water your grass, trees, bushes, and shrubs throughout the cold season, many tend to stop watering when the weather is colder but it still needs to be done. It helps to prevent disease. Along with watering, racking should not be neglected either. Debris from the plants will continue to build up and because of snowfall and ice thawing, not racking can lead to an environment filled with mold and fungus. So as long as temperatures are not below 40 degrees you should still water and rack.
Avoid Salt Deicers
In the winter ice is inevitable. Instead of using a salt-based de-icer that can dry out your grass and trees through absorption through the roots or leaves, use sand or calcium or potassium-based deicer sparingly.
Contact Us For Commercial And Residential Landscaping
If you are needing help with maintaining your landscaping this winter Chris James Landscaping serves the community of Ridgewood, NJ, and the surrounding areas. Contact us and our team of landscapers for a consultation today.