Preparing Your Landscaping for Winter

You’ve worked hard to get your yard, garden, and other aspects of your new home’s landscape looking great. You want to make sure that’s not all lost as soon as freezing temperatures hit! As temperatures continue to cool, now’s the perfect time to start preparing your landscape for winter in the Northwest. Here are some things to do to help you get ready for the colder season.

Continue to Cut the Grass
Did you know that your grass, despite cool temperatures, will keep growing until the ground freezes? Did you also know that the longer the grass is when snow hits, the greater the risk of fungus damage? Keeping your grass short by cutting it once every one-to-two weeks is ideal.

Manage Your Perennials
Before you cut back any plants, you should make sure to look up the specific plant type and instructions for care. That being said, the majority of perennials should be cut back to near soil level using sharp pruners.

Take Care of Fall Leaves
Fall leaves may be beautiful to look at, but any yard owner knows what a pain they can be to manage – it’s as though they never stop coming! Most homeowners choose to remove leaves via raking (or other leaf-removal methods) as this tends to be the option with the least ongoing work (once they’re gone, they’re gone!). Other homeowners may choose to mulch their leaves, although this must be done carefully, as a layer of leaves that is too thick prevents mulching. Mulching also requires raking up the leaves, chopping them, and reapplying them in an even level.

Create a Nice Compost
Have any dead plants or unused vegetables in your garden? Use them to create an organic compost that will nourish the soil and help your plants to come up strong again in the spring. A good compost pile will prevent against weeds and kill unwanted bacteria and pathogens that harm plants.

Protect Your Trees and Shrubs
Most trees and shrubs will do okay without a lot of winter preparation, but sometimes, steps should be taken to help them make it through the coldest months of the year. These include:

• Keep watering trees through late fall if rain levels are low or the fall has been dry, which will help to prevent winter die-back;
• Remove fallen leaves surrounding the trees so that fungal issues aren’t a problem;
• Prune dead branches;
• Wrap the lower section of young trees that have not developed; and
• Be careful when applying any chemicals throughout the winter, such as ice melt, near trees. Chemicals can harm trees and soil.

Don’t Forget about Winter Landscaping!
Finally, remember to remove any garden hoses from outdoor spigots and cover them with insulating foam. This will help prevent frozen/burst pipes later on. Failing to take fall lawn care and winter lawn care steps could mean a big headache come springtime. As temperatures cool, now’s the time to get to work. You’ll be glad you did!

If you’re ready to buy a new home, our home building experts at Simplicity can help. Contact us today or explore our home plans and start dreaming…today.