Landscaping in the winter months might seem a little redundant. After all, there isn’t much growing in the winter, so very few parts of your yard will need pruning.
However, landscaping in the winter is just as important as all other times of the year. While there isn’t much pruning that needs to be done, there is plenty of protection that needs to be done.
Protecting your landscaping from the harsh winter weather patterns and cold temperatures is the best way to ensure that there is growth and the need for pruning come spring time.
In fact, here are just a few of the important winter landscaping tasks:
- During the winter months, there can be a significant amount of ground moisture. Everything from heavy rains to snow and frost thaw will cause the moisture level in the ground to increase. This can even get so wet that the roots of your landscaping are heaved out of the ground. When the ground is too wet and sloppy, the root system of your shrubs and trees can’t get traction, and they begin to uproot. Making sure that your landscaping is properly drained, and has the right design for draining is essential to surviving the winter season.
- Depending on how severe the winter weather is, you might consider having the base of your trees wrapped. This can be done with a variety of materials, including burlap sacks, and will provide your tree trunks with a barrier of insulation to the cold temperatures.
- Just as draining is important, so is watering. This might seem contradictory but, the idea is balance. There needs to be just the right amount of water in the soil to feed your trees and shrubs. The cold air can be very drying to the leaves of your shrubs and trees. So, it is essential to provide enough water to keep your trees and shrubs watered without being overwatered.
Make sure that your landscaping survives the winter by following these tips. Talk to your landscaping professional about which options are applicable to your yard, and which additional options should be considered.
