Top Landscaping Maintenance Tips for the Winter

Winter easily lends itself to hibernation. It’s tempting to relax by the fire and read or watch television. However, there is something you need to go outside and do: your winter landscaping. If you neglect your yard and garden during the winter, dealing with them during spring will be a lot harder. To have your plants looking lush when the weather warms up, get the landscaping materials you need from Allied Landscape Supply and take note of the landscaping maintenance tips we discuss below.

How to Properly Use Sunscreen

  You’ll need to engage in a little self-care before you start to execute your winter landscaping ideas. You probably apply sunscreen routinely when you work outdoors during the summer. However, when you’re doing your winter garden landscaping, you may be tempted to forget it. It’s important to know that you need sun protection all-year-round even if the sun doesn’t seem to be out all that much. 

  UV rays can penetrate overcast clouds and dry out your skin, causing it to age prematurely. To keep your skin soft, smooth, and youthful, you need to apply a rich, hydrating sunscreen every two hours. Harsh wind and snow can cause your sunscreen to wear out faster than it would when it’s warm. Once you’ve protected your skin, you’re ready to begin your seasonal landscaping.

These Simple Winter Landscaping Ideas Will Save Your Garden

  Taking care of your landscaping doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are four things you need to do as part of your winter landscaping.

Prepare Your Plants

  Each of your plants will need a different type of attention as you carry out your landscaping maintenance. Now is the perfect time to trim overgrown shrubs. If you do the hard pruning this season, your shrubs will leaf much more quickly in the spring. You should also get rid of any tree branches that get damaged during winter storms. This will allow the trees to repair themselves. If you leave the damaged branches attached to the tree, disease and insect infestation are likely to occur. 

  You can also protect your trees by brushing snow off the branches instead of shaking it off and potentially causing damage. Another important part of winter yard care is trimming the lawn since extreme cold can cause significant damage. Cut the grass to about two inches so you can protect the new growth without providing a home for pests. 

Get Rid of Salt Damage

  Rock salt is great for melting ice but it can damage your plants since it draws much-needed water away from the roots. Leaves may start to wither and turn yellow-brown at the end of the season. To get rid of the salt, you need to flush the soil with water and use a gypsum soil conditioner to help counteract the salt. To prevent salt damage from occurring, you should avoid putting salt-laden snow on your lawn as you shovel. It’s also a good idea to use deicing products made from the less damaging calcium chloride rather than sodium chloride. This is an important part of seasonal landscaping. 

Protect Your Landscape With Mulch

  Your winter landscaping maintenance should also include some mulching. Adding mulch around your shrubs, trees and other plans will help to combat water loss and soil erosion. This provides additional protection to your solid during the coldest months. Around two inches of mulch can help to regulate the temperature in the soil in planting beds. You need to be careful not to cover the trunks of trees and shrubs since this could cause both the trunk and the roots to rot. Just apply the mulch evenly to the bed and pat it down.

Prevent Potential Snow Damage

  As you do your winter landscaping, it’s important to get ahead of the damage that snow can cause. You need to remove any debris or leaves off the lawn. Otherwise, you’ll harbor pests, smother the grass, and create conditions that would allow disease to fester. At the end of fall, you should blow away all the debris after you cut the grass. During the winter, you should remove snow promptly from flower beds and other delicate growing areas. Piles of snow can prevent plants from getting the oxygen they badly need.

Get The Landscaping Supplies You Need from Allied Landscape Supply

  We have all the supplies you need to protect your garden and yard during the winter. As you carry out your seasonal landscaping, come into Allied Landscape Supply for mulch, topsoil, de-icers, and other necessities. Contact us today to ask questions or place your order.