Tips for Preparing Your Landscape for Winter

Now that the seasons are changing and the atmosphere is getting cooler, it’s time to prepare your landscapes for winter.  This includes your turf, shrubs, trees, and any perennials you’ve planted.  Begin preparations on your landscape now so you’ll be ready to go when spring comes around.  Here are our top tips:

Know Your Hardiness Zone

First, you’ll want to determine your plant hardiness zone. This number represents the highest and lowest temperatures a region is expected to see. Every state is different, but you’ll want to note the temperature range and the details of your climate before determining your course of action.  You can look up your region and Hardiness Zone online.

Determine Water Requirements

The level of available water in the environment during winter may vary significantly depending on your region, which makes winter water management very important.  Winters might be cold or wet, mild or dry.  You may need to apply a moisture management product before winter starts, or do infrequent waterings through the season if temperatures don’t drop below freezing.  Determine your needs depending on the type of winter you’ll face.

Don’t Fertilize In Late Fall 

If you give plants a dose of fertilizer with high nitrogen content, or a product containing nitrogen late in the season, the plants will attempt new vegetative growth.  This new, tender growth won’t have the time to harden or mature before the first frost, and the plant may become damaged.  Instead, focus on applying products that assist with rooting and soil enhancement.  Look for products that contain seaweed extract, phosphorus, potassium, or humic acid.

Amend The Soil 

Amending soil is different from fertilizing; soil amendments add necessary organic matter to the soil to improve structure, water retention and drainage, and the overall environment for rooting.  Add carbon-rich organic matter like compost, manure, or earthworm castings to insulate and add nutrition.  Do a soil pH check to see if your soil is between 6 and 7, the ideal range for most plants.  Add the necessary products to make the soil more or less acidic as needed.

Prune And Protect

Consider cutting back shrubs and trees (depending on the species) to minimize damage from wind and frost. You should also prune any suckers and dead branches.  You can read more about winter pruning in a previous blog.

Clean Up Debris

Remove debris like leaf litter on the ground next to trees or plants.  This will help reduce the chance of pathogens like fungi, bacteria, or soil borne diseases developing.  Many perennials provide shelter or a food source for overwintering beneficial insects, pollinators, and birds. If the plant did not have any disease issues, consider leaving the garden clean-up to late spring.

Mulch And Insulate

For gardens, you should recommend adding a good 4 to 6 inches of mulch as an insulating barrier.  When the sun begins to break through again in the spring, plants may be tricked into becoming active early, and this insulation keeps plants from freezing after ingesting water.

Put Up Wind Barriers Or Windbreaks

This is ideal for small trees or shrubs that can’t protect themselves.  Drive four stakes into the ground for support and use burlap or another permeable material to make a box over the plant.  Consider applying a moisture manager to the soil near trees and shrubs to help retain water through the winter.

These different tasks will all help create a more resilient landscape for winter.  Think about the conditions you face each winter and the issues you’ve faced in the past when considering what to do.  With the right preparation, you can ensure your trees and gardens are in the best possible shape for the season.