If you live in an area that sees chilly temperatures during the winter, you may feel as if your landscaping activities have to be put on the back burner this season. Yet, it turns out there are still plenty of maintenance activities to ensure your property is in great shape once the weather gets milder. From getting your beds ready for mulch to protecting your foliage against harsh conditions, here’s how to take care of your lawn throughout the winter months.

How to Perform Landscape Maintenance in Winter

1. Protect Vulnerable Trees

Newly-planted evergreens and thin-barked species like maple, aspen, ash, and poplar trees are prone to sunscald and winter burn this season. Harsh winter winds and drastically thawing and falling temperatures may cause cracks and other damage to the trunk. To prevent it, wrap your vulnerable trees in burlap, supporting them with ground stakes.

2. Prevent Against Salt Damage

Road salt is essential for wintertime safety, but it can damage shrubs and small trees. Specifically, it can burn buds, developing leaves, and flowers. Protect any foliage near your driveway or roadways with loose coverings of burlap or plastic before storms hit. Apply salt precisely on your property and only use it when necessary.

3. Prune Your Trees

The months when plants are inactive is the perfect time for pruning. Shrubs, hedges, evergreens, and deciduous trees can be pruned in the winter. To avoid over-pruning, only trim back branches that are decaying or otherwise compromised.

4. Continue Raking

While raking is normally perceived as a fall chore, debris can continue to build up throughout the winter. Leaving it unaddressed could attract fungus and mold, so continue raking debris up when the ground isn’t covered by snowfall.

5. Prepare for Mulch

As the winter draws to an end, get your beds ready for mulch by clearing away any debris and performing a hard edging to define your lines. Further define the line during your first pass with the lawnmower and do a close line trimming afterward for crisp results.

 

When the ground thaws and you’re ready for mulch, topsoil, or gravel, turn to River Bottom Topsoil for quality products and service. Serving the Greater St. Charles, MO, area, this company provides top-notch materials for both landscapers and homeowners throughout the community. Explore their full list of services online or call (636) 462-5331 for a free estimate.