As winter approaches, getting your lawn and landscape ready for the cold months is essential to ensure a vibrant return in spring. The key to a thriving landscape after winter isn’t just raking leaves—it’s about following strategic steps to shield your grass, trees, shrubs, and garden beds from the harsh elements. Pre-winter lawn care helps protect your yard from damage while giving it a head start for the growing season.
Here are the top tips to wrap up your lawn care and prepare your landscape for winter.
Before the frost sets in, give your lawn one last mow. Aim to keep your grass around 2.5 to 3 inches tall. This height is perfect for protecting your lawn—it’s short enough to prevent diseases like mold but tall enough to protect grass roots from the cold. Clearing away fallen leaves and debris at this stage is critical. A clean lawn with good airflow minimizes the risk of mold and fungi that can thrive under snow.
Aerating your lawn creates small holes in the soil, allowing water, oxygen, and nutrients to reach the roots more effectively. It also helps loosen compacted soil, setting the stage for healthier growth in spring. Follow aeration with a winter-specific, slow-release fertilizer. The fertilizer provides essential nutrients your lawn needs to survive the cold and come back stronger in the warmer months. Think of it as giving your lawn the fuel it needs to endure winter and burst back to life in spring.
Now is the perfect time to overseed if you notice any thinning areas in your lawn. Overseeding helps fill in bare spots and improves the overall density of your grass, leaving you with a fuller, greener lawn come spring. Cool-season grasses, such as fescue or Kentucky bluegrass, thrive in fall conditions, making this the ideal time to plant seeds and allow them to establish roots before the winter freeze.
Pruning your trees and shrubs in late fall is a must. Removing dead, damaged, or weak branches reduces the risk of them snapping under the weight of snow or ice, which can cause further damage to your plants—or worse, your property. Pruning encourages healthy growth in the spring, but don’t overdo it. Too much pruning can leave plants exposed to the cold, so focus on removing only what’s necessary.
One of the most crucial steps in landscape winterization is protecting your irrigation system from freeze damage. Leftover water in your pipes or sprinklers can freeze, expand, and crack the system, leading to costly repairs in the spring. Be sure to shut off the water supply, drain the system, and use an air compressor to blow out any remaining water. Insulate exposed pipes to prevent freezing.
Adding a fresh layer of mulch around your garden beds, flower beds, and trees helps insulate plant roots from freezing temperatures. Mulch also helps retain moisture, which is especially important during dry winter months. Organic mulches, such as shredded bark or compost, will break down over time and enrich the soil. Spread mulch about 2-3 inches thick, but avoid piling it too close to plant stems or tree trunks to prevent rot.
Before the snow hits, take some time to clean and store your lawn equipment. Drain garden hoses, clean your lawnmower, and store away any outdoor furniture or garden décor that could be damaged by harsh winter weather. Properly maintaining and storing your tools ensures they’ll be ready for use when the spring thaw arrives.
Taking the time to properly winterize your landscape is key to a healthy, lush lawn when the snow melts. By mowing, aerating, fertilizing, pruning, and mulching now, you’re setting your yard up for success in the next growing season. A little effort in pre-winter lawn care goes a long way in ensuring your landscape bounces back beautifully come spring.
Ready to get your yard prepared for winter? Linehan Landscaping provides expert winterization services to keep your landscape healthy year-round. Call us today at 603-894-4100 or Contact Us Here to schedule your winter landscape preparation!
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