Cold Season Tips and Tasks
Amid the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping, your lawn and garden are busy doing… well, not a whole lot. While many may see this as a “purgatory” period where outdoor work comes to a grinding halt, there are actually a few things to consider, as well as tasks that can be done, in preparation for the following spring. Read on for a few cold season tips.
Plan for Next Year
Have you been thinking about incorporating a new succulent garden into the landscape? Or perhaps you’re considering a few hardscape upgrades to the patio area? Whatever your ideas may be, the extra time spent indoors during winter months is a great opportunity to plan out something new for next year. Even if its just to decide what vegetables and ornamentals you’d like to plant, now is a wonderful time to outline the basics, draw a map, put lists together of what you’ll need to make it happen, and consult the experts for any additional information.
Planting for a specific purpose, such as deer resistance, pollinator support, or groundwater control requires a bit of extra research to determine which additions are suitable for your needs, so take advantage of this cold season to work out every detail before spring arrives and you become busy with other tasks.
Take Stock of What Needs Replacing
Keeping your lawn and garden looking their best is a lot of work, meaning your tools and equipment are subject to wear over the years. Winter is an opportunistic time to evaluate what is in the garage or potting shed that might need to be replaced before next year (while they’re not in regular use). Planters, plastic pots, shears, mowers, trimmers, soil media and fertilizers can all be checked at this time, for both quality and quantity, to determine what needs replacing or refilling before it warms up again.
Clean and Sanitize Tools
Following the step above, winter is also a great time to de-rust, clean and sanitize your lawn maintenance tools. Plant residues and bacteria can often linger on cutting tools and blades, meaning they are more apt to spread when used later on. To prevent the unwelcome growth of diseases, and to extend the longevity of tools like pruning shears, it is best to disinfect them with bleach or alcohol followed by a treatment of rust inhibitor.
While the grass slows in growth rate and other vegetation has died back for the year, it also doesn’t hurt to scan the yard for tools or landscaping materials that may have been left behind, and should now be stored, replaced or disposed of due to the cold season.
Learn Something New
If you find yourself spending more time cozying up around the fire to keep warm, why not take this opportunity to learn something new about lawn care, landscaping or gardening? As new research is continuously produced regarding eco-landscaping, gardening for environmental services and planting for sustainability, it is always great to review what scientists are saying to stay up-to-date, and avoid the continuance of outdated practices. Thousands of journal articles, books, and web videos await to expand your mind with novel information, which could inspire a new approach for how your landscape is managed. This is also a great time to consult with professionals, like Baileys Lawn Care, about what you’ve learned while planning for the new year.
