Winter is coming, but your lawn and garden aren’t going anywhere. While the current growing season may be rapidly coming to a close, there are still plenty of ways to keep your landscape looking its best in preparation for winter.

Clean-Up & Turf Maintenance

The flowers may have stopped blooming for some time now, but your grass will continue growing until daily temperatures average about 50° F. Keeping the lawn clear of leaf litter and debris, as well as regularly mowed, will prevent yellowing patches of grass decay while maintaining a neat and manicured appearance. This is also a great time to do any required turf maintenance, such as aeration and grass seeding, while the yard is largely undisturbed by foot traffic. 

As herbaceous plants begin to die back for the winter, selective weeding to remove any invasive or undesirable plant species should be done to tackle over-wintering pest problems. Additionally, dead and decaying plant materials showing signs of disease (such as molds or powdery mildews) should be removed to prevent disease spread and the unsightly remains that linger afterward.

Fertilize and Compost

Fall is a beloved time of year for its natural display of colorful foliage, however the luster is quickly lost once trees have shed their leaves only to cover your lawn with a slippery, decaying layer of biomass. But instead of filling costly brown bags with those heaps of raked leaves, consider turning your lawn litter into compost that can be worked into the earth for improved soil fertility. The weeks leading up to winter are also a perfect time to mulch and fertilize lawn or garden areas needing some additional nutrients, and any beds or planters at risk of drying out during the colder months. This will allow for the optimal breakdown of organic matter ready to be taken up by germinating plants the following spring.  

Plant for Spring Bulbs

Get ready in advance to welcome the end of a long winter by planting spring-flowering bulbs during fall months. Early bloomers like crocus, daffodils, tulips and hyacinths will benefit from having a few weeks to get established before hard frosts and freezes, along with edible bulbs like shallots and garlic that are ready to harvest in early summer. For more sustainable garden practices, consider planting a cover crop such as rye, clover or field pea to support soil structure, improve fertility and minimize soil moisture loss leading up to the next growing season.

As always, we are here to help prepare your landscape for winter. Contact us today.