While it can seem like property maintenance never ends - even in winter - having a checklist will help streamline the work that needs to be done. It actually minimize the repairs to the landscape that result from having no plan. To make your life easier, here’s a comprehensive checklist for winter property maintenance in Briarcliff Manor, NY.
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1. Make sure water is going where you want it to go.
Start by disconnecting hoses, turning off any outdoor faucets, and draining the irrigation system. And, don’t forget the extra water that will melt off your roof. Add extensions to downspouts that divert water at least 3 to 4 feet away from the foundation. This way, the huge amounts of melt water coming off the roof won’t seep into the foundation.
2. As the leaves begin to fall, mulch them when you mow the lawn. Instead of raking and bagging leaves, mulch them (while dry) into small pieces that will initially insulate your lawn and nourish it as the mulched leaves decompose.
3. In early fall, overseed your lawn if there are any bare spots. But first, rake or aerate the area to loosen the soil so the grass seeds aren’t sitting on hard-packed soil. Mix the soil with compost and a few handfuls of seed, and spread evenly over the bare spot. If you didn’t get to this before late autumn, you can still overseed, but don’t expect the grass to emerge until spring. You may need to add additional grass seed in spring just in case some of it was consumed by hungry squirrels, birds, and other small animals.
4. Fertilize your lawn with a fertilizer specifically designed for fall lawn feeding. First, check the soil’s pH and make adjustments. If the pH level is within the normal limits (between 6.5 and 7), add a fall fertilizer mix of 25% nitrogen, 3% phosphorus and 10% potassium. If not, then get expert advice on how to amend the soil to correct nutrient levels. Fall feeding will ensure that your lawn overwinters well and emerges healthy and vigorous in spring.
5. Dethatch and aerate the lawn before the ground freezes. Dethatching removes the dead layer of grass that has collected at ground level. This dense thatch prevents water and nutrients from reaching the roots, and it will lead to a stressed lawn. You can dethatch and spread mulched leaves with vigorous raking.
6. Get ready for the first icy blasts by ensuring you have enough ice melt and that it’s the right kind for your outdoor spaces. Be aware that certain ice melt chemicals can etch or stain pavers and concrete.
7. Clean up your flower beds: remove rotting or dead plants, pull weeds, amend the soil, cut back perennials (ensuring that you’re pruning back perennials that benefit from fall pruning and not those that benefit from spring pruning), and replenish mulch to protect your plants during the harshest deep freeze.
8. Make sure you have your snow removal contract signed so you’re never left scrambling for snow plowing services when heavy storms hit.
While this is a fairly extensive list, taking care of these essential fall chores will make life a lot easier when the weather warms up. Many of the items on the checklist are preventive measures that will reduce your need to use harsh chemicals on your lawn and garden in the growing season. These steps will help keep your landscape looking attractive during the winter months. If you don’t want to hassle with landscape maintenance in late fall and during the winter, give us a call! We’ll take care of your landscape maintenance needs all year long so that you can enjoy a beautiful landscape instead of being tied to it with constant work.
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