The return of cold weather is unavoidable and predictable, so getting ready should simply be something one does. However, with the hectic nature of modern life, finding time to do everything necessary can be difficult. For winter preparations regarding your landscape in Croton-on-Hudson, NY, consider this checklist as you endeavor to prepare your landscape for the oncoming cold months.
Prepare for Snow Removal
The primary weather event connected with winter is snowfall. Unlike rain, which generally flows away and evaporates fairly quickly, snow sticks around as long as the temperatures remain below freezing unless intervention occurs. Be prepared by signing up for Manzer’s reliable and professional snow and ice removal services.
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Aerate, Seed, and Fertilize Lawn
While it might be difficult to wrap your mind around the advantages of caring for your lawn when it’s about to enter hibernation, fall is truly the best time to aerate the soil, overseed for spring, and fertilize for an adequate buildup when growth renews. Ensuring that water and nutrients get to the roots of the grass throughout the winter is crucial to a remarkable lawn when the growing season returns.
Introduce New Plantings
Fall is also the perfect time to introduce new shrubs and perennials to your landscape. Ensure that you have this step completed by around the middle of October to keep the plantings from suffering the effects of a hard freeze. Plantings will often be ready to bloom in the spring without a year between flowerings.
Trim and Cut Back Growth
Trimming dead branches, cutting back perennials, and thinning bulbs are also activities best done before winter. Doing so will protect your lawn during the winter, while also elevating the productiveness of your plantings come spring. Be careful, however, to call in an expert, particularly when large branches or high trimming prove necessary. Raking up leaves, removing dead plantings, and a general cleanup are also important.
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Final Mow and Mulch
Once you’ve addressed the maintenance and modification requirements of your landscape, it’s time to cut the grass one last time and lay a blanket of mulch to protect your plantings. While grass will survive the winter better when short, cutting it too short will prevent the grass from having access to enough food during the colder months. A layer of mulch is also essential because it will enable your plantings to survive freezing temperatures.
Adjust Lighting
Apart from the interests of your lawn itself, other aspects of your landscape need to be prepared for winter. Having the components of your lighting system inspected, possibly adjusting to a softer bulb, and setting timers for shorter days are all critical to winter landscaping.
Address Storage of Summer Furniture
Finally, now is the time to take care of your summertime accessories. Stow away all of the swimming gear as you have your pool prepared for the winter; tuck away summertime cushions and replace them with more winter appropriate accessories; and stock up on cocoa and lap blankets for your patio spaces as you prepare to enjoy winter in your outdoor refuge.
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