How Landscape Construction May Be Affected by Croton, NY, Winters

Winter has begun, and it can slow the timeline of a landscape construction project. Sometimes, extending a landscape project into the winter season can’t be avoided, but starting a project in winter is generally not a great idea. Here is how landscape construction may be affected by Croton, NY, winters.

It’s hard to put a landscape project on hold, especially a big one, because you can’t wait for it to be done so you can enjoy the landscape. But, patience will pay off.

Safety

Frigid temperatures can create hazardous working conditions. Cold is a threat to landscape construction crews who are outdoors for long periods of time. While the work is often highly physical, sweating in freezing conditions can lead to hypothermia as the sweat cools. High winter winds can make temperatures drop even more. Although snow creates a winter wonderland, it is treacherous for landscape construction workers. Any ice on the job site can also cause slips and falls, and heavy snow will need to be removed before any work can occur.

Safety is the #1 reason to avoid winter landscape construction. When you read the following, you’ll see that waiting will actually speed up the project.

Unfavorable Soil Conditions

Frozen soil can’t be worked by hand. It requires the use of heavy machinery, which can add to the construction costs, and heavy machinery can also do damage to existing landscaping. If the construction crews are pouring concrete for a hardscape, it will be necessary to wait until the ground has thawed because the soil will settle as temperatures rise, and this settling will cause cracks in the concrete. This will also affect hardscapes such as paver patios that rely on compaction of the subsoil, and retaining walls that must rest on a solid foundation. Deep freezes prevent the installation of any hardscape feature that must be dug deeply into the frozen ground. The frozen ground will rise along with the temperatures, which will negate any compaction that was already performed.

Any soil work that is performed during the winter will need to be covered by netting or straw to keep the soil from blowing or washing away, since the ground will not be ready for planting for many months. Also, settling must be taken into account. A utility trench can be dug and utilities can be installed in the winter, but the soil covering the trench will move (expand and contract) due to the freeze-thaw cycle, which can mean extra leveling work once winter is over.

Delayed Planting

While plants are installed after hardscapes, planting usually doesn’t occur until spring, which will mean yet another messy operation after hardscape construction has concluded. The soil will need to be prepared and holes will need to be dug before plants can be installed, and winter is not ideal for soil work, as frozen soil is nearly impossible to move by hand. Most plants need to be planted in early fall or spring to ensure that they become well established. Few plants installed during winter will survive. The exception may be mature shrubs and trees with a well-established root system. However, since the roots are not established in the planting location and frozen soil interferes with watering, trees and shrubs will suffer during the winter and may not survive.

What Can You Do in the Winter to Make Life Easier in the Spring?

Winter is the ideal time to plan a landscape and schedule the work for early spring. Consult with the expert landscape designers at Manzers now, and your landscape construction project will be ready to roll as temperatures rise!