While many people think of winter as dead trees, frozen grass, and wilted flowers, your yard can be the exception to that rule. If you want to ensure your yard stays beautiful all year long, follow our tips below to create a beautiful winter wonderland and prepare for a healthy spring.
1. Seeding & Aeration
Your lawn will come back stronger than ever in the spring if you take care to aerate and seed the lawn before winter; aerate your lawn before it freezes over to give your lawn breathing room as it transitions into the cold season. Aeration will break up dry and compacted soil to promote the spreading of water and nutrients to the roots – revealing a healthier and greener lawn.
Once your lawn is aerated, it’s time to reseed it. Reseeding your lawn with a grass variation more suitable for colder months will help fill in bare spots and promote a thick, green lawn. You should aerate and seed your lawn in the fall or early winter, but make sure you complete the project before it gets too cold.
2. Fertilization
Not only will you want to fertilize your lawn in preparation for the colder winter months, but you’ll also want to spend time fertilizing your trees. Fertilization in the fall boosts soil productivity to encourage root growth in both grass and trees which will result in a taller, fuller and healthier landscape. Trees and foliage with healthy roots are much more likely to overcome winter with fewer dead branches and a stronger spring growing season.
3. Watering
Because winter tends to be dry, watering during these cold months is critical to the health of your lawn, trees and landscaping. Consider hand-watering using a hose or appropriate watering-can to ensure all areas are being saturated with water, and to avoid any complications you could face with a frozen irrigation system. You should water your lawn just about daily in Texas, and your trees should be appropriately hand-watered according to their specific growth cycles.
4. Trimming & Pruning
Winter is the perfect time to trim and prune dormant trees to give them a head start at their spring growth cycle. Without leaves covering tree branches, you’re able to focus on trimming the appropriate areas of the tree to improve the shape, health, and safety of your tree. Winter pruning also causes less stress to trees because the trees have time to heal their wounds before the high-growth spring season.
Perennials in your flower beds should be cut back to within an inch or two of the ground to protect them from dying in a hard freeze. You can also add additional mulch around your perennials to provide a wind and cold barrier.
No matter what time of year it is, your fencing and deck experts at Austex are available for all of your backyard projects. Give us a call for a consultation today!
