During the winter months, plants and trees are at rest and their bright colors disappear, resulting in a desolate and drab scene. This is especially true in areas that experience snow and ice, which can wreak havoc on your lawn. This guide will help you with protecting your plants and trees from ice, snow, wind, salt, and other complex landscaping needs for this winter.
Prepping Your Lawn For Winter
During the growing season, your lawn should be cut between 3 to 3.5 inches. However, for the final mowing of the season, your lawn should be cut to 2 to 2.5 inches to protect new growth and prevent your lawn from attracting pests. Rake leaves and remove other debris, which can stunt the growth of new grass or even kill it. Tie tree branches together that may accumulate snow loads and remove snow from trees as necessary by gently brushing the snow rather than shaking the limbs. In addition, remove any branches that may break due to snow or ice since damaged trees are more susceptible to disease. Aerate and fertilize your lawn before the first freeze so it can feed on the nutrients immediately after the weather begins to warm. For extra protection for shrubs and bushes against the winter, spread a 2-inch layer of mulch to manage erosion, reduce water loss, and help maintain constant soil temperature. Lay wire mesh at the base of trees to protect against animals. Apply anti-transpirants to plants and trees to help protect against water loss or use burlap wrapping, especially for evergreens, to protect from harsh winds and salt spray. To minimize damage from salt, flush out the soil with water.
A Guide for Winter Planting
Whether you’ve been in your home for many years or you are getting your home ready for sale to move (hiring cheap local movers is another entire blog post in its self) the following tips are great start:
Evergreens, conifer trees, and red osier dogwoods are a common feature of winter landscapes. When deciding what trees or plants will add the most visual interest to your winter landscape, it is important to consider height, because no matter the appearance, any plant that lacks considerable height will become buried under snow. With this in mind, here a few of the best trees and plants for the winter:
Evergreen holly produces foliage year-round and bright berries that attract a variety of species of birds. Many evergreen hollies will not stand up to the harsh winter climate, except the China holly, a rounded 8 feet high by 8 feet wide holly that it is also tolerant to drought, and the compact inkberry holly, a 4 feet high by 8 feet wide holly with blackberries and dark green foliage that resembles a boxwood shrub. Red osier dogwood is a hardy plant with bark that ranges from red to burgundy. With a height of 6 to 10 feet and a width of 5 to 10 feet, a red osier dogwood contrasted against white snow makes for an iconic winter scene. One of your complex landscaping needs may be choosing a perennial grass, an important feature of any winter landscape. Plume grass is a hardy ornamental grass which can grow to be as tall as 11 feet and 4 feet wide. Bayberry is a glossy, aromatic shrub with waxy, gray berries. These berries attract birds, repel deer, and are commonly used to scent candles. There are many varieties of birch trees that imbue your yard with winter intrigue, mostly due to their bark, such as the young’s weeping birch, the paper birch, and the yellow birch.
When planting a variety of vegetation, know that deciduous and conifer trees must be planted at least 20 feet apart with at least 30 feet between rows. Shrubs and trees should be planted four to six feet apart with 10 to 12 feet in between rows.
Plants To Avoid
While these plants and trees are recommended for the winter months, there are also many you want to avoid due to their invasiveness, such as Japanese barberry shrubs and winged euonymus shrubs.
A plant is optimal for winter if it has one or many of the following characteristics:
Dark bark or unusual texture and branch pattern Has evergreen foliage Colorful berries Delicate structure Able to catch snow in its branches
Your Complex Landscaping Needs
You will likely have your hands full cultivating plants and shrubs for the winter. With these tips, you can turn your dull, barren yard into a beautiful winter landscape. This winter, for all your complex landscaping needs , including landscaping supplies, trees, mulch, or shrubs for sale, contact us today.