3 Winter Lawn Care Services Best Suited for the Dormant Season

Winter Lawn Care Services for a Better Lawn in the Spring

WINTER LAWN CARE | LAWN MAINTENANCE

There is not a whole lot happening during the winter months when it comes to your lawn. That does not mean you should ignore it. Great lawns and impressive landscaping starts by what you do in the dormant season. Winter lawn care services like planting bed preparation and winterizing lawn tools are critical to quality year round lawn care.

The time has passed if you have not already aerated your lawn yet this fall. But all is not lost. There are plenty of other winter lawn care services you can employ to help get your outside looking great come spring.

Winter Lawn Care Tip #1

​Most of your lawn and landscaping is self-sufficient in winter. If you have properly employed fall lawn care maintenance activities, you are already off to a good start. One of the first winter jobs for landscapers is planning for next year. A lawn care provider like A Brand New Leaf Landscaping can evaluate your lawn based on the past year. Providers can then discuss the positives and negatives that have come for your implemented maintenance activities. Next, that analysis can be used, in conjunction with your budget for the next year, to plan and prioritize lawn and landscaping services to meet your objectives. In addition, early planning means you will have the proper services scheduled at the proper times as spring approaches.

Winter Lawn Care Tip #2

With vegetation dormant, winter is a great time to start preparing your planting beds for next year. Planting beds that are prepared now will be much easier to mulch and plant in the spring. Preparation now will also ensure you get mulch in faster and have a better looking landscape before all your neighbors. This is simply one of many things for landscapers to do in winter. Professional landscapers can clean up and prepare planting beds throughout winter so long as there is no snow and ice.

​There are five easy steps to preparing planting beds during the winter for spring.

1. Trim vegetation: Start by trimming vegetation like shrubs, trees and perennials if you have not already done so. This will help perennial plants flourish in spring and allow for consistent mulch application as well.
2. Remove debris: Rake up and remove all left over leaves, trimmings and dead annual vegetation from the planting beds.
3. Define the edge: If you already have a good edge, touch it up or else define a clean, sharp edge to hold your beds back from your lawn.
4. Level them up: Rake old mulch and soil together to level out the bed in preparation for the new layer of mulch in the spring.
5. Plant: Yes, winter lawn care can include planting. Bulbs can be planted now. Mark areas where you planted so you know not to cover them to heavily when you mulch in the spring.

Winter Lawn Care Tip #3

Lastly, winter lawn care services you should consider in the dormant season is lawn tools and accessories winterization. Lawn care components like watering systems should be properly drained and winterized. Also spigots should be covered, even if they are frost-free ones, to prevent even the chance of freeze breaking. Hoses should be drained completely and stored inside out of the elements.

For motor tools like lawn mowers and trimmers, remove the gas. Gas left in the tanks and fuel lines can gum up and negatively affect your engines performance when you go to start it in spring. Non-powered tools should be cleaned and sharpened so they are ready for next season’s lawn care. All of these can be done right after fall lawn care is completed or throughout the winter months. A lawn care specialist can provide assistance and show you the proper way to winterize your lawn care tools.

To wrap up, the question of what to do when it comes to winter lawn care does have answers. Winter lawn care services are not the sexy activities we enjoy throughout the growing season. However, they are as important and can help get your lawn and landscaping off to an early and wonderful start come spring. These three winter lawn care tips are just some winter jobs for you and your landscaper to tackle in the cold months.