Now is the best time to prepare your landscape for the long winter season. 
Despite the dropping temperature and falling leaves, winter lawn care and maintenance is just as important as maintenance in any season. If you want your lawn to green-up nicely in spring, the work starts now! Early winter is the ideal time to get ahead of your lawn maintenance so that your property turns heads come spring.
Why is preparing the landscape for winter so important? It protects the lawn, plants and shrubs from the harmful effects of snow, ice and cold winds. You’ve poured hours upon hours of time, energy and money into your landscape, and there’s no reason to lose your hard work. A little protection goes a long way in ensuring your landscape will return to all its glory in the spring.
“…Air temperatures are dropping, but the soil is still quite warm – perfect for root development…” READ: Guide to Fall Plantings
Don’t forget about your lawn maintenance just because it’s winter. Prior to the inches of snow that are bound to come a thorough fall clean up is very important. Plantings should be cut back and all debris removed. It is also a good idea to make sure any low hanging or broken tree branches are safely trimmed before they pose a danger with heavy snow accumulation. Also, make sure to shut off & winterize any outdoor faucets and irrigation systems to prevent freeze damage.
Before the first freeze of the season be sure all the basics in lawn care and maintenance like fertilizing, aerating, and cutting have been performed. Make sure you cut your grass short enough to not attract field mice or other small animals seeking warmth as they can destroy your hard work in lawn care. It is also good practice to ensure that your lawn is completely clear of logs, toys, and even lawn furniture before it starts to snow. Letting leaves & debris collect on turf throughout the winter can destroy any other preventative maintenance you’ve done and can lead to moldy patches. Read more about snow mold on our blog HERE.
Over the hot and humid summers, lawns suffer and lose much of the essential nutrients they need to flourish and come back looking great the next year. The ingredients in a winter fertilizer work to tell your grass to enter dormancy, and store nourishment in the root system. An application of winter fertilizer before the snow arrives is vital, as this ensures that the fertilizer will continue nurturing your yard all winter long and make lawn care less of a hassle once the snow melts and flowers bloom.
The final part of a thorough fall clean up is to protect your bushes! 
As you may have noticed, many New England home owners have their bushes and other shrubs wrapped with burlap late in the season. Wrapping plantings provides insulation and decreases the chances of breakage as a result of ice & heavy snow on the branches. Wind desiccation and leaf scorch are also common problems that can easily be avoided by wrapping plants and/or applying anti-transpirants, a waxy protective spray. Additionally an anti-desiccant or screen barrier can be used to deflect the light from the snow-line at the base of the planting which. Sunlight reflecting off snow can be intense and cause burns on leaves and needles. Read more about the importance of wrapping your plantings on our blog HERE.
Your landscape is an investment in your property; It is a room just like your dining room or living room – only it is an outdoor room.
Contact LCM PLUS if you need assistance getting your home ready for winter! Our experienced professionals deliver trustworthy service held to the highest standard with impeccable attention to detail. LCM PLUS invites you to browse our portfolio of work. Call, Click, or Visit our office!
