Yard Care and Landscape Maintenance Tips to Prepare Your Property for Winter
The relatively mild and snow-free start to the winter in Toronto and the surrounding area affords homeowners with an unexpectedly extended period for the maintenance and care of their lawns and gardens. In many winters past, particularly those in recent memory, the weather of late November and through the month of December has been bitterly cold and downright miserable; this year, the grass is still green in many parts of the city and its environs.
Therefore, if it has not been completed already, there is still time to look after the yard care and landscape maintenance needs of a residential property before the inevitability of winter once again descends upon the city and area. And, since time is of the essence, especially with other priorities and distractions at this time of the year, homeowners can turn to a professional yard care and maintenance services provider such as Landcare for help in preparing and protecting their landscaping for the winter season.
There are several factors that residential property owner should consider with respect to having their lawns and gardens readied for winter weather. Such actions may consist of:
- Core aeration of the lawn (before frost sets in)
- Top-dressing lawns with soil and seed in a 1:1 ratio
- Applying a lawn fertilizer with high potassium levels
- Pruning or cutting back trees, shrubs, and perennials
- Planting spring bulbs and seasonal urns and containers
- A final clean-up of debris from flower beds and gardens
- Covering vegetable gardens with a layer of mulch (straw)
- Installing burlap wrapping around new trees/tender bushes
On the subject of pruning/cutting back shrubs and plants, it is important to note that any such activity over the winter months can be very fitting for some species but particularly detrimental to others. This maintenance activity can be beneficial for trees and plant life that go dormant in winter while other types/species respond best to pruning/trimming at alternate times of the year.
Through their knowledge and experience, the experts from Landcare can recommend what should or should not be pruned during the winter, in order to ensure the health and vitality of all living landscaping throughout each of the seasons. Subsequently, these same experts can perform any pruning/cut-back activities in an appropriate and efficient manner.
Winterizing a Property Can Also Be the Stimulus for a New Landscape Design
The direct benefit of preparing a residential property for the winter season is the impact it will have on the health and visual appeal of its lawns and gardens when the growing season returns next spring; these preparations can also have an effect on the amount of maintenance that might otherwise be required to kick-start the property after the winter.
Another element that could come into play, or another potential benefit from winterizing any property, is the concurrent opportunity to review the state of its current landscape design. This in turn can stimulate the creative process for the homeowner in terms of upgrades/changes that could enhance the overall look and ambience of their property.
Once again, homeowners can capitalize on the knowledge and expertise of the Landcare team through its landscape design services. Landcare’s designers can help in assessing any/all existing landscaping and, based on the size, shape, and contours of the property, create a new landscape design that will be captivating not only to the homeowner but to their friends, relatives, and even passersby as well.
Some of the options that homeowners may consider incorporating in their new landscape design might include:
- Natural stone accents – pathways, retaining walls
- Wood construction – decks, sheds, trellises, arbors
- Water features – backyard pond, fountain, waterfall
- Garden reshaping and/or construction of new gardens
- Entertainment areas – a fire pit or a full outdoor kitchen
When the design has been finalized and approved, Landcare’s skilled construction team can transform that plan into a striking new landscape through their quality workmanship and a meticulous attention to detail.
For all your residential landscaping needs, from winterizing your property to year-round maintenance to new landscape design and construction services, call Landcare today at 416-410-0320 to schedule a complimentary consultation at your earliest convenience.