Landscape and yardwork is not top-of-the-mind for most homeowners. Smart property owners know that it's a great time to fix your lawn and prune your trees and do some pre-Spring planting. Don't procrastinate if you know your yard needs work!
Lawn renovation
Throughly rake to open the ground and expose the soil so new seeds can germinate. Level the lawn by covering the lowest areas with new soil. Then, reseed the entire lawn if necessary, or simply patch certain areas as required.
To ensure germination, add a good fertilizer and cover the seeds with humus to protect them from birds in the winter. In about 3 or 4 weeks the seeds will produce.
An advantage to doing this in the winter is that nature provides enough water to germinate the seeds, whereas it is necessary to sprinkle the areas during other times of the year.
During the winter your grass is full of millions of crab grass seeds waiting to sprout in the spring. Therefore, you want to be ready to spray with a pre-emergent about the last week of February, just before the temperature starts to warm up.
Don't spray any earlier than February, as it would kill new seeds that you have sown. Also, the chemicals are not be as effective in the cold weather. Pre-emergent should be applied by professionals as it is hazardous to use.
Tackling Poor Drainage
If you have a yearly dread of backed up ice and flooding, it's time to call a professional landscaper to solve the drainage problems. Consider a new, properly designed patio that won't collect water, or terracing and storm drains, even a naturalstone creek. A professional will have lots of options for you. While you're digging up your yard, install new ornamental bushes that will bring beauty in the spring around the bare, fixed areas.
Pruning
Now is the time to begin pruning your trees, and don't forget about your roses, too. In order to improve the production of both fruit trees and rose bushes, you must prune before they start to bud. Damage from ice and storms should be taken care of immediately to ensure you don't incur further damage to your property from limbs coming down later. Repair your landscaping now so you won't have to replace them later. You should also cut back overgrown bushes and trim non-fruit trees before they start to grow again.
Professional pruning consists of:
• Clean from the inside out, removing crossing branches.
• Thin branches so they will not become too heavy with fruit. Quality is more important than quantity.
• Don't forget to spray your fruit trees with dormant oil. You should apply dormant spray three times: around Thanksgiving, around Christmas, and the third application should come after pruning.
Flower beds
Now is a great time to clean out the flower beds, removing the fallen leaves and blossoms to avoid potential fungus and molds from growing.
Planting
Plant bare-root trees and roses before spring arrives. Now is when you will get the very best prices possible on new trees and bushes for your landscape.
Recreation Features
Been thinking about a tennis or basketball court - or even a putting green in your yard? Now's the time to get it installed so you can enjoy it the rest of the year. Contact Sport Court of Greater Washington and don't let another year go by. The whole family will thank you!
Contact landscape professionals
Finally, winter is the ideal time to contact a landscape contractor about updating, remodeling, or totally reinstalling your yard.
Call now to get the best prices and have your work done right away - and avoid the spring rush where you'll have to be scheduled in.
Established companies with the experience you need are...
For garden, landscape design, terracing, and structures: Johnson's Landscaping
For tree & shrub work: Wood Acres Tree Specialists
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