Hi garden buddies. I want to share with you some simple strategies to prepare our lawns and rooted friends for the perils of winter. Last year, summer was so long and the freezing winter arrived rather abruptly and with a vengeance, catching many of us by surprise.
So let’s enter winter prepared this time and reduce our casualties and carnage. Let’s start with the lawn because it requires the least amount of effort —“LOL”. If you have NOT already fertilized it for winter, now is your time. One last mow for the year is crucial as well. Although it may seem that our lawn has stopped growing, it has only reversed its energy to the root system. The roots are more active now than in the spring because they are growing deeper into the soil for adequate establishment to provide the necessary nutrients during winter. Kind of like a bear for hibernation. They would absorb all available nutrients now to slowly provide food during dormancy.
Mow your lawn. Fertilize with a balanced or a no or low phosphorous fertilizer. That is the middle number in the three numbers on the mineral content on the bag. Be sure to keep that middle number 0 or low, because this feeds the roots and will force new growth that will be frost tender. During spring we want to use phosphorous to feed the roots so we have an explosion of growth. But, right now, we don’t want to feed the roots but provide the food for the plant that will be absorbed by the roots. I hope that didn’t sound too repetitive. Also, be sure after this last mow that you DO NOT MULCH TOO HEAVILY, especially if you reseed at this time. It may cause undue stress on the grass seed as the new growth emerges.
Also, if you reseed now, you need not apply starter fertilizer, for the winter fertilizer will suffice. Be sure to run your sprinklers one last good time before draining and shutting off. Buy your pipe insulation now before the stores run out or jack up the price, moving away from the lawn to any new landscaping you may have done this summer (walkways, patios, pavestones, etc.).
A good friend of mine who works for Basalite once told me that “fresh” pavestones or walkways etc., that have not yet settled a few seasons are more susceptible to the winter for two main reasons. First, if there will be an over accumulation of water in any area around it, this can cause the soil to soften and the stones to slip. Second, if there is not adequate drainage the water seeps into cracks and joints and freezes and expands and shifts the stones, sometimes cracking them. After winter the soil re-compacts and you could end up with an uneven walkway or some cracked bricks.
Now with water features such as fountains, baths, etc., just make sure to wash the feature really well to remove all of nature’s proteins and algae, etc. Be sure to drain and clean the pump and its hoses. The water that freezes and expands in those pumps sometimes does so with all that yuck in it and that yuck ends up clogging and discoloring. It builds up causing more work on the pump’s motor when you turn it on again during the warmer months.
While you’re out in the yard, give your fence a push and a tug to check it now for stability should a crazy windstorm arise. Better to repair it now. As the leaves are falling off of the trees, don’t throw them away too fast. If you have any holes the leaves are a great FREE candidate. They will pack nicely and decompose slowly during the cold months and just turn to food. After winter throw a little soil over the top and you’re good to go. This works especially well if you have uneven areas or muddy areas. If you have an area with poor drainage that usually gets sloshy or dangerous when it rains, some leaves can be thrown down and what doesn’t decompose can be raked up later. It’s just a quick fix and something to do with the leaves.
After all of the leaves have fallen and you can see the beautiful branches of the trees, now is the time to inspect the trees for cracks, infestations, diseases, or dangerous limbs that should be trimmed in case of a severe storm. Remember, if you have any evergreen trees on your property (evergreen is ANY TREE which never loses its leaves, not just pines, etc.), it is good to do some pruning back or selective branch thinning.
Remember, trees full of leaves during strong winds act like sails and are especially dangerous for newly planted trees within the last 2-4 years with an under established root system or even an older tree with a shallow root system. This is why sometimes we see entire trees laying over, completely uprooted out of the ground. If you notice, 99% of those trees that are uprooted are full of leaves. This is why I stress deep watering when planting. Put your hose on drip at the base of the tree and let run overnight. The water goes straight down and the roots follow.
Well, I think this about covers the lawn and trees, but what about covering to protect from frost as you get out those Christmas lights this year? Don’t throw any of them away. The lights and a sheet will be your shrubs best friend. If you have a large area of plants and shrubs or a row, simply use weed block cloth and secure properly. Use the cloth kind not the plastic. If you use plastic, it must be secured to some kind of frame and held away from the plant. And it must be vented otherwise condensation builds up when the plant breathes and plastic smothers it and it’s very sad. The water also freezes.
If you do use plastic on frames, vented, remove on sunny, warmer days and leave no plant covered for more than three or four days without a break for a day or at least six to eight hours. If any bush or shrub is too large to cover, simply trim it back and mulch the base.
I promise to daily check my email at plantlady@northsacnews.com. Send me your questions and such.
I hope all of you had the best Thanksgiving ever and I want to wish all y’all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May God bless you and keep you and may His face smile upon you.