Fall and winter are certainly not the seasons that most people are thinking about landscaping needs and projects. However, monitoring your landscaping into the colder months is vital to ensuring your spring is not ruined by problems caused by a lack of attention in the fall and winter. Here are five landscaping mistakes people commonly make in the fall and winter to watch out for.
Ignoring Leaf Buildup
It seems like an obvious chore – when the leaves have fallen they should be cleaned up. Unfortunately, many people rake too early or ignore the task altogether. This can lead to the suffocation of your grass over the winter, resulting in horrifying dead spots all over your lawn.
Utilizing a Weed Killer
Weed killer is designed for use in warm, dry weather. If you decide to use it in the fall, it may be ineffective and simply run off into the environment. Any weed sprays or treatments you use on your landscaping should be applied well before fall temperatures set in to ensure they work as intended.
Shaving the Grass
Once you decide to make one final cut to your lawn before the winter sets in, consider adjusting your blade height. Cutting your grass too short can have devastating effects on its resilience once the weather warms up. Cut your grass one last time for appearance but ensure your blade height is not too low.
Aerating Late
Lawn aeration is a key component of lawn health. However, performing this task too late will stress your lawn heading into the winter months. A cold, stressed lawn could spell disaster. Ensure you aerate in late summer or very early fall at the latest. This will give your grass a chance to regain its strength and durability before the challenging winter months.
Ceasing Watering
For some reason, people associate cold weather with plants not needing water to survive. This is a fallacy that costs many a vibrant spring landscape. If your landscape is facing a winter dry spell, ensure you water plants and bushes. Even though they are dormant, they still need water to thrive.
The winter brings many distractions, like holidays and winter weather. We at GCS Services understand what your lawn and garden need before, during, and after these cold months. Give us a call today at 978-388-0935!