It may not be winter yet, but smart homeowners and business owners know that now is the time to start thinking about your yard next year.
For those living in the West, winter and early spring can be frustrating times for those who are really into gardening, landscaping and other outdoor law-related pursuits. This quiet time of reflection can quickly turn to disappointment that the snow just keeps falling along with the realization that summer is a long, long way off.
True, yard care isn’t quite as demanding in January, February and March (some years, even April) as it is during the summer months.
But there are definitely some things that can be done in the cooler weather to keep your landscaping in great shape and get your outside. And we don’t know about you, but it always feels good to have an excuse to get outside for some fresh air during the cooped-up winter months.
The winter, too, is a great time to start planning for next year. You can start thinking about the plants you’d like to experiment with, what flowers to grow, or what new birds you’d like to attract. It might also be a great time to brainstorm how to get those pesky squirrels out of your bird feeder or how to finally grow lush grass in the shady spot in your lawn.
So, there’s still lots to do either as the weather turns cool. Here are a few suggestions to get your started. We suggest making a check list, or print out ours! You can keep in on your fridge all year round as a reminder of what to add to your list of weekly chores.
Start planning:
- Create or review your gardening journal and make notes for the coming season.
- Analyze your area for improvements. Are there areas that need extra foliage come spring? Can you modify or correct hard-to-mow spaces? Does your grass need reseeding?
- Explore new foliage or vegetation you might want to grow.
- Browse gardening or landscaping magazine for outdoor inspiration.
- Make a plan for your garden. What will your grow where? Are you planting in garden boxes? Do you need to section off land for the garden?
- Make a project list. Do you want to try a new irrigation tactic? Maybe you’d like to experiment with a new type of plant? Maybe you’d like to finally build that shef?
Get outdoors:
- Check mulch – reinforce areas that are getting thin or need an extra weed barrier.
- Prune rose bushes and deciduous trees and shrubs that are not spring bloomers.
- Trim back old foliage from ornamental grasses.
- Cut back old stems of perennial plants, but be cautious of new growth.
- Inspect bird feeders for broken glass or plastic.
- Hang bird feeders to attract birds. They keep other pests at bay.
- When trying to address ice on the pavement, consider using sand, cat litter or sawdust. Salt can be damaging to nearby shrubs.
- Make sure the lawn is free of leaves.
- Brush snow from evergreens as soon as possible.
- For those in warmer winter climates, make sure to enjoy sweet peas and salad greens!
Get shopping:
- Buy new bird feeders to replace damaged ones
- Stock up on seeds for the spring
- Buy new gardening supplies. Do you need new gloves? Pruning shears? Maybe new boots?
- Purchase any specialized soil or other materials.
- You may want consider buying indoor plants, as well. You could start an indoor vegetable garden or some decorative house plants. This can help keep the gardening spirit alive during the cooler weather and darker days.
Finally, it might be time to consider a smart irrigation system from Smart Rain. When you’re ready to take the leap, get in touch with us.
Now, bundle up, get outside and make your job easier come spring sunshine!