The quiet beauty of late fall in the Northern Virginia region always amazes us with its crisp days and gorgeous muted light. Late fall is the perfect time to winterize your lawn and landscaping; A little bit of prep work can make things so much easier when spring rolls around, so now is the perfect time to jump in with the help of a trusted landscaping service provider.
Winterizing Your Landscape
Protect plants from deer with fencing or netting: you may find that when vegetation in the wild is less abundant, deer are more likely to turn to residential landscapes for winter food.
- Prevent dehydration: Your evergreens including shrubs and trees are the heart and soul of keeping your yard gorgeous throughout the winter. Keep your evergreen plants, trees and shrubs watered before the ground freezes and mulch them at the base to help retain moisture.
- Mulch: Mulching in fall helps plants stay hydrated. We recommend between one and two inches of wood chips around trees and shrubs.
- Pruning: Late fall is a great time to remove dead or diseased branches and trim trees and shrubs to promote growth in the spring. Pruning can reduce damage from snow and ice, according to the Virginia DCR.
- Clean and protect garden beds: Remove dead plant matter from garden beds and mulch.
Winterizing Water Gardens
The Virginia Cooperative Extension offers some great tips for winterizing water features in your landscape.
- Remove debris and dead plants before freezes hit.
- Push winter-hardy water plants to the bottom of your pond to protect them from colder temperatures.
Year Round Lawn and Landscape Care with Epling
For many of us, lawn and landscaping care are big priorities in the spring and in summer as things are blooming and growing. While lawns are certainly lower maintenance as cool weather hits, landscape care is truly a year-round activity. You’ll find that just a few basic steps can keep your lawn healthy throughout the winter and help things get off to a great start in the spring. With our specialized equipment and knowledgeable staff, Epling is a committed year-round lawn care and landscaping partner, and our expertise goes way beyond summer mowing.
