In a word: now! Late fall – November particularly – is your last chance to make certain grass, trees, shrubs, and outdoor furniture ready for winter. Once the ground has experienced a deep freeze and snowfall, it’s too tough and compacted to get the fertilizer into the roots. Improperly stored furniture can rust. Unwrapped trees can burn. It may be tempting to stay inside and watch the football game, but if you value your yard, the time to protect it is right now.
How To Winterize Your Yard
Turf Winterization
If you live in the Louisville area, you likely have a mix of cool-season grasses on your lawn. These grass varieties actually more in autumn – just not on the surface of the soil. When the weather turns, they begin diverting nutrients to their roots. As such, late fall is the ideal time to fertilize. Any nutrients you apply will go directly to the root system.
Dormant Oil
You may not see any insects buzzing about, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t around. They’re hibernating in the trees and soil, waiting for spring so they can begin feasting on your foliage. Thankfully, there’s a product called dormant oil that landscaping professionals use to combat these pests. They prevent a variety of bacterial and fungal infestations as well. Dormant oils are a combination of three types: superior oil, sulfur, and copper.
Superior oil, also called horticultural oil, is mixed with water and sprayed on trees to smother wintering insects and their eggs. It’s excellent for fighting mites and aphids. Lime sulfur is a fungicide. Copper is a fungicide and bactericide that kills bacteria and fungal spores left in the trees. Using lime sulfur and copper will cover both microscopic pests. Using all three oils together is the foundation of a solid tree and shrub care program. Be sure to ask your lawn care professional what they recommend.
Deep Root Feeding
A deep root feeding application is extremely beneficial for your lawn. As we talked about above with grass, trees will also expand root systems during the fall. The equipment used for this procedure actually resembles a giant syringe, and it’s not dissimilar to getting a flu shot at the doctor. Except it’s your tree getting the preventative medicine. By injecting the fertilizer in this way, the tree will get all the nutrients without competing with the grass above.
Winter Guard
Also known as an anti-desiccant spray, winter guard is a non-toxic waxy coating often applied to pines, firs, and other coniferous trees in late autumn. You can do this as opposed to wrapping trees and shrubs in burlap. Either method will help prevent winter burn, which arises from low moisture, frigid temperatures, and harsh winds. You’ll know an evergreen has winter burn if you see discolored, dry needles or needles that drop easily.
Store Patio Furniture
The most important thing to protect is patio cushions or other textiles. Winter cold can stress winter fibers, and the harsh winter sun can fade fabrics. Moisture from snow and ice can cause infest cushions with mold and mildew. If you don’t have room to store the whole chair, table, or couch, make sure to at least put away the cushions, or they’ll be faded and gross in spring. Ideally, you should store everything in a garage or shed, but if you don’t have room, try to cover the remaining furniture as much as possible with waterproof tarps. If you store things in a shed, make sure to take out your winter season tools like shovels, ice scrapers, and snowblowers and move them to the front near the door for easy access. It’s not something you might consider right away while focusing on protecting your furniture. However, the last thing you’ll want is to climb over and under that furniture to get to the snowblower you left at the back of the shed.
Cover Grills And Metal Fire Pits
Leaving anything metal uncovered is a guaranteed way to be frustrated in spring. You’re just asking for nasty rust spots. While those metal appliances are great at handling extreme heat, snow and ice is their downfall. Unless you know you’re buying new models next spring, cover your investments in a water-proof tarp. Even better: store them in the garage or shed if you have room.
Get Louisville Area Winter Yard Prep – Call 2 Yard Pros
Prepare for winter with the experts at 2 Yard Pros! We’ll take care of all the pruning, fertilizing, turf prep, and more with our comprehensive treatment program. Call us today at (502) 298-7828 or contact us online to get started! For the latest news and updates, check out our Twitter and Facebook pages. For more tips on lawn care and landscaping, please browse our other blog articles here.