Winter Lawn Care Tips and Gardening Advice
It might be December, but there is still plenty to do in and around the garden. Performing winter lawn care and maintenance can set you up for success with all your greenery when things warm up in the spring. Check out this list as a helpful guide:
- Remove any fallen branches or leaves from the lawn.
- If needed, mow the lawn one last time and set the mower deck high. However, don’t mow the grass if it has already gone dormant. Dive deeper into mowing with our best lawn mowing tips.
- Avoid foot traffic on your lawn during the winter. Cold weather stiffens grass blades which may snap when stepped on.
How To Care for Indoor Plants in the Winter
- Poinsettias are beautiful holiday flowers. Look for ones that aren’t being displayed with plastic sleeves on them. Sleeves are for transporting only. Once the poinsettia is home, poke holes in the foil to allow water to drain and prevent root rot.
- Check that houseplants aren’t placed in areas with a draft, as colder temperatures can damage houseplants.
- During the colder months there will be less sunlight, so make sure your houseplants are receiving the proper amount.
- When indoor plants become stressed due to insufficient light, overheated rooms or improper water, they are more prone to pests. Check indoor plants for spider mites, scale, mealybugs, whiteflies, and fungus gnats. Be aware of receiving new houseplants as gifts as well; they often harbor pests. If you're plagued by pests, consider our pest control services.
Winter Tree & Shrub Maintenance
- Now is a good time to prune deciduous trees (trees with leaves), evergreen trees, crab apple trees, flowering plumbs, and other pest-prone trees. Be sure to prune suckers (shoots which grow from the base of the tree) as well. Let the experts at NaturaLawn help you with our tree and shrub care service.
- Prune any dead or dying branches from trees and shrubs to prevent damage during winter storms.
- Remove snow from evergreen shrubs to prevent damage. Carefully tap the base of a branch. Be gentle, otherwise you may accidentally break the branch.
- Gather your own greenery for wreaths, table décor, and mantle pieces. Cedar makes a beautiful textured arrangement and adds the traditional holiday fragrance associated with Christmas. Winterberry may be available as well as the occasional holly, but trim judiciously as not to damage the plant.
Fruit and Vegetable Gardening in Winter
- Weather permitting, the lower zones (6 and south) will still be able to harvest cold weather crops.
- Add a second layer of row covers to protect any spinach or lettuce and they will continue to produce until temperatures drop too low.
- Continue to add mulch around crops. Straw, leaves, or evergreen branches are effective and inexpensive forms of mulch this time of year.
How To Prepare Flowers & Bulbs for Winter
- Pot amaryllis and paperwhite bulbs for beautiful indoor holiday color beyond traditional poinsettias.
- Cut down annuals and perennials, remove debris, and mulch the area for next year’s perennial growth.
- Ensure bulbs are properly stored in a dry, cool place, such as a cellar.
- Check bulbs, tubers, and bare root plants for disease or rot.
General Winter Maintenance & Other Items
- Assemble a winter emergency car kit and place it in your vehicle for long winter drives.
- Consider painting “spent” pots with holiday colors and filling them with festive plants.
- December can be dry. Water outdoor plants. They are subject to drought and frost damage.
- Head to your local independent garden center and purchase poinsettias, ferns, and paperwhites for some inexpensive, yet impactful, indoor holiday décor.
- Local independent garden centers may have sales on gardening equipment this time of year. Stock up on items you may need or get some Christmas gifts for the gardener in your life.
- Seed catalogs will begin arriving. Take some time to plan next year’s garden using your garden notes and photos. Here’s some advice on how to pick grass seed and the importance of reading a seed label.
- Empty any standing water around the property, unless it is heated. Turn over the container to prevent water from collecting, freezing, and then breaking the container over the winter.
- Clean off and sharpen lawn mower blades and garden tools such as shovels, spades, and rakes.
- Drain and stabilize the gas in lawn and garden equipment.
More Lawn Care Tips
At NaturaLawn of America, we pride ourselves on providing organic-based lawn care. We also strive to provide education and resources so that more and more people can practice eco-friendly lawn care by minimizing the amount of harsh chemicals put into the environment. Check out these articles for more lawn care tips for a greener yard and greener planet:
See all of our lawn care tips here.
Are you passionate about maintaining your lawn and garden, but want some help with the heavy lifting? Contact us today for your free lawn care and maintenance quote.
