Winter is here in Camas, Washougal, and Vancouver, Washington. With winter comes cold weather and dormancy. However, there are a plethora of tasks still left to tackle during these months as well. This article will discuss some services to consider during the wintertime.
Clean Up
Perhaps one of the simplest, yet often overlooked, winter chore is to thoroughly cleanup your yard. Fallen leaves, twigs and other debris should be quickly removed from your lawn. Allowing these debris to rest and decompose upon your lawn will have damaging effects, costing your more money to fix the problems later on. Removing weeds and other undesirable plants is another task of any good cleanup service. Doing these tasks now will make it easier to keep the yard looking great all year.
Dethatch and Aerate
Winter is a great time to aerate and dethatch your lawn. Dethatching consists of pulling up and removing the built-up debris (thatch) that is hiding out in your lawn. This debris blocks sunlight, air and moisture from penetrating the roots of your lawn. Leaving thatch unchecked will undoubtedly harm your lawn, creating more costly issues.
Aerating is a process by which small plugs are pulled from throughout your lawn. The holes that are left after the plugs have been lifted allow further penetration of air, moisture, and light. This creates a healthier, happier lawn.
Pruning and Trimming
Another vital winter task is to ensure your shrubs, trees, and bushes have been properly trimmed and pruned. Winter is the time these plants are, generally, dormant, and is, therefore, the best time to prune and trim them. Pruning and trimming have a positive impact on these plants, keeping them healthy and looking their best year-round.
Mulch
Winter is also a perfect time to add mulch or bark to your landscape. Mulch is not only beautiful to look at, but it also serves several purposes. Mulch blocks air and sunlight from germinating undesirable plant seeds, creating far less work in regard to weeding. Mulch also insulates your desirable plants against cold and frost, ensuring that they will be healthy come springtime.
Protect Plants from Frost
Another thing to consider during these chilly months is to protect your plants from the cold weather. Mulching, as we have already mentioned, is a great insulator. However, further steps can be taken to protect your more delicate plants. Wrapping or covering your plants with a plant wrap (or old burlap or plastic) will help keep them warm during the cold nights. You can also consider moving the plants into a greenhouse, raised bed, or cold frame as well, which will protect the plants continuously throughout the winter.
Perennials
During the colder temperatures, plants begin to go dormant and die back. By cutting these plants to within an inch or so of the ground, stops them from completely rotting the entire plant and enables them to grow back healthy in the spring.
This list could go on indefinitely, but one can easily see that there are plenty of maintenance tasks to complete, even during the winter. Urban Eden Landscaping works year-round, keeping your yard healthy and looking its best. We would love to help with your landscape needs, so give us a call at (360)567-6399, contact us here, or simply fill out our FREE online estimate request form. Stay warm this winter!