How to Prepare Landscaping for the Winter

It may seem counterintuitive to make intense winter preparations for your Florida landscape, as the weather is generally still warm. However, this is far from the truth as the warm weather is the exact reason that you need to prepare. Your landscaping requires year-round involvement, whereas many other parts of the country are simply dealing with dormancy. While temperatures will drop marginally, Florida is not faced with the harsh cold of other regions. Winterizing your property is still important though, as encountering freezing temperatures is not out of the question. This possibility combined with an already existing need for a good-looking landscape year-round means planning for the winter is a pretty good idea. In this blog, we will discuss exactly how to prepare your landscaping for this coming winter.

Fertilize Your Lawn in the Fall

Simple yet straightforward, giving your lawn an extra boost of nutrients before it faces the prospect of a chilly winter is a best practice. While growth slows during the winter season, you can keep it steady and healthy by adding in nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. Think of fertilization as the addition of nutrients that your lawn and soil may find difficult to acquire on their own.

Irrigation Settings: When to Adjust

If you regularly utilize an irrigation system on your property, the time of year is approaching where changes must be made to the schedule and settings. Normal irrigation practices can occur through most of the winter, albeit less frequent, but when freezing temperatures approach, shut it off. Keep an eye on the weather to ensure that you do not freeze your pipes, or water your lawn in frost temperatures, damaging your turf.

Changes to the Mowing Schedule

As was aforementioned, turf growth will begin to slow as the winter approaches. This means that your mowing schedule will need to be adjusted accordingly, slowing from weekly, to every week and a half, to bi-weekly. If this is done by your landscaping professional, they should adjust on their own, but if done by yourself, try not to cut more than ⅓ of the blade at any given time.

Planting With Care

At Taylor Anthony, we have often discussed what to plant during each particular season in a variety of other blogs. With that being said, you cannot go on planting the same type of plant through the winter season, but rather learn which annuals are right for the season, and what perennials will survive the season. Do not overlook the importance of healthy perennials through the winter, as they provide a healthy green color to your landscape.

Insulate your Soil: Mulch this Fall

Preparing for the colder weather of the winter season can be a great time to begin mulching over your soil. This could be in plant beds, or under trees and shrubs. The benefits of mulch are far and wide, and with it being done in the fall, it will protect your soil, and add nutrients. This may be done after the first freeze for maximal protection. You can also save yourself some vital time in the spring, having already knocked mulching off the to-do list.

Commercial or Residential, Taylor Anthony is prepared to help you manage your landscape by providing the right solution for your situation and prepare your landscaping for winter, call us today at (904) 230-3386.