Your landscaping is a significant investment to keep your property looking beautiful, even though it is seldom seen during the harsh Utah winters. You need to protect your landscaping investment so your ornamental plants and shrubs can survive through the winter and bloom again in the spring. Here are 6 actions you can take to protect your landscaping during the winter.
1 – Prune Trees and Shrubs
One of the best actions you can take to protect your landscaping during the winter is to prune dead branches and cut back limbs that have grown too long. Keeping your plants well fertilized throughout the year will keep your branches and limbs strong. Trimming back branches that are close to powerlines and other more vulnerable plants and shrubs is also a good idea since these are often vulnerable during ice storms.
2 – Clear Heavy Snow from Flower Beds and Around Landscaping
Most plants can survive a little snow on top of them, but massive accumulations can break off limbs and stalks or even smother the plant completely. Brush away extra snow away from your plants with a broom and remove the top layers of snow from your flowerbeds. This will reduce the weight and pressure on the plants.
3 – Protect Plants from Wind Damage
Cold, winter winds are not the first thing you consider when you think about what you need to do to protect your plants from damage, but winds are often the most damaging winter element to your plants and shrubs. You should consider the impact of wind when planning your landscape design, but sometimes this isn’t practical. Add some decorative elements such as planters, stonework or statuary to block the wind to these plants. If that doesn’t work, or isn’t an option, cover them.
4 – Fence Off Ornamental Plants to Protect Them from Deer
Be aware of which plants in your yard are vulnerable to deer. Deer, especially during harsh winters, have no problem tearing away plant covering to get at your ornamental plants. If you know that deer are fond of the plants in your landscaping, consider fencing them off.
5 – Water Your Plants on Warm Days
When the ground is frozen, your plants and trees cannot absorb water from the soil. The best time to deeply water your plants and trees is before the first freeze hits, but did you know that you can water your plants during the winter on warm days? It’s true. You don’t have to water as often during the winter months, but this is one way to help keep your plants healthy and ready to bloom when spring finally arrives.
6 – Protect Landscaping from Snow Removal Equipment
You should never have landscaping too close to a road where piles of snow may smother your landscaping and excess salt may kill it. You also need to be aware of where you push piles of excess snow when you clear your driveway or parking lots to make sure that you don’t dump it into your landscaping. A good practice is to use containers for landscaping near the road so they can be moved away from the road when winter arrives.
Remembering to take these simple can assure the survival of your landscaping through even the harshest of Utah winters.
Need Help Protecting Your Ornamental Plants During the Winter?
Give us a call at (801) 569-2383 or click on our Contact an Expert green arrow on any page of our website to speak to a tree and shrub care expert to learn how Aeroscape can help protect your landscaping investment during the winter months.