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Landscape Maintenance

Winterize Your Property

By October 26, 2021No Comments

Preparing Your Landscape for Winter

If you own or manage commercial property, it’s important you take steps to protect your landscaping as we move into the winter months. If your landscape isn’t taken care of before the temperatures begin to drop, your outdoor property may not withstand the snow and winter temperatures.

To save yourself a lot of work in the spring, simply follow these steps to ensure your commercial landscaping is ready prior to winter’s arrival:

1. Aerate
Snow causes compaction on grassy areas which can result in damage throughout winter months. By aerating, you’ll prevent the soil becoming too compact while allowing water, oxygen, and fertilizer to get to the roots more easily.

2. Seed Your Grass
Fall is the perfect season to seed your grass. As long as you seed a month before frost hits the ground, moderate temperatures and cooler evenings will contribute to quick germination.

3. Trim Grass and Shrubs
As growth at the end of fall drops to a near standstill, it’s the perfect time to take care of some trimming. You can cut your grass as short as possible to prevent it being damaged by frost. Shrubs and trees should also be cut all the way down to help encourage growth when the warmer weather returns.

4. Fertilize Trees
Adding fertilizer to trees in the late fall increases resistance to insects and diseases, and will encourage early growth in the spring.

5. Blow Out Irrigation
One of the most essential pre-winter tasks is to blow out your irrigation system. Failure to do so can lead to serious damage and potentially costly repairs. Any water left sitting in your pipes can freeze when the temperature drops, and cause the pipes to burst. By blowing out your pipes, all traces of water will be removed and your pipes will remain functional.

6. Plant Now for Later
Fall is the perfect time to plant shrubs and perennials. They’ll happily survive the winter and pop up in the early spring, creating the perfect curb appeal for your property.

7. Prepare for Snow
Particularly in the Okanagan, the valley can experience heavy snowfall. Remember to create easy-to-access snow load areas so that snow can be cleared and stockpiled or removed with ease. Ensure edges and roadsides are planned and designed so plows can easily see which areas need to be cleared.

By using these tips you’ll be ensuring your commercial landscaping will survive through the winter. To schedule landscaping maintenance and fall clean up, contact Okanagan Yard Works.