With winter just around the corner, many Alabama homeowners and property managers are looking forward to a few weeks of low-maintenance yard work. While your landscape doesn’t need as much attention during the winter as it does during warmer months, you shouldn’t ignore it completely!
Although our southern Alabama winters are milder than most, they can still wreak havoc on your landscape if you aren’t prepared. Proper winter care will help your lawn and landscape survive the cold and dormant season and ensure a lush, healthy lawn come spring.
To help you care for your own winter wonderland, here are our top 3 winter tips for your Alabama landscape.
Keep your lawn clear.
Fall brings football, fires, and falling leaves. As winter approaches on the Gulf Coast, temperatures drop and grass growth slows, leading many to retire their mower until spring. All too often this results in winter lawns that are still coated with a thick blanket of fallen fall debris (and discarded outdoor furniture).
This problem isn’t just an eyesore, but can also smother your lawn, lead to harmful diseases and mildew, and create an inviting home for insects and damaging pests. That’s why it is extremely important during the winter to keep your lawn clear of debris, both organic and man-made.
If your lawn debris is thick, saturated, or matted, it’s best to rake and remove it. If it isn’t too thick or wet, run a mulching mower with the bag removed to recycle organic debris back into your soil as compost. Or, you can attach the bag and use it to…
Apply winter mulch.
Mulch is a great addition to your landscape year-round because it conserves water, prevents weeds, and controls soil erosion. During the winter, mulch has the added benefit of keeping your soil warm and protecting vulnerable plants from damage caused by fluctuating temperatures.
The good news is, the pine straw and other organic debris you’re clearing from your lawn makes a great (and free) mulch. Pine straw is lightweight, allows your soil and plants to breathe, and is particularly good for our region’s acid-loving winter plants.
For best results, apply 2-3 inches of fresh mulch in garden beds and around trees and shrubs before the first winter freeze. Be sure to leave some space around the base of your plants to avoid root rot.
Add a splash of seasonal color
The pale hues and weak sunlight of winter leave many people feeling a little blue. Lucky for us, our mild Gulf Coast winters mean we don’t have to wait for April showers to enjoy a splash of seasonal color. We can bask in a lush and vibrant landscape all year-long!
Perennial plants like camellias, witch hazel, winter jasmine, and forsythia can be staple pieces that provide years of winter and early spring blooms. Add winter annuals like pansies, snapdragon, ornamental kale and cabbage, or pansies into garden beds and containers for an immediate pop of vibrant color.
For a stunning winter landscape, try mixing cool-season plants with hardy evergreen shrubs for the perfect combination of color and texture.
Let Chad’s Landscape Management handle the winter work for you!
If your perfect winter season is spent lounging in front of a cheerful fire instead of outdoors maintaining your landscape, call Chad’s Landscape Management! From lawn and plant care to irrigation systems and beyond, our landscape maintenance services are designed to keep your home or business landscape in optimal health and beauty year-round. Contact us today!
