5 Late Winter Tips for Your Landscaping

 

5 Late Winter Tips for Your Landscaping

Although temperatures in the Chicagoland area can tempt us to stay indoors, the late winter weeks we are in now are a great time to start preparing for spring’s arrival and to get your yard prepared! We have 5 tasks for you to tackle before spring has sprung! 

1. Paint

Before you move into the yard area with the planting and growing aspect of your landscaping, take a look at the wear and tear from your outdoor spaces. There will likely be chipped paint and cracked wood by your garden fences or even your deck and patio. The winter frost will certainly have caused some deterioration but luckily a little paint can spruce up the fences and shutters and brighten up your landscape quickly and easily.

2. Mulch

Since mulch helps the soil in your garden stay moist, it is important to start the process early by mulching. Mulching your landscape early will ensure that your garden is flower and shrub ready by the time spring arrives. Adding mulch in late winter will also allow nutrients to enter the soil more early on and will help your plants pop more quickly in the early spring months. 

3. Prepare Seating Area

Since we have to store our outdoor furniture during the snowy wintry off-season, it is important to take out any furniture and get it cleaned up before you will want to display it in your yard. A bit of soap and water can go a long way when cleaning the exterior of your lawn furniture and a quick toss in the washer and dryer for your cushions and slipcovers will make a big difference when you are hosting your first garden party. 

4. Turn Soil

Now that the snow seems to be out of the way, it can be time to start turning the soil for this season. If you can add fertilizer or compost, your plants will certainly be grateful. Much like the mulch, these products can add much-needed nutrients to the soil, and the sooner you can do it the better. By turning the soil and adding fertilizer or compost early, you are creating the perfect place for flowers to thrive and blossom in the coming months. 

5. Prune

Pruning is one of the most important parts of your late winter landscaping effort. Making sure to prune allows you to help your shrubs and bushes grow their best and fullest during the spring months. Make sure you pay close attention to the type of plant that you are pruning since some of them require very specific cuts in specific areas. Before you prune, make sure that you inspect trees and bushes for broken or dead branches. These need to be removed and cleared away so that you can create a safe place for your plants to grow where they can thrive.

 

Call Apex today so we can help you tackle this late-winter to-do list! We can help you create the outdoor space that you are dreaming of come spring and cross these chores off of your end-of-winter list!