Winter Landscape Maintenance in Gainesville

It may not be snowing, with blizzards and negative temperatures, but winter still affects your Florida lawn. It still gets cold, and sometimes freezes, in Gainesville. Protecting your plants and keeping your lawn green makes a big difference for curb appeal! Help your landscaping stay healthy and beautiful even on the bleakest of days with this simple guide.

How to Keep Grass Healthy in the Winter?

It's easy to neglect the lawn in winter, especially in the busy holiday rush. Keeping your grass healthy is important. Don't make the mistake of fertilizing too late! For North Florida, the latest recommended time to fertilize is September.

Waiting too long makes your grass susceptible to growth during cold weather, increasing its sensitivity to the cold. Another important aspect of lawn care is cleaning up any debris or leaves, so as to avoid any disease or pests. Want green grass all winter long? Overseeding is a great way to achieve this! Overseeding is just one of our winter lawn care tips.

Prune Your Plants

The winter is a wonderful time to prune plants because most plants go dormant in this season. Their normal functions are slowed down, giving them plenty of time to recover-- and grow back even more beautiful-- in the spring. Some plants even shed their leaves in the winter, giving you a clearer view of where to cut. Trim any overgrown shrubs, hedges, or other plants, and remove damaged tree branches in your yard. Be sure not to trim excessively, however, so your plants still look natural. If you aren't sure how much to cut or need expert pruning advice, talk to the friendly professionals at LawnMore.

Mulch It Up

Mulch is a common landscaping feature, especially in the winter. As the base of plants, it insulates roots against the cold night air by absorbing and retaining sunlight during the day. It's an appealing and attractive filler for barer areas in your Gainesville landscape. Mulch can help control erosion and water loss, prevent weeds, and improve the soil. It can be raked occasionally, and plants can be watered if there's a lack of rainfall.

Protect Your Plants from Freezes

Newly planted trees or plants need careful and continued watering through the winter, as their roots are still growing and rain is reduced in Florida winters. Less hardy plants can be covered with fabrics and frost blankets to protect against frost, as plastic coverings cause leaves to collect condensation and be burned in the sunlight. Potted plants can also be moved to warmer, sheltered areas. Keeping an eye on the unpredictable Gainesville weather is essential, so as to protect plants from low temperatures and freezes. If you have a larger plant, you can wrap it in cloth or newspaper, and remove coverings when the temperature rises above freezing again.

Brighten Your Landscape

Make your landscape design stunning this winter by making use of hardscaping. This lets you enhance your yard with minimal upkeep. Adding walkways, trellises, decorative rocks, gravel, and even outdoor lighting, are all wonderful ways to update your landscape design. Even colorful gardens, though they require a little more maintenance, can be a beautiful addition. Flowers such as pansies, snapdragons, petunias, and amaryllis are great choices.

Maintain and improve your winter landscape with LawnMore!

Our experienced team is happy to help you with your Gainesville landscaping needs. We've seen many Florida winters and know just what to expect. We work with you to give your landscape the best protection while keeping it healthy and beautiful!