Winter Preparation of Your Yard

Q: What should I do to prepare my yard for Winter?

A: What you do for your yard in the Fall can have quite an effect on what the weather does to it in the Winter.

Aerating
Lawn aeration is beneficial because it allows the ground to expand and contract as it freezes and thaws. This breaks apart compacted soil, creating more pore space in the soil for water and air to get in the following season (a good thing). It also reduces the grass thatch layer because the plugs that are pulled from the ground will break down and fill in the spaces in the thatch. Over time the thatch can be completely filled with soil. Bacteria that are naturally found in soil can then work to decompose the dead grass material, thus providing more nitrogen, and hence a greener lawn (you'll still need to fertilize in the Spring if you want your lawn to look its best, but this helps).

Tree Pruning
Another thing is PRUNE YOUR TREES! It sounds so simple, and perhaps unimportant, but few people actually do it. It takes maybe an hour per tree each year (less if you do it every year) and it can have a major impact on the health of your trees through the cold and snowy winter months. A well-pruned tree allows more wind to pass through it without breaking limbs, and it also allows more snow to fall through to the ground rather than collecting all on the branches. Trees that are pruned look better and are generally healthier all around.

Sprinklers
Some people like to have their sprinkler systems winterized. This consists of hooking up an air compressor and blowing all the water out of the lines. A few friends have told me that they only have pipes break when they do this, and not when they don't, so I'm not sure how mandatory it is. If what you've done for the last 47 years has worked in your yard, that's great! Don't change now. If you decide to have your sprinklers winterized let a professional do it for you.

Flower Beds
One more thing is to remember your perennials. Plants that are all leaves (daylilies, hostas, coral bells, etc.) should be cut to just a couple inches above the ground after they start to look mostly dead (or slightly alive). Allow the leaves to stay as long as possible because the plant is still using the green leaves to store energy in the roots so it can emerge next year. This especially applies to bulbs. In general, if your plant is a woody shrub (lavender, butterfly bush, spirea, etc.) prune in the Fall for aesthetics in the Spring. If it's herbaceous (lilies, phlox, asters), cut it down. You can prune, but don't cut down anything that's evergreen (most succulents fall into this category (don't prune succulents though)).