It’s as important to winterize your commercial property landscaping as it is to have a regular commercial lawn care service. You’ve invested in the landscaping around your commercial property. It’s lush. It’s beautiful. It gives your customers a great first impression.
Now “winter is coming” and you need to have a plan and take steps to maintain your commercial property over the winter. That’s because if you don’t properly prepare for winter, you’ll end up creating extra work for yourself next spring.
We are Southeast Michigan’s leading landscaping company, offering services for landscaping, hardscaping and everything in between, for any season. Here’s what one of our satisfied clients had to say about our year-round commercial lawn care services.
J & S has been our landscape maintenance company for almost 13 years. J & S Landscaping handles all of our lawn cutting, yard management, snow removal, salting and landscape additions/removals. We highly recommend Jeff Stulberg and his company for any of your landscaping needs.
~ Robert W. Clark, VP, Resco Pet Products
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Here are X things to do now to winterize your commercial property.
Prepare your lawn
You pay us to take care of your lawn all summer; why not let us winterize it? Here are some of the steps we take when they’re necessary.
Aerate
That yellow-brown grass you see under the green grass? That’s called thatch. When thatch builds up, it starves the grass roots because it keeps nutrients from reaching them. De-thatch it in early fall with a vigorous raking. If you aren’t sure when to do it, call us; we’ll put you on our rotation for winterizing properties.
It’s also important to aerate and fertilize your lawn before winter strikes. Aerating your lawn breaks up the soil so that water, oxygen and fertilizer can get to the roots. Breaking up the soil in this way will also prevent it from compacting under the weight of heavy snow. You can do this with a garden fork in small areas but if your property is large, we will happily come out with a lawn aerator and get the job done for you.
Fertilize
You’ve de-thatched and aerated your commercial property’s lawn. Is fertilizing really necessary? Only if you want a healthy lawn next spring. Your lawn won’t use the fertilizer during its winter dormancy but the nutrients will be there to draw upon as soon as temperatures start to rise and the ground warms up.
Fertilizer isn’t just for the lawn, though. It will help keep your trees healthy over the winter, increasing their resistance to insects and diseases when spring arrives.
Drain sprinklers
If you don’t want to have to replace your sprinkler system, then make a note to drain it before the first frost. If you don’t, you risk damaging it. Any water remaining in the pipes and faucets will freeze. This can cause the pipes to break. It’s also a good idea to check the irrigation system and any miscellaneous hoses for cracks. Make note of what needs to be replaced now, but buy in the spring when sales pop up.
Trees and shrubs
Trimming trees and shrubs, even some plants, can protect them from heavy frost, snow and winds. That’s because if too much snow piles up on them, the weight could bend or break them.
Before the first frost, protect young plantings with burlap. Wrap trees with tree guards to protect them from rodent damage, and deer and other wildlife looking for food in the winter.
You can prune most plants in winter. Pruning in late winter, before spring growth begins, leaves fresh wounds exposed for only a short amount of time before new growth begins.
Leaf removal
Nobody likes raking leaves. That’s because it’s a job that has to be repeated several times. It’s tiresome and tiring. While allowing some leaves to stay on the ground after most have fallen, it’s really best to gather them up. If they’re left on the ground to rot, they prevent sun and rain to get to the grass.
Leaving them under bushes and around trees might be a good idea, as they will provide some nutrients back into the soil. But why not add organic mulch? Read on for why mulching in the fall can be a good idea.
Mulching
Mulching is a vital part of your plan to winterize your commercial property. This practice protects plants’ roots from freezing temperatures. Adding a 2-inch layer of mulch offers protection from weather fluctuations and keeps the soil temperature even. It also helps prevent erosion and water loss.
Although the benefits of mulch are many, it can be a tedious, time-consuming job. J & S Landscaping is Michigan’s leading mulch delivery company. We offer double shredded hardwood and cedar mulch, along with red, brown and black colored mulches.
As always Jeff and the crew at J & S have done a wonderful job placing 12 yards of cedar mulch around our house and in the flower beds. They are prompt, courteous and when they leave our home, they are so neat and tidy that you’d never know they’d been there to work–except for the beautiful look of the mulch! Highly recommend using J & S.
~ Carol M., Wixom, Michigan
Refresh your landscaping
Late fall is a good time to plant shrubs and perennials. Plant them now and you can look forward to a beautiful spring when they pop up, adding much-welcome color after dreary winter days.
Now is the time to divide and cut back most of your perennials. But perennials that bloom in the fall shouldn’t be divided until spring. Confused about when to cut back your plants? Or want help planning for spring? The landscaping experts at J & S Landscaping can advise you.
Adding color during the fall and winter isn’t impossible. Here are a few ideas.
- Plant fall annuals like chrysanthemums in early October. Ornamental peppers and ornamental kale will provide color even into the start of winter.
- Create a fall, woodsy look. Add seasonal greens and berries to planters. Add branches, pine cones, even small pumpkins for some extra color.
- Want a holiday look? Wrap shrubs and planters with mini colored lights and tuck clear ornaments and bulbs among the plantings or under trees to give your property a festive look.
Prepare for Winter Now
Follow these steps to winterize your commercial property and protect your investment. If you need help with any of these tasks, contact us online or give us a call 248-366-7980.
