Now is the time to be getting your Glenview lawn and garden ready for our cold winter ahead. Just because summer has ended, it doesn’t mean that there still isn’t maintenance to do on your lawn or you should just let your garden go.
Here are some tips to help you prep your lawn and garden now to make it be the greenest lawn and the prettiest garden on the block come next spring.
Mother Nature was Not Kind to Our Lawns
Spring 2010 and 2011 were both extremely cold and wet, which prevented the roots from forming on our lawns to support our grass during the summer months. Along with this set-back and the heat of the last two summers – we experienced an early heat in May and never gota reprieve all summer – Mother Nature has wreaked havoc on our cool season turf grass.
Thankfully, it has cooled off this September, and we have had a wonderful warm fall with absolutely no hard freezes, which has allowed our grass the chance to recover. Hopefully you already applied a lawn fall fertilizer in September and have given your grass the building blocks to grow new roots before the cold sets in.
Now is the time to apply a lawn winterizer fertilizer before the end of November. This will allow the roots and rhizomes to continue to grow, as long as the soil temperatures stay above freezing, and create a foundation for a full thick lawn, which will keep weeds from growing next year.
Remember, after fertilizing, to continue to water adequately up until the soil freezes solidly. This usually is the first week in December, but remember to watch the weather so that Mother Nature doesn’t sneak up on you and freeze your pipes with water still in them.
Fall Gardening Musts
Now is a great time to rearrange your Glenview garden. Divide and transplant overgrown perennials to allow a better spread next spring. Make sure to continue to water them to get enough moisture to re-establish the roots.
Take advantage of plant sales at our great North Shore nurseries to get a good start on your spring blooms and fill in gaps in your garden with bulbs that will establish and bloom in the spring.
Take the time to sketch or map your garden with the plants that you’ve added, or divided, so that once your garden is dormant, you can have a visual reference over the winter to help you remember where everything is planted and to help you make changes come spring.
Once your foliage begins to deteriorate, cut back perennials slowly to prevent shock and pinch off dead blooms to keep your garden looking neat. Remove or compost any dead foliage from your garden.
Of course, leave all your plants that provide winter interest such as any ornamental grasses, sedum and Echinacea. Also, be aware of any newly planted or divided plants that can provide winter protection with their foliage.
Just because winter is approaching, it does not mean that your lawn or garden does not warrant care. Curb appeal is alive and well in any season, so take the time to make sure your exterior looks its best at all times.
If you are looking to sell your Glenview home this winter, The Marla Schneider Team can tell you what your home is worth using a free Comparative Market Analysis. Contact us today to help you with all your real estate needs.
Comments(2)