Harsh winter conditions are right around the corner, and now is the time to make sure your landscape is ready. Here are our favorite winterization tips for your landscape!
Water Features
You have two options, and while most people opt for the shut-down service, they look really cool if you leave them running!
1) Keep It Going: this option requires a bubbler or heater to keep a hole in the ice and maintain proper levels. You’ll want to check water levels once per week and add water as needed.
2) Shut It Down: remove the pumps, clean the filters and pump screen inlet, and store the pump inside in a bucket of water. You don’t need to drain the water — simply rake out leaves or cover with netting. If you have fish, you’ll need to add a bubbler or aerator to oxygenate water and keep a hole in the ice.
Prune & Trim
Trim shrubs and shrub roses back to keep their shape. Renewal prune larger, older shrubs and hedges by removing 1/3 of the oldest (larger ) branches from the base of the shrub. Tree trimming and dormant pruning are best done while dormant. There is no energy (sap) loss and no disease or insects able to spread.
Protect Your Evergreens
Spray all evergreens (spruce, pine, boxwood, arborvitae, holly, fir, etc.) with Wilt Pruf (a wax-like substance that protects evergreen foliage from water loss) or equivalent anti-desiccant.
Do this once in November/December, once in January, and once in February. This practice along with regular watering will prevent winter-burn and winter-kill — dead spots that appear in spring or in severe cases kill the entire plant.
Install Rabbit Guards
Install rabbit guards on all trees (especially young trees & ornamentals)! White plastic corrugated pipe is preferred. Make sure it is tall enough to keep rabbits from reaching the bark when the snow is piled up. These guards come with an added bonus – they also help prevent frost crack!
Need Help?
Need help with winterizing your landscape? Call the professionals at Jensen Gardens at 402.253.8880.
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