One of the reasons we love Colorado so much is the relatively mild winters. Compared to northern and upper Midwest climates, we have it pretty easy here. Even so, your lawn, trees, and shrubs will go dormant during the cold season. To ensure lush new growth come spring, you should take a few steps this fall to prepare your grounds for its winter snooze.
1. Aerate the Lawn
By puncturing the soil and pulling out small, cylindrical plugs, your lawn enjoys more oxygen, nutrients, and water during its dormancy. With fall aerating, the turf has all winter to breath and drink in preparation for summer growth. Be sure to use the right aerating machine, though. Drums that only spike into the ground to poke holes, rather than pull some of the dirt out, may mean a repeat job after the spring thaw.
2. Treat Trees and Shrubs with Protective Spray
Our semi-arid Colorado environment delivers extremely parched winter air. Even the trees could use a little protective coating. At The Natural Way, Inc., we’ve developed products that protects plants much like lip balm does for us. With a treatment of our anti-desiccant and hydrating programs, your trees and shrubs retain enough natural moisture to avoid winter kill and to thrive.
3. Winter Water Your trees to Avoid Winterkill
During dormancy, trees still respire (exchange gases) and transpire (exchange water). Dry periods in winter can cause moisture stress in trees which can result in tree damage and deadwood. Watering your trees during warm periods in winter will help to alleviate winter kill due to moisture stress. The Natural Way, Inc. has winter hydration programs that include liquid organics to help the soil absorb and retain moisture. We inject this water/organic material directly into the root zones of your trees. When watering, water deep and long. We recommend putting out a fan type sprinkler for a couple hours in each location.
4. Winterize Your Lawn With an Organic Slow Release Fertilizer
Roots grow in cooler seasons and fertilizers can maximize that growth. In Winter, even though the lawn is dormant it is still alive and requires water and nutrients. Although a healthy lawn maintenance system includes regular fertilization throughout the growing season, when preparing for winter, your turf requires a different formula. The Natural Way, Inc. can put down a high-quality organic winterizer fertilizer.
5. Spray for Overwintering Insects
Those bugs that love to eat your flora will find places around your grounds to spend the winter. But the good news is, wintertime renders them most vulnerable to eradication. We apply a special non-toxic dormant, horticultural oil spray that coats insects to deprive them of air. Without air, the adults and larvae suffocate. Once treated, next summer will host far fewer pests in your trees and gardens.
You can perform these five activities yourself, or call in the professionals. The skilled, knowledgeable staff at The Natural Way, Inc., has all the tools at hand to help homeowners and commercial property managers winterize their landscaping. Fall will pass before you know it, so contact us today to winterize your yard or lawn before it’s too late!