Spring brings blooming flowers and lush greenery and adds a pleasant hue of colors all around. Winters, however, prove hard for the landscape, causing plants and trees to die or dull down. Especially in countries like Canada, where the winters are extremely harsh and very long, caring for the landscape can be cumbersome.
As the snow covers the entire landscape, the extreme cold and excess water cause the landscape (grass and plants especially) to die. However, there are some simple measures that can be taken to ensure landscape health even during the harsh winter months with extreme snowfall.
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Some of the many measures which can be taken to preserve the landscape’s health during snowfall include the following standard practices:
The primary step of maintaining the landscape during snowfall is ensuring the grass patches are appropriately mowed. If your garden has high or tall grass, you must mow it down before the snowfall hits. This allows proper aeration of the soil and landscape.
Aeration is essential to prevent mold buildup caused as a result of snow by allowing proper circulation of air. To properly mow the lawn, you must ensure that you mow it slowly rather than being harsh. In addition, the length must be short enough to discourage small animals from inhabiting lawn grass.
Salt treatments are common during snowfall to prevent the buildup of snow on the roads and the walkway. However, salt can have adverse effects on the landscape. If you plan on salting the walkway, especially the areas around the grass edges, choose a calcium chloride treatment instead.
Salt causes damage to the soil by hindering its ability to absorb nutrients, thereby causing a sort of drought. In addition, it is advised not to keep de-icing salt bags near the grass as they can still leech into the soil. Calcium chloride serves as a great alternative.
Fertilisation is essential no matter the season. During winter months or during snowfall, you can also find slow-shooting fertilizers. These fertilizers release the nutrients slowly, thereby allowing ample time for the plants and grass to absorb them despite the lack of sunshine.
When shoveling snow, we often end up disposing of the excess snow on the lawn patches, thereby creating an enormous pile of snow on the grass. The more the amount of snow, the more damage the landscape and soil suffer. This also leads to higher snow mold concentration.
In the longer run, it makes it difficult for the soil to recover from the adverse effects. To avoid this from happening, it is essential to dispose of the shoveled snow properly, away from your grass patches, and even try to remove that which is already on your grass.
Utilize the sidewalks, and prevent yourself from walking on the grass, as excess footfall on the grass can lead to severe damage. Even though the grass is generally thought of as exceedingly resilient, it can get damaged by too much walking.
Additionally, when walking on snow, the pressure from your weight can cause extensive snow and water seepage into the soil. This would directly lead to increased snow mold in the soil and grass.
If you wish to maintain greenery during winter, choose evergreen plants instead of seasonals. Winters are known for causing leaves to fall down or turn brown. To avoid this from happening, planting evergreen plants is the ideal trick.
These plants stay green all year round despite the weather conditions. They are able to adjust successfully to varying temperatures and seasons and maintain their greenery.
Maintaining all your gardening equipment, including mowers, properly is crucial. Repair it as required or replace parts when needed. This also means sharpening the blades, adjusting the height, etc. Taking care of gardening equipment is essential during the winter months to prevent them from permanent damage.
If your region has suffered through a winter storm, which is quite common in Canada, it is essential to clear out your garden or lawn after that. While the cold weather would bring about feelings of letting things be, it is essential to brave through it.
During a winter storm, your lawn would have collected a lot of debris, leaves, branches, etc. This usually happens before the snow falls. Clearing this up is crucial because if it gets collected under the snow, it can cause more damage to the soil.
When in the middle of winter, a few rainy days come along, you will see weeds making an appearance. These need to be taken care of. If you spot any weeds growing around your garden or lawn, cut them off instantly.
By taking quick action and trimming it down as you spot it, you would prevent them from gaining a firm hold of the soil, thereby reducing your work in spring.
If your lawn has patchy grass and there are a few “bald” spots, cover them up with a piece of pasture. This is vital because it prevents the snow from seeping directly into the soil. It also helps significantly with compactness and excess pressure caused by footfall.
By preventing these adverse effects, it also helps hinder soil erosion which is otherwise highly likely. Alternatively, you can plant seeds in the vacant spots so that as spring arrives, the grass can begin to grow in these spots.
Taking care of the landscape can be highly challenging, especially during the winter months. The lack of sunshine, the inability to properly water them, and the presence of thick and dense snow, which is a common feature across Canada, cause the landscape to experience highly harsh conditions.
However, by taking certain precautions, acting quickly and smartly, and knowing what your landscape needs, these months can be made a little more simple. This also benefits in the long run by reducing work when the snow melts and spring arrives.
References
https://caddetailsblog.com/post/7-tips-for-winter-landscape-care
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