Fall and Winter Landscaping Tips

With the arrival of fall and cold weather, it is essential to complete a few projects to keep your landscaping and garden protected through the dormant months. Prepare shrubs, trees and grass now and they will return healthy in the spring and will also leave you with a neat, well-tended landscape through winter. Much of this information is derived from checklists found on www.KRDOTV.com

Lawn: Although grass appears to stop growing in the fall, the roots are actually growing deeper to prepare for winter. Now is the best time to fertilize and reseed your lawn. Feeding the lawn early in autumn will give the roots a boost before winter arrives. A second feeding in late October will keep it winterized and strong through the freezing weather.

Note: a solid layer of ice on lawns, lasting more than a month, can cause suffocation or result in matting of the grass.

Crab grass: At this time of year your grass is full of millions of crab grass seeds waiting to sprout in the spring. Therefore, you want to be ready to spray with a pre-emergent about the last week of February, just before the temperature starts to warm up. However, you don't want to apply pre-emergent any earlier than February, as it would kill new seeds that you have planted. Plus, the chemicals are not as effective in the cold weather. Remember that you cannot apply pre-emergent yourself because it is a hazardous chemical which by law must be applied by licensed professionals.

Sod: If your lawn has some bare patches, early autumn is a perfect time to sod or reseed. Adding sod gives you an instantly perfect lawn that will be a pleasure when the warm weather returns. To firmly establish new sod, keep it moist for the first week after it is laid. After the first week, it can be watered as needed. Avoid having sod laid in hot, dry weather, as it will be hard for the roots to establish.

Pruning: Pruning is very important to encourage healthy growth in spring. Most pruning should be done after the leaves turn, indicating that the plant is dormant. A good rule of thumb is to prune spring blooming shrubs immediately after flowering and to prune summer blooming shrubs in the dormant season. Pruning late in the growing season will encourage new growth that will be damaged by frost.

When pruning, use caution to make a good cut at a slight angle about 1/4 inch from the branch. Clean from the inside out, removing crossing branches. Thin branches so they will not become too heavy with fruit. You should also cut back overgrown bushes and trim non-fruit trees before they start to grow again. Quality is more important than quantity. Hire a professional gardener to help with this delicate task.

Some shrubs need to be wrapped with burlap to protect them from frost. If you have experienced frost damage in the past, make sure to protect these plants before the temperature dips down. Spread a layer of mulch around the base of plants to provide insulation for the winter. Wait until spring to fertilize shrubs and trees.

Trees: Like most of the plants in your yard, trees need special care. It is important to keep tree limbs away from power lines and away from the roof of your house. Branches can easily pull down gutters or cause other costly damage if they are hanging over your house.

When planning to prune trees, consult with a professional arborist. He or she will know the best method for your species of trees and the correct time of year for pruning. A professional arborist will also know how to safely remove any troublesome branches. Typically, pruning should be done in early autumn or late spring.

Mulch: Add mulch around root ball areas; all plants benefit from mulch to conserve soil moisture. Plants in exposed sites are more subject to winter freezing and thawing, which opens cracks in soil that expose roots to cold and drying. Mulch and watering helps prevent these issues.

Flower beds: Now is a great time to clean out the flower beds, removing the fallen leaves and blossoms to avoid potential fungus and molds from growing.

Watering Tips: Water trees, shrubs and lawns during prolonged dry fall and winter periods to prevent root damage that affects the health of the entire plant. Water only when air and soil temperatures are above 40 degrees F with no snow cover. Apply water at mid-day so it will have time to soak in before possible freezing at night. Windy sites result in faster drying of sod and plants and require additional water. Monitor weather conditions and water during extended dry periods-one to two times per month without snow cover.

Established large trees have a root spread equal to or greater than the height of the tree. Apply water to the most critical part of the root zone within the drip line.

Dry air, low precipitation, little soil moisture, and fluctuating temperatures are characteristics of fall and winter in many areas of Colorado. Trees, shrubs, perennials and lawns can be damaged if they don't receive supplemental water. Long, dry periods during fall and winter will injure parts of plant root systems. Plants may be weakened and may die when temperatures rise. They may also be subject to insect and disease problems.

Plants Sensitive to Drought Injury: Woody plants with shallow root systems require supplemental watering during extended dry fall and winter periods. These include European white and paper birches; Norway, silver, red and Rocky Mountain and hybrid maples; lindens, alder, hornbeams, dogwood and mountain ash. Evergreen plants that benefit include spruce, fir, arborvitae, yew, Oregon grape-holly and Manhattan euonymus. Woody plants benefit from mulch to conserve soil moisture.

Newly Planted vs. Established Plants: Newly planted trees are most susceptible to winter drought injury. Woody trees generally take one year to establish for each inch of trunk diameter. For example, a two inch diameter (caliper) tree takes a minimum of two years to establish under normal conditions.

Trees obtain water best when it is allowed to soak into the soil slowly to a depth of 12 inches. Methods of watering trees include: sprinklers, deep-root fork or needle, soaker hose or soft spray wand. Apply water to many locations under the tree's drip line and beyond if possible. If you use a deep-root fork or needle, insert no deeper than 8 inches into the soil.

As a general survival rule, apply 10 gallons of water for each diameter inch of the tree. For example, a two-inch diameter tree, needs 20 gallons per watering. Newly planted shrubs require more water than established shrubs that have been planted for at least one year.

The following recommendations assume shrubs are mulched to retain moisture. In dry winters, all shrubs benefit from winter watering from October through March. Apply 5 gallons two times per month for a newly planted shrub. Small established shrubs (less than 3 feet tall) should receive 5 gallons monthly. Large established shrubs (more than 6 feet) require 18 gallons on a monthly basis. Decrease amounts to account for precipitation. Water within the dripline of the shrub and around the base. Plants transplanted late in the summer or fall will not establish as quickly as plants planted in the spring. Winter watering is advisable with late planted perennials, bare root plants, and perennials located in windy or southwest exposures.

Walkways and Patios: Walkways and patios can take a beating in cold weather. Shifts in temperature and humidity can cause concrete and brick to heave and settle unevenly. Keeping them free of water build up and debris will reduce the chances of winter damage. If you noticed water or ice accumulation last winter, take steps now to provide proper drainage. This can be as simple as adding a small gravel drainage channel next to a walkway, or fixing a gutter that drips onto steps.