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Whether you love the ski season or you prefer summer sun, most of us can agree there’s one nice aspect of Boise Winters: fewer outdoor chores. However, picture your future self trying to green up your landscaping in the Spring. Every year, when the weather thaws, many homeowners are frustrated by brown patches, dead undergrowth, and even broken pipes. With a little preparation, your future self can start next season with a gorgeous yard. Be good to future you. Let’s cover the tips and tricks professionals use to keep their green spaces looking excellent year-round.
Protect Your Sprinkler System
Step one in your winterization endeavor is a sprinkler blowout. This is a crucial winterization process for irrigation systems in Boise, where we experience freezing temperatures. The procedure uses compressed air to clear water from the sprinkler lines and components, preventing ice from forming inside. If water is left in the system during cold months, it can expand as it freezes, leading to cracked pipes when Spring arrives. Regular maintenance and timely blowouts can extend the lifespan of your sprinkler system and provide peace of mind. You can do it yourself, but it isn’t ideal unless you have an industrial grade air compressor with the proper attachment. Professional blowouts are generally affordable and easy.
Winter Fertilization
Some people are surprised when they find out lawn fertilizer isn’t exclusively for the growing season. There is a trick to the type of fertilizer you should use for winterization. Professionals always opt for a low nitrogen fertilizer in the Fall because it primarily promotes root growth, which helps plants to survive the Winter, rather than excessive top growth that could be susceptible to damage from cold weather. Too much nitrogen in the Winter can also leach out of the soil before the plant can use it, making it less effective and potentially harmful to the environment.
Leaf Clean-Up
It can be tempting to look the other way on those final piles of leaves, especially after you’ve already raked a few times. Unfortunately, everywhere the leaves stay, they foster mold growth. Removing leaves helps prevent lawn diseases, allows better sunlight penetration, and promotes air circulation, ensuring that the grass can breathe and remain healthy through the colder months. Leaf cleanup prepares your outdoor space for a robust Spring resurgence, setting the stage for vibrant growth and a thriving landscape. Future you will be so grateful.
Lawn Length
Shorter grass can help prevent snow mold and other diseases that thrive in longer, damp grass during the Winter months. By trimming the grass to a height of about two to three inches, you reduce the amount of moisture that can accumulate, thus minimizing the risk of fungal growth. Shorter grass blades are also less likely to weigh down and bend under the weight of snow, allowing air circulation and sunlight to reach the soil more effectively once Winter has passed. This proactive step can lead to lush growth when the warmer weather returns.
Extra Lawn Steps to Ensure Excellence
Aerating your lawn in preparation for the Winter months is a highly beneficial practice that can significantly improve the overall health and resilience of your grass. As the weather grows colder and the ground begins to harden, your lawn's root system can become compacted and restricted, limiting its ability to absorb the essential nutrients, water, and oxygen it needs to thrive. Aerating the soil by punching small holes or slits throughout the lawn allows these vital elements to penetrate down to the roots more effectively, giving your grass a much-needed boost as it enters its dormant state.
Dethatching your lawn has a similar result. Thatch is the layer of dead and decaying organic matter that can build up between the soil and green blades of grass. Over time, this thatch layer can become excessively thick and can lead to a weak, patchy lawn that is more susceptible to disease, pests, and winterkill. Dethatching uses a specialized tool to aggressively rake and loosen the thatch, exposing the soil below.
Overseeding involves spreading grass seed over an existing lawn, adding a fresh layer of growth to fill in bare spots and thicken the overall turf. This is particularly important in the Fall, as the cooler temperatures and increased rainfall provide ideal conditions for new grass seedlings to take root and establish themselves before the arrival of Winter. Make sure you select the correct seed type. Seeding can be done by hand, or you can use a spreader for larger lawns.
Don’t Forget Your Hose
Your hose bib, or spigot, is an often overlooked part of winterization since it is so close to the house. But many hose bibs are not sheltered from freezing temperatures. You can protect your source of water with an easy insulated cover.
Pruning
This last step really lays your landscape to rest. By carefully removing any dead, damaged, or overgrown branches, you'll not only tidy up the appearance of your yard, but you'll also promote healthier growth for the coming year.
Start by inspecting each tree and shrub closely, identifying any areas that need trimming. Use sharp, clean pruning shears to make cuts just above an outward-facing bud or branch, angling the cuts slightly to allow water runoff. Be sure to remove any branches that are crossing or rubbing against each other, as this can create entry points for pests and diseases.
Now for your flower beds. Some perennials, like hostas, daylilies, and peonies, should be cut down to the ground in the Fall after the first frost to prevent Winter damage. Others, like mums and coneflowers, can be cut back in the Spring before new growth appears. It really is a matter of aesthetic preference. If any perennial has a disease or insect problem, it should be cut in the Fall to prevent the infestation from spreading.
Also, there is a special exception for lavender. Pruning lavender is important because it drives energy away from the plant surface and down into the roots, which is what you want for the Winter. But you should only prune up to a third of the plant instead of cutting down to the ground, and definitely don't cut into the woody parts. This helps develop a tight, compact, shaped base that will keep the plant healthy for years to come.
Final Step: Enjoy Your Idaho Winter.
Whether you like a steaming latte in Hyde Park, a trip to Bogus to hit the slopes, or a walk through the Caldwell Christmas light display, Winter is a magical time. And now your yard is ready to make it through unscathed. You’ll see your plants again in the Spring, and if you follow our steps, it’s going to be your greenest year yet.
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