What is winterization?

Winter–can you believe it’s already time to say that word? It seems like just yesterday we were enjoying the crispness of freshly cut grass and now here we are, talking about prepping our lawns for the coming of frost. Unfortunately, the cold is coming sooner than you think and it’s vital for the health of your landscaping to get it winter-ready. Winterizing your lawn means preparing your grass and plants for the cold winter months.

Why is winterization important?

Like bears, plants also hibernate through the frozen season, but unlike bears, they aren’t as quick to hunt and gather their own food. That’s where you come in. To give plants a chance to grow back just as strong and healthy in spring, they need to be tended properly as they begin to respond to the changes in nature.

What’s involved with getting my lawn winter ready?

It starts with fall clean-up. Rid your yard of leaves, twigs, and any leftover summer debris (frisbees, soccer balls, sidewalk chalk–you know the drill). Once your lawn is clear, it’s time to begin winterizing.

Choose a winterizing fertilizer that will compensate for the changes in your plants. Winter fertilizers have high amounts of potassium to keep plants strong and more able to withstand the cold temperatures; typically, they’ll also include small amounts of nitrogen for leaf and stem growth and phosphorus for root health.

Winterization for Your Irrigation System

After so many months of heat, it’s hard to believe that the temps are about to drop–and stay there. But they are supposed to fall next week.

Each year before the first freeze, it’s vital for the health and wellness of your irrigation system to winterize. The term for this is a “blow out” and it refers to getting everything out of your pipes before they freeze. Cold pipes that have water in them may crack or break under the pressure of changing weather. And if that cold water seeps into the mechanisms and freezes, you’re in much hotter water (no pun intended) than mere pipe damage.

To minimize the risk of freeze damage, you’ll need to winterize your irrigation system. Winterization includes draining of any excess water from the pipes and shutting down your backflow preventer and irrigation system. This service protects your sprinkler system during the winter months by preventing major problems including broken backflow preventers, broken pipes/heads, leaks and other issues that can occur with frozen pipes.

Fall is not only the perfect time to plan ahead for winter, but is actually a great time to plan ahead for spring, too! Install a new irrigation system now–before the ground freezes–and be ready for all your spring blooms. As if that wasn’t enough, Stork Landscaping also offers winter discounts. Learn more about our irrigation services here; and call today and get winter (and spring) ready!