The holidays have passed, and winter is here. We have a few months before spring will arrive, and these few months are important for some good maintenance on your landscapes.
January is one of the best months for planting and pruning trees, particularly oak trees. Trees are dormant this time of year, creating the best environment to maintain them, plant them or transplant them.
Here is a to-do list for landscaping and gardening in the Dallas/North Texas region to keep your lawn and landscape beautiful.
Planting: January is one of the best times of the year to plant or transplant hardy shade trees, fruit trees, nut trees, roses and evergreen shrubs. Take care to water them appropriately, keeping the soil moist yet not sopping wet.
You can also continue to plant pansies and kale for fall/winter color.
Watering: It’s time to reduce the frequency of watering, or even turn off your irrigation system for the winter.
If you need to check, repair or upgrade your irrigations system, please call us. We have licensed irrigators and trained technicians to keep your landscape healthy and flourishing.
Mulching: Check to make sure you have 3-4 inches of quality mulch in your beds and around all shrubs and young trees. Mulch offers several advantages for your plants. In addition to benefits in the summer time, it also can help with freeze protection for your fall plantings
Lawn Mowing: With cooler temperatures, your turf will start growing at a slower rate. Keep it mowed to its regular height during the fall and winter. It may need mowed only every two to three weeks.
Fertilizer & Weed Control: If you are planting pansies or other annuals for fall color, it is best to use a high nitrogen fertilizer a few times the first week after planting to get them off to a good start. Continue to fertilize pansies once a month through the winter season.
Pruning: This is the time of year for tree pruning. Pruning fruit and nut trees this time of year thins crowded branches allowing more light to reach developing fruits and nuts, and will improve next season’s harvest.
You should also prune your shade trees during this dormant period, especially oak trees. Trees are much less likely to contract illness and be infected by fungi during the winter months, and pruning during the winter allows the trees to undergo a natural healing process before spring arrives.
Clean Up: Stay on top of those fallen leaves and branches in your yard and beds. A clean, well-kept landscape keeps your property looking its best year-round. Call us if you need help with your clean-up project this winter.
Cold Weather: Be prepared to cover flowers, plants and shrubs that can’t withstand freezing weather. Have covers pre-cut and standing by to protect your investment in your plantings. It will probably help to have bricks or rocks to weigh down the covers to prevent them from blowing away. We’re Here to Help: If you need any assistance, we are here to help. High Quality Landscape Services has been creating beautiful landscapes and providing exceptional service to Dallas residential and commercial customers for 45 years. If you need landscaping services, maintenance, irrigation or chemical control, let us put our experience to work for you to create a beautiful landscape.
