5 Tips to Prepare Your Lawn & Landscape for Winter

Playing in the snow and spending time with family during the holidays are always things to look forward to in the colder months, but it’s important to start thinking about preparing your lawn for winter and the frosty weather that comes with it. Whether it’s winterizing your irrigation system or starting your lawn mower maintenance routine, make time for these five tips in the midst of your winter schedule. 

Outside of our local and top-rated lawn care services in Shawnee, KS, Overland Park, and the Kansas City metro area, let’s take a look at some of the simple, effective ways to protect your home and lawn this winter as well as how Ryan Lawn & Tree can help.

1. Lawn Mower Maintenance

Lawnmower maintenance at any time of year is important but winter is the perfect time to double and triple check all things mower-related. 

First, be sure to change the oil and drain the gas in your lawnmower. This can also be an excellent time to make sure your weed eater and other tools are full of fresh oil for the winter. There is nothing worse than having to spend money on a repair when a quart of oil or draining the gas would’ve done the trick instead.

Next, be sure to sharpen your blades before the cold weather hits. Come spring, you’ll be happy your mower is ready to cut its best — shortening the time it takes to finish your lawn Consider taking your mower to a small engine expert like Maisch Small Engine in Kansas City for a full lawn mower service before storing it away for winter.

Lastly, you should lower your lawnmower’s height for the next few times you mow your grass. If your grass is left too long in the winter, there is a chance of damaging your mower on your first mow of the spring. As a general rule, cut your grass to around ¾” before winter. Longer grass can freeze together and this constant freezing and thawing can damage your grass.

2. Winterize Your Irrigation Systems & Pipes

Don’t risk the unnecessary dangers of not properly unplugging your hoses, insulating your pipes, and blowing out your irrigation system for winter.

Leaving a hose or your sprinkler system full of water exposed to the elements will inevitably lead to it freezing and potentially shattering. It is best practice to bring the hose inside and only bring it out when watering is needed.

Insulating your pipes and water heater can save you money this winter, with little work required. Even raising the water temperature in your pipes by a few degrees can make a serious difference in your water bill this year.

Winterizing your irrigation system by blowing out the leftover water is crucial to preventing costly, avoidable damages. A professional from Ryan Lawn & Tree with an air compressor can ensure your irrigation system remains functional for years to come. The last thing you want is to discover halfway through winter that you will need to buy an entirely new system.

3. Trim Your Trees

In a lot of ways, winter can be the best time to prune your trees. But it is important to know which branches need to be trimmed.

You always want to make sure you remove any dead or dying branches as soon as you can. Winter snow and ice storms can be dangerous if dead tree limbs fall on your property or loved ones. You should also be prepared to trim branches that are located in places dangerous to people or animals, as well as branches that are overcrowding a tree.

With no leaves to block your view, you can more easily see a tree’s shape. This gives you a better look at its health and gives you the chance to have confidence in the branches you are deciding to cut. The expertise of Ryan Lawn & Tree makes these decisions simple and hassle-free.

4. Seal the Exterior of Your Home

Two things, in particular, are critical when it comes to sealing your home for the winter. Leaks due to cold air getting in or hot air getting out. And rodents finding their way into your home.

The cost of heating a home can be burdensome, and anything you can do as a homeowner to keep that cost low and stay warm is worth doing. Look for spaces in between your windows and floorboards for any noticeable air leakage. Doors are also a common place where hot air will leave your home and cool air will enter. 

Rodents feel the weather changing as well, and quickly move into the warmth of houses in search of food and water. It is very common for homes to become infested in the winter by mice and rats. Physically sealing off any opening around the exterior of your house is critical to preventing such an infestation. If you want protection, Rodent Guard can be used by Ryan Lawn & Tree to significantly reduce rodent presence on your property. 

5. Clean Up Your Lawn & Protect Your Trees

In the winter months, you have to make sure you both continue to clean up leaves from your yard and continue to care for your trees.

Not raking your fallen leaves can cause real damage to the health and beauty of your lawn. It can cause dead brown spots to appear, as well as insects and pests, to find a new home in your front yard. We know it can be a hassle, but at Ryan Lawn & Tree, we are happy to haul leaves away and return that yard to its former glory.

In winter, trees face challenges from both the weather and animals and need to be looked after closely. Both ice and deicing salt can cause damage to your trees. It is smartest to allow a professional to handle these, as often the attempts to fix these problems cause even more harm to the trees. Animals such as mice and rabbits will eat at the base of your trees. It is crucial to defend against this by installing protection at your tree trunk and with Rodent Guard again being a good option for those serious about saving their trees.

Let RYAN Help You Prep For Winter

The thought of all of this maintenance can certainly seem overwhelmingly, especially as the winter months near. But each one of these tips will undoubtedly bring a tangible difference to preparing your lawn for winter and your wallet.

If you have any questions or would like to earn more about how your RYAN Pros can work with you to achieve your lawn, landscape and home goals, please feel free to contact your nearest Midwest location today!