Next May, when you are strolling around on a plush lawn under healthy trees, you can thank your landscaper for preparing your property this month before the harsh winter. Peter Liberatore of Bednar Landscaping in Boonton has the following recommendations to ensure a healthy and happy landscaping season in 2022:
• Thatch, aerate and overseed in the fall. Many lawns took a beating this summer with the dry, hot weather, and it is vital that your landscaper removes all the dead grass and aerates, which pokes holes in the hard soil to promote better grass growth.
• Remove leaves as quickly as possible. Leaves, especially wet leaves, will leave the grass susceptible to mold and dead patches.
• Clean up all acorns. If they are not removed, they will start to root in the spring and will have to be pulled out, causing lawn damage and additional expense
• Put mulch around your bushes and trees. Not only does it look good, but it protects the root bases of your plantings from the cold and windy winter weather.
• Use burlap wrapping around plants and bushes. This protects plantings from the snow and especially the wind, which causes windburn, particularly to holly bushes, skip laurels, and rhododendrons. Also, having your bushes and plants sprayed with wilt spray is a good idea, which will prevent browning that could last into the summer.
• Remove weeds. Treating weeds all year round is vital, especially in the fall. People often think they will die out, but they go dormant and rebound in the spring when the weather gets warm. The idea is for good grass to choke out the weeds rather than vice versa.
• When all leaves are cleared, use a winter fertilizer and liming treatment to winterize the lawn.
You can learn more about Bednar Landscaping at www.bednarlandscape.com.
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