New Year, New Beginnings

The month of January is all about starting fresh, about setting personal goals and business resolutions, and about enjoying new beginnings. Have you done the work necessary to allow your lawn to flourish in the new year?

Here are a few things you can do to ensure your landscape, just like you, enjoys a fresh start in 2016:

Pruning

• Dormant season pruning: Winter is the best time of year to trim shrubs and trees to improve their appearance without putting them in shock. When deciding where to trim back your trees, look for weak or dead branches, low-hanging branches that block sidewalk clearance, or branches that stick out further than the rest. When trimming shrubs, thin out a few branches for a more aesthetically pleasing shape and spacing.
• Rejuvenation pruning: If you have any old, overgrown shrubs that aren’t as healthy as they once were, rejuvenation pruning can restore them to their former youthful appearance. To complete this type of pruning, remove one-third of the old, mature stems at ground level. Leave young vigorous branches to take over. Repeat this process once every three years, and by the end of the third season, your shrubs will be completely rejuvenated.

Trees

• Tree care: In addition to pruning your trees and shrubs during the dormant winter season, you can take other steps to set up your landscape for success in 2016. For example, to help prevent your trees from drying out during a winter drought, apply a thick layer of organic mulch around the base of the tree. If a big snowstorm is in the forecast, consider tying up any large evergreen trees you have with rope to reinforce the branches and help prevent breakage under wet, heavy snow.
• Tree removal: If your town experiences an ice storm, the trees on your property could be heavily damaged, requiring total removal. Heavy snow can even rip huge branches off trees. If these situations occur, it’s wise to have the damaged trees and branches removed as soon as possible to prevent further damage or unsightly appearance on your property.

Winter Cleanup

• Winter leaf cleanup: Fall is far behind us now, but some late-season leaves may still litter the ground. A dry winter day between snowstorms is the best time to remove these leaves before they become soggy and start harboring smelly mold and mildew. Allowing leaves to sit on your lawn all winter is also harmful to the grass beneath. Blocking out the sun causes the lawn to brown, and allowing mold to take hold can increase the chance of lawn fungus and plant disease. Rake up any remaining leaves to prevent this kind of damage in the new year.
• General debris cleanup: Litter may also collect on your property over time. If it’s been a while since you sent out a cleanup crew to pick up plastic bags, strewn paper and other debris, now is the time to get the job done. This cleanup improves the appearance of your property and helps ensure your lawn and plants stay healthy and strong until spring.

If you require pruning, plant care, tree removal or yard cleanup services, please contact The Grounds Guys. We provide these and other landscape services to help you accomplish a beautiful, healthy lawn for 2016.

To ensure your landscape enjoys a fresh start in 2016, The Grounds Guys provides seasonal services to prepare your landscape now for the coming spring season. Click here for an overview of how we can help you meet your landscaping needs.