The Winter Yard Work Checklist

You might not need to mow the lawn or weed the garden in the winter, but there is some seasonal yard work that you should take care of. To make sure you don't miss anything, we've put together a handy list of what to do now. Use this list to make sure your yard looks great when warmer weather rolls back around.

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Renovate Your Lawn

If you didn't reseed in the fall, it's not too late to start the lawn renovation process. This begins with a thorough raking to open up the ground and expose the soil. Next, the lawn should be leveled and reseeded as needed. Add fertilizer and humus or compost to keep birds from ripping up the seeds before they can germinate.

The advantage to renovating your lawn in the winter is that nature typically provides enough water to germinate the seeds by the spring. If you don't want to take a DIY approach to lawn renovation, there are plenty of lawn care professionals available for the job this time of year, many of whom offer special pricing and deals during the off-season.

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Clean Up

Leaves or debris that weren't removed in the fall will need to be taken care of now. Winter is also an ideal time to clean out flower beds and window boxes to keep fungus or mold from growing.

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Prune and Trim

Trim any branches in danger of falling onto your home before the first snowfall. Branches that are in the vicinity of power lines on your property should only be cut or trimmed by a professional.

For fruit-bearing trees and rose bushes, you'll want to prune them before they start to bud. You should also cut back overgrown bushes and trim non-fruit trees before they start to grow again. A professional pruning job will ensure your trees and branches are trimmed to what will be optimal fruit-bearing size in the spring.

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Control the Crabgrass

Your yard is filled with crab grass seeds waiting to sprout in the spring, but you don't want to take action against those just yet. Shortly before the temperature begins to warm up (usually not before the last week in February), contact a licensed professional to apply a pre-emergent.

If you have this pre-emergent applied too early, you could kill any of the new seeds you have planted. It's also important to note that because pre-emergent is a hazardous chemical, it cannot be applied by anyone other than a licensed lawn care professional.

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Plant & Plan Ahead

Winter isn't a great time to start up a vegetable garden, but it is ideal for planting bare-root trees and roses. Now is also the time of year when you'll get some of the best prices on trees and bushes.

The coldest months of the year are also the ideal time to contact a landscape designer or landscape architect about any major renovations you'd like to make to your yard. Most homeowners wait until spring to contact landscaping service professionals, but if you reach out during the winter months, you'll likely get better service and the best prices of the year.

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More Home & Garden:
Winter Storm 101: What to Do and Who to Call for Help
Last Chance To Winterize Your House If You Haven't Already
Home 101: How To Never Lose Power Again
How To Reduce your Heating Bills (And Still Stay Warm)

Sources:
Checklist: Winter Yard Work
Checklist: Winter Landscape Tips