Our Wichita, KS Landscaping Company Delivers Seasonal Advice Before the First Snowfall
The end of warm summer days and crisp autumn ones does not mean there is nothing left to enjoy in your winter landscape in Wichita. In fact, there is plenty to do to prepare your garden beds for the cold season and plans to be made earlier in the year so that you can gaze out at winter color and textures. Make the most of your landscaping before and after the snow falls by following these tips from Meadowlark Landscape & Design, your favorite Wichita landscaping service.
Ask Our Wichita Landscaping Service to Prepare Your Garden Beds
Depending on the type of plants in your landscape, you will need to prepare your garden beds for the winter season.
In late autumn, add compost on top of the beds to allow the soil ample time to soak up nutrients before the ground freezes. A layer of straw or mulch can help prevent erosion, as will planting a cover crop, such as a hardy native grass.
For your vegetable garden, cover it with a layer of plain cardboard for the winter season until it is time to plant. This is a great way to prevent weed emergence when the temperatures warm.
Ask Our Landscaping Company to Protect Your Trees
A Wichita landscaping company like Meadowlark will not advise you to prune trees or shrubs before winter - unless absolutely necessary for safety reasons. Wait until the spring to do so, because your trees will want to grow after being trimmed. You may need to protect your small trees and shrubs from heavy snow by adding a wooden structure to help support them. Chicken wire fencing just inside the structure, filled with shredded leaves, will keep young trees warm and upright throughout the season. Some people prefer to use wood stakes and burlap in lieu of the chicken wire method. Consider tree wrap for young fruit trees to protect them from deer and other hungry critters. It also will help prevent winter injury from freezing and thawing, which can cause the bark to split.
Plant Shrubs and Trees with Unique Bark Textures or Berries (When Seasonally Appropriate)
To add interest to your winter garden, you will need to plan ahead. One great way to do this is to select trees and shrubs that - once their leaves have fallen - show off unique bark textures and colors. Trees such as river birch, dawn redwood, or paperbark maple have orangey-brown peeling bark. Lacebark elm has a multicolored bark that is self-exfoliating, while crape myrtle has gray exfoliating bark. The American sycamore features mottled exfoliating gray bark that flakes off to show off a white, gray, and brown underlayer. A variety of viburnum shrubs produce colorful berries and fruit. Consider also beautyberry and holly to add pops of color to your winter landscape. Our Wichita landscaping service can help you select the right trees or shrubs and make a plan to plant them at the right time.
Add a Garden Bench, Sculpture, or Arch in Your Winter Landscape
If it is a little late in the season to plant winter landscape plants, you can, at the very least, add texture and beauty to your garden by adding hardscaping such as a bespoke garden bench, small sculpture, or an arch over a stone path. Even if it is too chilly to sit outside to enjoy it, you can catch glimpses of these upgrades through your windows - and you can daydream about the upcoming spring and the time you will spend outdoors.
Plant Four-Season Perennials in Your Wichita, KS Landscaping
Just because winter is here does not mean you have to sacrifice all the color in your garden. Our Wichita, KS landscaping company can suggest four-season perennials that look great in your winter landscape.
Some perennials sport evergreen foliage, such as dianthus or hellebores. Tall sedum and black-eyed Susan show off their seedheads even during the winter - all you have to do is leave them standing.
Book Our Wichita, KS Landscapers to Keep Your Lawn and Garden Looking Great All Year
Backyard oases and curb appeal are in demand and always on trend. You do not want to miss out on the chance to partner with our landscapers in Wichita, KS, to keep your outdoor spaces looking their best.
To get on our schedule for seasonal landscape care, or to sign up for lawn care for the coming spring, contact us today, either by phone at (316) 880-0227, or by sending us a message via our website.
Someone from our team will get back to you as soon as possible and talk to you about how we can help you love your landscape again.