Tuck plants in for a cold winter nap



When the temperature bottoms out, many plants fall into such cold, hard times they don't bounce back. Before the temps hit sub-zero this weekend, however, there's still time to give these plants the TLC they need to survive the bitter cold.

Start by grabbing hold of Saturday to water the lawn one more time. Give plenty of water to slopes and south and west facing areas because these will be the driest areas. This moisture is not only good for the sod, but will also deal with mites that thrive in dry turf. Moisture is one of the best and easiest remedies for these pests. After watering, remember to un-hook the hose.

Next job: seek out your most tender plants to give them extra protection against the cold. Bear in mind that many of our low-water plants that thrive in the dry summer may not be cold hardy in near-zero temps.

To protect these plants, mulch the bases either with straw or shredded wood mulch. Straw and shredded mulch are loose and fluffy and less apt to create the wet and soggy conditions we need to avoid.

Common landscape plants to protect include:

• Grapes which need protection from the root crown and to about 18 inches up the canes. Because the mulch will be stacked high, wrap the pile with burlap to hold it in place.
• Other perennials such as: pansies, roses--including Meidiland and miniature roses, mums of the less cold-hardy varieties, hibiscus and some penstemon.
• Non-native or less hardy ornamental grasses such as Mexican feather grass, northern sea oats, Japanese forest grass, blood grass and pampas grass also need mulching, but the grasses will need to be cut down to about 6 to 12 inches before applying the mulch. Cover the mulch with burlap to keep it in place.

More about grasses. The more cold hardy grasses common in our landscapes include Karl Foerster and native grasses such as blue avena, blue fescue, little blue stem and switch grass. They are generally left uncut during the dormant season to provide winter interest. However, if grasses get broken down by heavy snow, you may need to be cut them back before spring.

Enjoy your Saturday outdoors before the deep freeze hits. As the thermometer drops, take heart in knowing that temps around zero eliminate certain landscape pests we're better off without. There's a warm silver lining in that cold, gray cloud!

Tip of the Week reprinted courtesy of Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado (ALCC) of which Foothills Landscape Maintenance, LLC is a member. ALCC is the only only professional organization for Colorado's landscape contracting industry statewide. Tip of the Week is copyrighted by Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado and may be forwarded or copied by its members provided proper credit is given to ALCC
Photo courtesy David Winger Landscape Photography.

Why should you just add water?

The entire landscape is thirsty!

Mother Nature has not supported her plant life well this fall. There's been little more than one inch of natural rainfall since early September and an unseasonably warm fall. This one-two punch has left both trees and lawns parched. They have been losing the moisture that needs to be replaced for the plants to remain healthy. Property owners need to step in and help.

Lawns. Drag out the hoses and run the sprinklers to water the grass. Pay special attention to lawns on south-facing and southwest facing areas and on slopes as they receive more drying sun than other areas and that makes them more prone to winter kill.

Water trees with a deep-root
watering device attached to a hose.



Trees. Next, move on to water the trees. Watering them is not as easy as watering the lawn. But remember that trees were one of the most costly investments when the landscape was installed and as they grow, trees become even more valuable. Caring for them properly is an investment in your ongoing property value.

The key to watering trees effectively involves understanding what the "drip line" is and how to water around it. To picture the drip line, envision a circle around the outer rim of the tree where rainfall will "drip" off and hit the ground. That imaginary circle is the drip line.

Next, do a little math to create another imaginary circle that is beyond the drip line. Calculate the new circle by multiplying the distance from the tree trunk to the drip line by 1.5. For example, if the drip line runs in a circle 10 feet from the tree trunk and you multiply 10 x 1.5, that outer circle will be 15 feet beyond the tree.

The donut area between the drip line circle and the outer circle is the most critical area for watering your tree. This is where the feeder roots live and grow and where you need to add the moisture.

Use a hose connected to a deep-root watering tool that you push well into the soil. This device gets water closer to the roots than watering the surface of the ground. Insert the watering tool in a zigzag pattern at regular intervals a few feet apart throughout the donut area outside the drip line. This process will take a little time and energy--but might be a good excuse to get out to enjoy the balmy weather.


Tip of the Week reprinted courtesy of Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado (ALCC) of which Foothills Landscape Maintenance, LLC is a member. ALCC is the only only professional organization for Colorado's landscape contracting industry statewide. Tip of the Week is copyrighted by Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado and may be forwarded or copied by its members provided proper credit is given to ALCC

Water by the thermometer, not the calendar

The calendar says it's officially fall, but the last two weeks in September have been more like the first two weeks in August in terms of precip and daily high temps.

This September has been about the sixth hottest and driest on record, so the standard operating procedures for watering Kentucky bluegrass lawns do not apply.

September and early October are critical times for lawn care and moisture. The absolute worst thing you can do for a lawn is to allow it to become drought stressed just prior to going into winter. Drought stress will push the lawn into early dormancy causing it to shut down its energy before the grass plants have had time to store up nutrients needed to survive the winter months.

Think of bears that need to stoke up on food and fatten up before hibernating. It's similar with turfgrass. It needs to be in optimal health before taking its long winter nap.

Turfgrass is a perennial plant that moves through an annual cycle that involves spring/summer growth, storing energy to prepare for winter, winter dormancy and re-emergence in spring. So, what's the plan for right now?

Water. If your lawn is moving into dormancy and drying out, make sure it gets sufficient water. Keep watering about twice per week. Push a screwdriver into the soil to see how hard the soil is. It should go down several inches and easily.

Winterize the sprinkler system by blowing out the lines with compressed air. Remember it was a hard freeze the first week in October last year that damaged many non-winterized sprinkler systems along the Front Range.

Keep watering even after the system is winterized. Haul out the hose and keep watering as long as temps are warm.

Water all winter long--usually about once per month. Winter is when lawns lose their density due to lack of moisture and it takes far more water in spring to bring a lawn back than if you do winter watering. Check south and west facing lawns as they dry out faster due to more sun.

Fertilize one more time in the last half of October. Ironically, it's the two fall-ish fertilizations--the one around Labor Day and the one in late October--that are two of the three most important times to fertilize the lawn. Remember those bears.

Aerate if you can. Spring aeration is most beneficial, but if you can aerate in the fall it's another healthy step for your lawn.

Finally, mow the last couple of times to tuck your lawn in neatly for the winter.

Lawn under control, settle into fall. Plant some bulbs. Carve the pumpkin. And enjoy the down time 'til spring.


Tip of the Week reprinted courtesy of Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado (ALCC) of which Foothills Landscape Maintenance, LLC is a member. ALCC is the only professional organization for Colorado's landscape contracting industry statewide. Tip of the Week is copyrighted by Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado and may be forwarded or copied by its members provided proper credit is given to ALCC