Cold Weather Irrigation and Landscaping Tips

During the cold winter months, water plants and grass in the mid-morning to avoid afternoon winds that can keep your sprinklers from hitting their grass target area. You also will reduce the risk of icing that can occur if you water during early morning or evening. February is usually mild enough to allow you to plant petunias, pansies, snapdragons, and other cool-season annuals in well drained, highly enriched soil. Adding a protective mulch on top of the soil around your plants will conserve water so you don't have to water as often. Remember to stake new plants and water them deeply to prevent damage from wind. Having a Charlotte irrigation specialist visit your home to inspect your lawn is a great way to keep plants and grass healthy through the Winter months.

Also, there are several steps you can take to protect the pipes and hoses in your home and landscaping from cold weather:

Disconnect and drain garden hoses when they are not being used.

Insulate your irrigation backflow device by draping a towel over it and cover with a bucket or other protective 

cover that touches the ground.

Wrap exposed irrigation pipes with pipe insulation, insulated faucet socks, an old towel or duct tape.

Be mindful of the need to keep faucets and spigots dripping in order to avoid freezing. This is area specific, so keep up with the latest weather information.

Locate your water shutoff valve and learn how to turn off water at its source, allowing you to ward off damage from leaks or burst lines. Know how to turn off your irrigation backflow device as well. If you are unfamiliar with your equipment, a Charlotte irrigation professional can visit your home and show you how to safely and effectively perform these tasks.

The ideal time to prune trees and shrubs is in late winter, when plants are mostly dormant. Finish heavy pruning by mid-February, before buds show evidence of swelling. Don't prune more than one-quarter of the living tissue during the year.

If you notice frost or a freeze has damaged a plant, leave it alone until warmer weather arrives and new growth appears. Pruning or transplanting a damaged plant during winter months can hurt or even kill it.

Peak blooming season is in the spring, and the best time to fertilize fruit trees and grapes is the six weeks before and after they bloom. Fertilize in late winter for the finest fruit.

Lower your mower's height to 1½ inches to stimulate new crown growth. Fertilize in late-September or early-October with a balanced mix of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Fertilizer not only improves turf quality, root growth and color, but it also builds cold resistance into your grass. Fertilize once more in November to get your landscape through winter with style.

Aerate grass in September or October as well. Compacted soils are all too common in many areas of the country. Aeration boosts water penetration, which reduces runoff on slopes and helps water and fertilizer nutrients get down to the roots. Aerate again in the Spring. For best results, call a Charlotte area irrigation company to evaluate your lawn, as well as assist you in taking care of it.

*source: LVVWD