How To Prepare Your Yard For The First Freeze
In typical New England fashion, we have gone from the mid-80s to the upper 30s in less than a week! Forecasters are predicting that the first freeze of the year will occur this evening. Freezes can be deadly to some plants so today’s article is how to prepare your yard for the first freeze.
A good first step is to water your yard a minimum of 24 hours before a freeze. Freezes can cause grass to become dry and brittle so it is important to hydrate it beforehand. A decent watering can also assist in insulating and protecting roots. After the thorough watering, be sure to turn off the outside water and drain all the water from your house. Coil the house and place it in storage for the winter. You can also insulate your water spigots with foam covers.
You’ll also want to winterize your sprinkler system to prevent frost damage. First shut off your water source, then turn on zones for 10 minutes to flush any remaining groundwater. To prevent damage to your trees and shrubs, you can cover them with an insulated burlap sack. To help with protecting plant roots, spread 2 to 3 inches of mulch around them to provide insulation.
A quick fertilization will help your lawn survive the harsh winter months. You should try to compost all of your leaf piles before the freeze. This will prevent the piles from becoming messy and soggy. After the frost, be sure to inspect plants for freeze damage. Any damage should be pruned back. Decaying and damaged tissue can be unhealthy for plants.
Valley Green was founded by Charles Dooley in 1990. Headquartered in Holyoke, Massachusetts, we have grown to eight branch locations supported by inside & outside sales associates specializing in turf seed, sod production, golf sales, turf maintenance, nursery production, agriculture and arboriculture. The average green industry tenure at Valley Green is well over 20 years per associate!
Corporate Headquarters
642 S. Summer Street
Holyoke, MA 01040
Phone 413.533.0726
Toll Free 800.862.0089
Fax 413.533.0792
Wholesale Fax 413.533.4090