Studies show that people will form first impressions of a business in seven seconds. A good first impression can convey professionalism and show that your business is reliable. One important part of creating a good first impression for your business is improving your commercial landscape maintenance during the winter.
Do you want to learn more about how you can improve your commercial landscaping during the winter months? Keep reading this guide for the top maintenance tips to follow this winter!
Rejuvenate Your Lawn
Rejuvenating your lawn is one of the first things you should do as the season transitions from fall to winter. As winter approaches, it makes it easy to see spots in the lawn where the grass is thinning or where brown spots have developed.
You can improve each of these areas by reseeding during the winter months! Because winter months get so much water from snow and rain, this allows the new grass seed to germinate and fill in in the coming weeks.
You can also use this time to remove weeds that are growing in your grass and crabgrass that starts to sprout. Using a pre-emergent weed killer in the winter can help you stay ahead of these weeds to keep your lawn looking full and well-manicured.
Aerate Your Lawn
As part of your lawn rejuvenation, you can also aerate your lawn. This is necessary as part of winter maintenance because your lawn can develop a layer of dead grass and roots during the fall season.
This is also known as thatch. If you leave the thatch on your lawn during the winter, it may end up killing your grass in the spring months.
Aerating your lawn can remove the dead grass and adds air into the soil. This can greatly improve your lawn health and can also make it easier for new grass seeds to grow on your lawn.
You can hire a professional construction and landscape service to help with this part of maintenance!
Keep Flower Beds Clean
In the winter months, you may notice that your flower beds start to accumulate debris. Things like fallen leaves and dying plants may remain in your flower beds. If these are left throughout the winter months, it provides the perfect breeding ground for molds and fungus.
Removing these dead plants and other organic matter can help you prevent this and will keep your flower beds looking clean.
Prune
Pruning is an essential part of commercial landscape maintenance in the winter months. You can prune your trees and shrubs while they are dormant so that they are ready to bloom in the spring.
If you have any overgrown shrubs, bushes, or trees, make sure you trim them back to keep the branches from becoming even more overgrown in the summer.
Pruning is something that should be left to professionals. This is because different species of trees will require different types of pruning. Plus, incorrect pruning can stunt the growth of your plants.
A professional pruning company will ensure that your trees’ aesthetics and function are improved when they trim the branches.
Wrap Your Trees and Protect Your Plants
After you prune your trees, you should also consider wrapping them up before winter hits. Using some type of wrapping material on your tree trunks and shrubs can help keep them safe from the harshest winter weather.
Wrapping up your plants and trees before the first frost hits will prevent them from getting damaged by the winter sunlight. You can use plastic or burlap to wrap your trees and plants.
Plant New Trees and Shrubs
While the winter months may not seem like the best time to plant new trees and shrubs on your commercial property, many plants will actually thrive when they are planted as they are dormant. Because the trees and shrubs are dormant, trimming them will not deplete any of their energy.
Because of this, you can plant your trees and shrubs during the winter months to set them up for success in the spring months.
Not only will this allow your trees to grow better in the spring and summer, but you may also get a better price for them when you purchase them during this time of year.
Plant Winter Vegetation
Not only can you plant trees and shrubs during the winter months, but there are also different types of winter vegetation that you can plant to keep your landscaping looking nice during the winter.
There are some specific plants that you may consider planting that is good for winter use. For example, things like evergreens and dogwoods look especially great when covered in snow.
When you plant winter vegetation on your commercial property, you should also pay special attention to your soil fertility when you plant new vegetation in the winter months. For example, you can add things like grass clippings and compost to allow your plants to grow better.
You can also add a pop of color to your winter vegetation by planting things like winterberry holly.
Deep Clean Water Fixtures
If you have any outdoor water fixtures as part of your commercial landscaping, the winter months are the best time to deep clean them. This is because you will not be using them in the cold months.
After you drain your ponds and fountains when the weather changes, you can take care of the concrete of these fixtures. If there are cracks or any other issues with the water fixtures, make sure you patch them to keep the temperatures from furthering the damage.
If there is any algae or other types of growth, you can also remove all of this while the ponds and fountains are empty.
Winterize Your Water Sources
Not only do you need to winterize your water fixtures, but you also need to care for your water sources. Things like hoses, sprinkler systems, and other sources of water need to be winterized. Otherwise, you may have to deal with frozen and damaged pipes in the spring.
This way, your sprinklers and other water sources will be ready to use in the spring months and you can avoid unnecessary repairs to your outdoor plumbing.
Make a Plan for Snow Removal
If you live in an area that gets a lot of snow in the winter months, you should also make a plan for your snow removal. As beautiful as snow looks when it is freshly fallen, it can be dangerous.
If you don’t remove your snow, your customers may slip on ice and you could be held financially responsible for their injuries.
When it comes to snow removal, will you do it yourself or will you hire a snow removal company to do it for you? Where will you have them pile excess snow on your commercial property?
Making this plan now will give you peace of mind that your business will remain operational even after large storms.
Lay New Mulch
You should also lay new mulch in your flower beds during the winter months. Over the summer, you may find that constant sun exposure and watering causes your mulch to look faded. Adding a new layer of mulch will keep your grounds looking fresh and can improve the appearance of your commercial property.
Not only does it improve the aesthetics, but new mulch can also protect sensitive plants on your property. It makes it easier for your soil to retain moisture and nutrients.
Plus, it can help with weed prevention! Adding a layer of mulch in the winter can keep weeds from growing up in the summer. It is a much less invasive way to prevent weeds than other chemical treatments.
Fertilize for Spring
Finally, you need to fertilize your commercial landscaping to prepare for the spring. After the spring and summer months, you may find that the nutrients in your soil are depleted. This can make it difficult for new plants to grow in the spring once the weather gets warmer.
Fertilizing in the winter can help you replenish the soil with nutrients so your plants can grow better.
Need Help With Commercial Landscape Maintenance? Find Commercial General Contractors Near Me
Caring for your business landscaping in the winter can help you improve the curb appeal of your company and improve your first impressions. Following each of these commercial landscape maintenance tips can help you keep your landscaping in pristine condition year round.
If you need help with commercial landscaping in Denver and are looking for commercial contractors, Hammers Construction can help. We specialize in commercial construction and can help with design-build construction, stormwater management, and more.
Contact our commercial contractors in Denver to get help with your landscaping.