Dreaming of a magical winter landscape outside of your home this year? It’s likely complete with falling snow flurries, dazzling lights, perfectly manicured shrubs, and just the right amount of snow powdered up on your roof, right? If you’re aiming for the coolest lawn on the block, we’ve got good news for you: it doesn’t take that much work to prepare your lawn for a dreamy winter landscape. Here’s how.
How to Turn Your Lawn into a Dreamy Winter Landscape
1. Take Advantage of Holiday Lights
While most people’s lawns look less than spectacular come winter, we’ve all got one thing working in our favor when it’s time to spruce up the yard: holiday lights. To create a magical winter landscape on your front lawn, don’t be afraid to lean on holiday lights as a way to “cover up” and areas that don’t look that great in the winter. If you don’t like the idea of simply covering up ugly winter shrubs and trees with lights, then head on down to our next point.
2. Plant Winter-Friendly Trees
Before winter arrives, plant winter-friendly trees and plants! If you plant early enough for pollination and properly plan female and male plants, holly shrubs look fantastic under a blanket of snow. Ivy vines, blue spruce trees, and yew bushes are also great options for winter-friendly green decorations that’ll spruce up your lawn and make it come to life under the twinkling lights of your home’s winter landscape. According to gardening experts, amaryllis, gloxinia, azaleas, kalanchoe, and Christmas cactus are all great options as well that are easy for you to plant either inside or outside ahead of the holidays.
3. Protect Your Pipes
Frozen and burst pipes aren’t that magical, are they? Definitely not, especially if it’s ever happened to you. Don’t let anything ruin your holiday spirit this year and make sure you’re protecting your pipes well before the first frost or snowfall. To protect your pipes from freezing in the winter, you’ll need to be sure to drain them, turn off the water supply, and insulate exposed exterior pipes and valves. While you’re draining the pipes (or if you can’t drain them for whatever reason), be sure to seal any small cracks with a solvent cement; it’ll strengthen them to further prevent any bursting.
4. Keep Your Lawn Clean
While you don’t need to keep mowing once the first freeze hits, you do still need to ensure that your lawn is clear of piles of leaves or heaps of snow. Sure, the snow might add to your winter wonderland aesthetic, but it’s actually not that great for the grass underneath. Without access to sunlight and the proper air needed to breathe and grow, the grass underneath piles of leaves or snow will get matted and moldy, which isn’t good come springtime. Make it a point to clear your lawn every week or so to avoid damaging any lawn care you’ve done throughout the year, and stock up on gloves and trash bags to ensure you’re able to clear your lawn safely.
5. Aerate Your Lawn
While most homeowners know that they’re supposed to aerate their lawn every spring, it’s actually even more beneficial to aerate your lawn in the late fall as well. When aerating your lawn, you’re digging tiny holes into the ground and leaving small plugs that will later decompose in order to let water, air, and fertilizer sink in. Be sure to wait until late fall to do this, however, as aerating and fertilizing in the fall is more about strengthening your lawn’s roots. And, try not to over-aerate as this can damage your lawn and take quite a bit of time to repair.
6. Stay Off the Lawn
This will be every father’s favorite point this winter. Once you’ve taken care of protecting your pipes for the winter, have planted all of the trees you’ll need to turn your yard into festive fairyland, and have aerated the lawn…stay off of it! Once the snow falls or the first freeze hits, walking across your lawn while it’s cold and frozen means you’re killing the blades of grass. Over the course of the entire season, this could mean a lot of damage. So, stick to the walkways.
Need Help with Your Winter Wonderland?
Whether you need help aerating your lawn correctly, aren’t sure how often to rake your leaves in the winter, or simply have questions about winterizing your pipes to prevent and winter wonderland disasters, we’re here for you.
We’re a team of experts who are able to create your dreamy winter landscape for you. It doesn’t matter what kind of holiday cheer you’re looking to add to your home; we can do it for you. Contact us with your questions.
About Weld-On
Weld-On Adhesives, Inc., a subsidiary of IPS Corporation, is the pioneer and leading manufacturer of Weld-On® solvent cements, primers and cleaners for PVC, CPVC, ABS and other plastic piping systems. Weld-On products are globally recognized as the premium products for joining plastic pipes and fittings. Headquartered in California, Weld-On has state-of-the-art operations throughout the United States, as well as China, and a worldwide network of sales representatives and distributors.