Winter may be one of the toughest seasons for landlords and property managers alike. The grime, salt, snow and ice make residential properties look unappealing - even for the most experienced and meticulous property owners.
On the other hand, you can’t just give up on your property, right? For this reason, we have compiled a list of winter landscaping tips that will keep your property looking delightful until spring comes knocking at your doorstep.
1. Use Outdoor Lighting
You’ve got to admit that outdoor lighting looks especially welcoming during the winter months. Some of us prefer to keep them on well past the holiday season to remind us to cherish those cozy memories before we’re ushered into a new year.
According to these Jacksonville property managers, the first thing your property needs is adequate mood lighting. However, winter landscaping is done best with subtle tones. Imagine how warm a welcome your tenants will feel with beautiful ground lanterns across their walkways.
2. Locate Your Property On the Climate Map
The climate map we’re referring to is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s detailed grid for plant hardiness and ideal climate environments. Simply put, you can refer to this map to find out where your residential property is located within the 11 marked regions to help determine which plants/trees are suitable.
3. Don’t Ignore the Shrubs and Grass
Landlords and property managers often neglect their property’s plant life when it gets chilly. For example most individuals forget to rake their gardens and lawns or water their plants. As a result, plant debris begins to accumulate and with the addition of snow, you’re in for a moldy surprise.
Similarly, your property’s hedges, lawns and fruit trees don’t miraculously learn how to keep hydrated on their own. Ideally, you can skip a day or two if the temperature in your area has dropped below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Winterize Your Sprinkler Systems
This may seem obvious to some but numerous landlords forget to do so and therefore, only remember when their pipes burst due to freezing water.
If you have no clue what we’re talking about, all you need to do is force compressed air into your sprinkler systems to keep it running optimally. According to Iron Horse Property Management if it is already freezing outside, try to do so when it gets better outside but hurry up to avoid unnecessary damage!
5. Fertilize Your Lawns
If you’re planning on trying out a little winter gardening, you will do well with fertilizers that are rich in potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus. Also, try to do so well before the first freeze because your property will slowly blossom into spring with a competitive curb appeal.
6. Plant Winter-Blooming Blossom
If the climate map seems like too much work, you can do your property some justice by determining your latitude. If you aren’t too further north, you will do well with:
● Pansies
● Violets
● Winter honeysuckle
● Honey wort
● Sweet alyssum
● witch -hazel
● Winter jasmine
● Christmas roses
● Daphne
● Kaffir lilies.
If your property is up-north, you can try planting:
● Snowdrops
● Heather
● Oregon grape
● Lenten roses
7. Design Creative Walkways
Food for thought: by planting well-maintained boxwood trees in elegant pots and laying them across your property’s entryway, you will have done your tenants (and potential tenants) a favor for winter and most other climates.
8. Protect Roots From Frost
Mulch is perhaps the best insulator for roots and, therefore, protects it from all the frost. If you have leaves raked up from fall, now is the time to start adding them to your tree beds and garden. What’s even better is that it is completely free, organic, and a mulch garden looks spectacular in the winter season.
9. Trim the Hedges and Prune Your Trees
With all the leaves gone, it is easier for you to identify damaged branches. By trimming your hedges and pruning your trees, you will have ensured that your garden comes back stronger and healthier in spring.
Final Thoughts
Feeling lazy? Don’t have time to incorporate all of these winter landscaping ideas into your residential property? Well, you can always delegate these tasks to your property manager who, in turn, can strategize landcare or landscape design teams to do the job for you.