Everything You Need to Know About Winter Plantings

Winter is one of the best times to plant in Texas because our soil rarely freezes, and our area doesn’t typically get standing snow. By planting key items in winter, you can save money, lower water usage, and ensure your property’s landscape is ready when spring arrives

Here are three popular winter project options – plus what we recommend avoiding during the colder months.

Hardscaping & Xeriscaping

Many of our clients choose to build gazebos and other hardscapes in the winter. The work itself is less affected by the weather, and because this is a slower season for landscaping, wait times are shorter and projects can be completed more quickly.

Xeriscaping can also be done any time of year. Like hardscaping, xeriscaping projects can be completed quicker in winter. And because grasses and trees are dormant, major xeriscaping projects are less “shocking” visually.

Sodding

Winter is a prime time to sod! Because grass goes dormant in winter, sodding during colder months gives your seedlings time to establish roots and prepare for spring. Your new sod will blend in with your existing grass and will turn green right away when spring arrives.

Plus, when you sod in winter, you’ll only need one-fourth of the water you’d normally need in spring – that’s significant time and cost savings!

Trees

Trees are another popular planting option in winter. Like grass, trees go dormant in colder weather, which means they can put all their energy into root growth. Planting in winter is also safer because trees are less likely to experience transplant shock while they’re dormant.

This is also a great time of year to prune trees. If your property has trees that need pruning, call your Earthworks representative to discuss your options.

What to Avoid

While we do plant all year long and we can plant just about anything, there are a couple items we don’t recommend in winter.

Most flowers don’t do well in colder weather. If you need to plant flowers, we recommend pansies, cyclamen, dianthus, Dusty Miller, or ornamental cabbages and kales. However, keep in mind that a freeze or unexpected winter weather could affect the health of any of these plants.

It’s also unadvisable to fertilize or encourage growth in winter. Plants hibernate for a reason! This is a season when they are establishing stronger root systems and preparing for spring.

Last, don’t prune existing flowers unless they are perennials. We recommend cutting perennials to the ground and placing a cover over them. This will ensure they are well protected during the inevitable winter freeze, and will be ready to pop back up again in the spring. While some clients cut back their ornamental grasses, most choose to wait on these, which is fine – just be sure to trim them back before the first big spring thaw.

At Earthworks, we work all year long to ensure your property always looks its best. While summer is our busiest time of year, we are available and ready to help with winter landscaping maintenance. In fact, clients who schedule winter projects may receive better pricing. If there is a project you have in mind, now is a great time to reach out!

Tag : Grass, Sodding, Hardscaping, Trees