Everybody knows that winter isn’t the ideal season in real estate, but don’t let procrastination get the better of you – there are still things to be done in your garden if you’re planning a spring house sale. It’s mostly a question of cleaning and covering up. Plants are either dormant or just dead during this season, so it’s up to you to prepare everything for spring. Of course, if you really want to, you can change things up, and plant some flowers that flourish in lower temperatures. Either way, when things begin to unfreeze, your garden will be more than prepared for showings.
Cleaning up
First of all, clean up the leaves, so they don’t smother the grass. This is especially important with larger leaves, such as maple. Pick up the dead annuals, and gather the fallen fruit. It isn’t only better looking – it’s also a way to make sure there are no pests in the garden. Add the waste to your compost pile – you’re going to need it next year. This is also a good time to clean and sharpen all of your tools, before you put them away. Lastly, collect the seeds from plants you’ve satisfied with this year and keep them in a dry place.
Pond
If you leave fallen leaves lying around your pond, there’s a good chance the water will get foul and the pump filters jammed. Remove the leaves using a small fishing net. You can add the leaves to your compost as usual. Drain the pond until there is about half the water left. Store the pump in a dry place and add some bacterial additive to the water to help with decomposition. Most real estate agents intensify their marketing campaigns right at the beginning of spring, so it’s better to have your pond in top condition before they start bringing potential buyers in.
Lawn
Getting the lawn ready for winter will probably take up the most out of your time, so you may want to use professional gardening services like JNS skip bins. It’s a good time to aerate the turf, because you won’t be walking on the soil plugs so often. After the aeration, it’s time to spread the compost on your lawn. The fall rains will help you get the most out of it. You should also reseed bare spots that have accumulated during the year and remove a bit of dirt from the surface, and sprinkle grass seeds. If you are keen on a spring house sale, this is the best time to make sure potential buyers will walk on a perfect, green carpet right to the front door.
Trees
It’s important to keep watering your trees during autumn (actually, you should do it during the winter as well, at least every couple of weeks). Apply water early in the day, so the plant has a chance to absorb it before the soil freezes over. Wrap trunks of your trees by November. This will protect the bark from splitting during the cold nights. Start wrapping from the ground up, covering the third of the wrap with every turn. Stop when you reach branches. After the first freeze add protective mulch made out of woodchips and leaves.
Planting
Cooler temperatures and a lot of rain make a great environment for newly planted or replanted trees and shrubs. While you may not see the effect above ground, roots will work hard until it’s time to get dormant.
Plant cool season flowers like pansies and ornamental kale. They will grow just fine in the colder temperature or even frost. Also, they’re quite colorful, so it’s good way to keep your garden interesting during the winter and have something already planted before spring house sale. It’s also a good time to grow some vegetables that can last during the season. Use a lot of compost and natural fertilizer and plant garlic for the next year’s crop. Add a bit of mulch during the planting and then some more when the ground freezes over. It’s best if you plant them 6 inch apart and 4 inches deep.
Taking the extra effort to prepare your garden for winter will help you a great deal, when the spring comes. Everything will be ready for planting.