How to Care for Your Commercial Landscape During Winter

You heard us right. We said Florida Winter and we meant it.

Before you get all “there’s no such thing as winter in Florida” on us, let us explain. Sure, we know Florida isn’t welcoming a winter wonderland with sleigh bells jinglin’, but the weather does change enough to alter your landscaping plans, strategies, and techniques.

Believe it or not, Florida does experience hard frosts, brief cold snaps, and even a little ice every now and then (depending on how harsh Father Winter decides to blow down on ol’ tropical Florida). Whether we’re due for a super mild winter or we’re anticipating something a little more out-of-the-ordinary, as a commercial landscape owner or manager, you’re going to want to be prepared to handle any outcome. The last thing you want to do is fall prey to the “there’s no winter” idea and accidentally let your landscape fight a losing battle to the forces of nature.

Luckily, Landcrafters knows a thing or two about Florida winters — we’ve been dealing with them for over two decades, so it’s fair to say we’ve seen our fair share of trial and error when it comes to commercial landscapes come November through February.

If you’re interested in keeping your gorgeous, commercial landscape as lush and beautiful as ever during the winter season and beyond, then you’re in for a treat – we’ve laid out our top tips for caring for your commercial landscape throughout your Florida winter. Check it out below!

Irrigation Checks Should Come First

Hear us, now. Before the winter season blows in, get your irrigation system all checked out! We know that it doesn’t usually freeze over here, but you’re certainly still not entirely clear from some of the damage that winter weather can do to your irrigation system. Because you’ll likely be taking intermittent breaks from watering during the winter season (or maybe you’ll be watering more, as Florida does tend to have drought-like-weather in the winter), you’ll need to have someone check out your system to ensure it’s not leaking, it’s not broken, and that there’s no damage that could break your irrigation system. The last thing you want is a flash freeze to get to your pipes and break your irrigation system, leaving you with a steep bill for a quick fix.

Pick Up Your Pruning Sheers

Winter is the perfect time to pick up your pruning and trimming duties. Why? Most plants will go dormant during winter (yes, even during Florida’s mostly mild winter). Overall, you’re using this opportunity to ensure your plant’s future health and pruning during this sorta-dead season can help make sure that come spring and summer your plants are totally ready to flourish. Another benefit to winter pruning? Fewer bugs! Think about it — when you prune in the summer, all those fresh cuts are like a calling card for insects. But during the winter, there are significantly fewer bugs to deal with, meaning you won’t have to mess with chemicals to keep your plants healthy during (and immediately following) the pruning sessions.

Our best advice about pruning, though? Do some research before you snip away everything. Check out all your plants, flora, and fauna, and make sure that they’ll each individual do well with some winter pruning. If you don’t you could potentially damage some plants permanently! Want to check in with us to see what’s a good idea to prune and what’s not? Give us a call – we’re happy to help you out!

Cover Up for Freezes

This is where the “Florida doesn’t winter” mindset can be a real danger to your commercial landscape. It does freeze here, people. There are flash freezes, there are hard freezes, and when the meteorologists warn you Florida folk about freezes, you better get out to your landscape to cover up those vital yet vulnerable Florida plants. We recommend avoiding plastic covers for your plants. Unfortunately, this can sometimes make it colder under the cover and kill off the plant. Try to invest in a frost cover, but if you have several heavy quilts or blankets lying around, that should work, too!

Get Your Mulch On

You know that mulch is the real deal, especially when it comes to retaining moisture. During the winter, you’re likely going to be dealing with some Florida-droughts. While you’ll probably end up watering a little more, you can really reduce the water waste by installing mulch beds around your plants to help moderate the soil temperature as well as keep the moisture in the soil. Winter and Fall mulch can help to strangle out any weeds that might try to grow up during this season (when you might not be doing as much work outside) and can help to trap any water received in the soil for extra nourishment.

Leaves-Be-Gone

You know that of all the winter weather we get, falling leaves is one of them. The best advice we can give you is to get those leaves up off your lawn as quickly as possible. Soggy, heavy, and gross leaves that are left on your lawn likely won’t break down and provide the nutrients your lawn needs. Instead, they’ll suffocate your grass during the winter. If you let layer after layer of smothering leaves live on your lawn, you’ll likely invite in all of the diseases and pests you’ve been trying to stay away from during all the other seasons. Get those leaves up and get them up quick! Try to stay on top of this winter duty.

 

Did our winter guide give you the tips you need to keep your commercial landscape in check? We hoped it might! If you’re interested in seeing how Landcrafters can help you during this winter season, want to get a quote, or simply want to ask us a few questions, please reach out and give us a call at (727)-201-3947! We’re here to help you achieve the greatest landscape possible, so we’re always glad to chat. Want more helpful hints, tips, and insights to keeping your commercial landscapes as well-maintained, hip, and on-point as possible? Check out our regularly updated blog for inspiration and advice on how to keep your landscape in tip-top shape!