Essential Tools for Winter Yard Maintenance

Rather than waiting for winter to arrive, it's smart to prepare your yard as much as possible beforehand. This saves you work once it starts getting cold. One of the first things you can do is to set your lawnmower on a low-deck setting to trim your grass to a short length. In doing this, you help it survive any oncoming frost.

Go through your yard and make sure it's free from leaves, debris or waste. Use a rake to remove anything that could settle under snow and grow fungus that could harm your lawn. Remember to check your gutters for debris as well. A gutter cleaner can help you clear out those hard-to-reach and high gutter areas.

It doesn't hurt to think ahead to spring once winter wraps up. To prepare for this, use an aerator and fertilizer on your lawn. That way, once the thaw starts, your lawn has nutrients and is set up to grow healthily again.

If you live in an area where it snows during the winter, there are some must-have maintenance tools to consider. Select a shovel that handles both light and heavy loads of snow. Clear away dense snow patches and banks around your plants or landscaping that could cause damage. Consider a snow blower for snow removal in moderate and heavy snowy areas.

Driveways, walkways and garden paths can get icy and slippery without care. Look into salters that can dispense salt and melt ice easily to break up ice or snow and make removal more manageable.

Some yards have water features, and these need protections as well. Install a heater in ponds or birdbaths so they won't freeze over and crack or collect snow. Search for solar heating options if your water features stand far away from a power source. When it comes to hoses, choose ones with material that won't suffer damage in freezing temperatures or drain them and bring them inside for the winter. A watering head also helps prevent ice buildup.

To prevent trees and larger plants from causing fall damage, keep them trimmed back before winter comes. Use a pole saw or electric cutter to remove branches that might snap in freezing temperatures. You can wrap wire around tree bases as well to keep the roots and trunk safe from any hungry animals or pests.

Some locations get very dry in winter and require work to keep plants moist. Wrap and cover plant bases in burlap to prevent them from losing water. A smart irrigation app may help ensure that your plants stay watered on schedule.

Places with wet winters may see an increase in growing instead, which means weeds. Keep up with this unwanted growth with weed killer that prevents yard and garden takeover from unwanted vegetation.

To make sure your tools and equipment work to the best of their abilities, there are some steps you can take. Electric power equipment used for gardening or landscaping, such as chainsaws, need regular upkeep and oil to prevent freezing or rust. These and sharpened tools should remain inside during snowy months, and any tools that must stay outside should be covered. Keep bladed tools dry, and check for rust regularly. If you see any, remove it right away.

As winter begins, make sure your tool shed or garage space is in order. Make winter-use tools more accessible so you can get to them without delay with garage organization products. When you finish with a tool, be certain to clean it out thoroughly to prevent rust, mold or fungus growth at joints and in all moving parts.

Even in winter, it's not too early to prepare for spring. Once the snow has started to melt or temperatures begin to rise, select new plants and get them in the ground right after the last frost. This way, they have plenty of growing time during the warmer months.

Your mowed, fertilized and aerated lawn needs seeds to bounce back after the cold. Use a push spreader to reseed the area quickly and easily. Scatter flower seeds in parts of your yard by hand for an extra splash of color.

As plants wake up, so do critters. Stock up on animal repellent before you need it, then keep an eye out for rodents and insect pests. Taking early steps to prevent them from getting settled means a healthier yard in the long run.