Planning:
– Take digital photos, draw diagrams, and make notes of your garden.
– Take inventory of what types and what quantities are needed for your garden
– Start to order seeds online or in person.

Chores and Maintenance:
– Be sure to tie and support evergreen shrubs to avoid breakage.
– Protect trees from mice damage with mesh trunk guards.
– Protect shrubs from critters and pests with burlap or netting.
– Keep bird feeders filled throughout winter. Birds will keep the bugs away!

Pruning/Fertilizing:
– For a decorative idea, prune evergreen branches to use in holiday decorating.
– Continue to rejuvenate overgrown shrubs as weather permits.
– Keep a newly bought Christmas tree in a bucket of water in a cool area.
– For maximum life and enjoyment; set up your Christmas tree in a reservoir stand. Cut a slant about 1″ above existing cut for optimum water absorption.
– Sterilize your tree stand with a solution of boiling water, vinegar, and household bleach after use to kill harmful bacteria.
– When returning from the nursery, wrap your houseplants up to protect them from the winter elements until you get them in the house.
– Give your houseplants as much light as possible as the days grow shorter
– Don’t fertilize indoor plants until spring
– Provide houseplants with increased humidity; keep a spray bottle handy and mist often–or place plants over a tray of moist pebbles.

For more information on winter lawn care and maintenance, contact Houston area Laird Landscaping.