Cleaning Up a Winter Wonderland

Snow has a reputation for cleanliness: pure as the newly fallen snow, Snow White, etc. That’s all somewhat surprising when you think about the mess it creates.

We’re not going to pretend snow doesn’t have its beauty. But there’s a lot more to snow than appearances (which is probably why the Inuit have fifty words for snow), just as there’s a lot more to winter than snow. And as winter continues, you’ll need winter cleanup.

At Pristine, we take care of just about everything outside, including snow removal in the winter. But the removal isn’t the end of the Kankakee cleanup.

More Weather, Snow Problems

We mentioned the Inuit’s many words for snow, and as homeowners and landscapers, we might have a couple to add that can’t be published in a family-friendly blog! Because unfortunately, the snow and the cold cause many problems here in Illinois.

Car accidents, lost work, injuries, illness, shoveling, and shivers are among the most common cold weather complaints. But your landscape has its own set of problems.

Like you, your plants must use their energy to deal with the cold. And just like you, that energy isn’t always used effectively enough to prevent health problems.

Here are a few common plant problems you may have this winter.

Snow Mold

One of the most common problems from cold weather is snow mold. Typically snow mold is caused by plant debris left on the lawn before the snow. Beneath that debris, mold develops.

Lost Plants

As much as we might want them to, only some plants survive the winter. Sometimes the cold is too much, and you lose trees, shrubs, or flowers that you thought would be around next season.

Tree Damage

The most dangerous damage from winter weather is tree damage. Snow and ice accumulate on trees, weigh them down, and cause them to break. Trees’ size and weight mean that if they lose a heavy branch or whole tree, that spells peril for anything below!

Luckily, by planning, you can remove trees or damaged branches that are likely to be lost in the winter in a controlled manner. Then most tree damage will be minor loss of nonessential branches. But because of the weather’s unpredictability, not all damage can be prevented.

Erosion

While less common in winter than after a significant rainstorm, melting ice can cause some soil to compact and wash away. As a result, your ground may not be as suitable for growing your plants after winter and may need aeration, overseeding, or amending.

Winter Cleanup

Naturally, we’re not here today to list problems. Instead, we want to offer you a solution, and the answer to your landscaping’s winter woes is winter cleanup.

When Pristine comes out to your property for winter cleanup, we address the problems mentioned above.

Debris Collection

Pristine will thoroughly examine your yard and collect all the debris from trees and other plants so that your ground is free of branches, leaves, and everything else that your plants lost or shed over the winter. Pristine will leave your yard looking better than ever and ready your ground for new spring growth.

Not collecting plant debris can lead to your living plants not getting what they need to thrive.

Flower Bed Maintenance

Pristine will also check out your flower beds. We can remove all your plants that didn’t survive the winter and replace them with living plants when the weather is appropriate.

We will also prune plants that are still alive but lost parts to freezing. In addition, we will re-mulch your gardens.

Aeration & Overseeding

Aeration & Overseeding isn’t cleanup per se, but they will help to fix erosion and soil compaction that occurred over the winter. We begin aeration and overseeding your grass in March to prepare it for the growing season.

Surviving the Winter for a Healthy Spring

Illinois winters aren’t easy. But with careful planning, we’ll start the growing season ready to take advantage of the nice weather.

Make sure you contact Pristine for all of your winter weather landscaping needs. Snow and ice removal is almost certainly in your immediate future, so get on the schedule before you wake up one morning, and you’re snowed in.

And before spring, let Pristine handle your winter cleanup. Then, springing forward will be better than ever.