With the very mild winters that we enjoy in the Austin TX area, Lawn Maintenance and Landscaping does not stop in the winter months. This cooler time of the year is the perfect time to plant anything in the landscape, from annual color to putting in a new tree or set of shrubs. The root systems of all plants thrive in the cooler temps because the scorching Texas heat is not here to rob them of precious moisture. Lawn Maintenance this time of year, first of all consists of keeping leaves cleaned up to keep them from smothering your grass. Applying a “Winterized" fertilizer this time of year is good for root health and development. Even though the cooler weather helps the landscape retain moisture, you still need to water at least every couple of weeks. The cooler air also comes with dryness that robs grass and plants of moisture. Adding or replacing mulch that has broken down or washed away from a heavy rain is a good idea this time of year also. We typically do not get hard of enough freezes for an extended period of time to do any damage to plants here, but the proper amount of mulch in the beds would prevent any damage if we did.

So, in summary keep leaves cleaned up, plant cool season flowers or any other plant, fertilize, water, and make sure that you have enough mulch in your beds. Your lawn will love you and will prove it to you in the spring.