Backyard Reflections

Minnesota winters are characterized by cold, below-freezing temperatures. Snowfall is common, but the season also offers slight variety in weather via sleet and freezing rain. Keeping your home warm, comfortable, and damage-free becomes the primary focus–but it pays to not overlook the condition of your landscape during this time. However difficult winter seems, it will still make way for spring, and you’ll want your plants and outdoor living space to remain largely intact once the cold season is over. 

One way to do this is to understand some of the common threats to your landscape plants and minimize the damage they might sustain during winter. Backyard Reflections, the premier landscape maintenance company in the area, discusses some of them here.

1. Cold Damage. The harsh winter climate in Minnesota can cause serious damage to your trees and landscape plants. Their lack of hardiness, combined with their inability to withstand freezing temperatures, makes them more susceptible to cold damage. Wind, for example, can bleach and dry out evergreen foliage. During the winter, shoot dieback and bud death can also occur, preventing flower buds, roots, and branches from growing. Sunscald is another issue to watch out for. This happens when the bark of a tree heats up during a winter day, then cools rapidly when the sun goes down or is blocked by a cloud. Because of the sudden drop in temperature, the tree’s active tissue is eradicated.

Before winter is in full swing, wrap the bark of younger trees with tree wrap tape, tree guards, or similar light-colored material. Place landscape plants in sheltered and frost-resistant areas to protect them from the cold and reduce the potential of dieback and injury. Cover up your plants before a hard frost–do so before dusk to maintain the heat they stored during the day longer. Bedsheets, blankets and drop or frost cloths can help with this. You can also minimize dieback in plants by avoiding late summer pruning, fertilizing and overwatering.

2. Salt Damage. Landscape plants growing near the edge of your property are at risk of damage caused by the salt used to de-ice sidewalks and roads. To detail, the salt runoff can seep into the soil, injuring the roots. It may even be absorbed by the plant itself, allowing for damage to the foliage. The simplest way to head off this issue is to forgo planting greenery close to the street or along the sidewalks. 

But if that ship has already sailed, you can protect the plants from salt spray by using burlap barriers, or by reducing the use of de-icing salt for clearing the snow around your property. Another good solution is to keep your plants healthy throughout the year. Consulting a trusted landscape expert in your area is the first step to this.

3. Snow and Ice Buildup. The weight generated by snow and ice can also cause breakage in tree branches, or even topple the tree altogether. Fortunately, this is easy enough to avoid. A landscape design and maintenance professional like Backyard Reflections can prune your trees properly to eliminate multiple leaders and weak branch attachments, which in turn, reduces snow and ice damage. We can also wrap your trees as necessary for the same results.

4. Animal Damage. Homeowners living in an area known for having wildlife will need to watch out for deer and rodents. The food shortage caused by the winter cold may force them to wander into your backyard and feast upon your trees and landscape plants. How do you avoid this? Reduce their nesting habitat, meaning you cut back the grasses and other vegetation near your trees and plants so mice and other small animals have a less protective cover. You can also reduce brush piles and fence off other hiding spots like the area under your deck or patio. To discourage deer from visiting your outdoor space and making a buffet off your plants, put up larger physical barriers and use repellents.

Why You Should Work with Backyard Reflections

You don’t actually have to tackle landscape maintenance on your own. Like most complex tasks involving home or property upkeep, this project is best left to a professional. And looking for a trusted expert who will be a good match for your needs isn’t as difficult as you might expect. For homeowners in Annandale and Nisswa, the only name to call is Backyard Reflections. Here’s why we remain one of the leading choices for quality landscape design and maintenance in Minnesota communities:

1. Fully Qualified. Backyard Reflections has all the necessary credentials that make us eligible to perform landscaping work in this area. Our licensing, insurance, workers comp and liability coverage all ensure that you’ll remain protected on the off chance something goes awry in your property during the job.

2. Decades of Experience. Since 2000, Backyard Reflections has provided Minnesota homeowners with premium landscape and outdoor living services. We aim to help you realize your outdoor dreams by creating lovely and unique spaces you’ll want to spend time in longer. Using a proven and streamlined process that takes into account your needs and leaves no room for errors, we continue to provide more-than-satisfactory results. And if you need a professional to maintain and protect your lovely new outdoor space following the completed project, we are always ready and available.

3. Extensive Landscape Maintenance Services. Backyard Reflections understands that landscape upkeep is a year-round priority, especially during winter. Whether you need a full-scale landscape maintenance service or just a one-time cleanup, our team of highly skilled horticultural experts has you covered. You can count on us for reliable and efficient:

• Leaf, debris & weed removal

• Spring & fall plant bed cleanup

• Irrigation start-up/maintenance

• Beach cleanup

• Pond start-up

• Fall tree wrapping

• Tree Pruning

4. Five-Star Service. Over the years, countless Minnesota homeowners have chosen Backyard Reflections to install and manage their landscape. We have always been committed to providing not only superior workmanship but personalized service, as well. This is one of the reasons we earn 5-star reviews in Google My Business from pleased customers.

Schedule Your Design Consultation!

Aside from providing excellent outdoor living solutions, Backyard Reflections also offers worry-free landscape maintenance services. You only need to give us a call, and we’ll be more than happy to discuss with you how we can keep your landscape safe and intact no matter the season. We proudly serve the West Metro, Nisswa, Annandale, and Brainerd Lakes, MN areas. Call us today at (320) 274-6336 (Annandale) or (218) 454-1065 (Nisswa). You may also fill out this contact form to schedule your no-obligation consultation. We look forward to hearing from you!