Preparing Your Commercial Landscape for Florida Winter

While we don’t quite get the northern winter experience, Florida still experiences a chill in the winter. Plants may not suffer through inches of snow, but the cold weather can still be damaging. Business owners cannot afford to slack on landscape maintenance when it comes to winter preparation.

Before it Freezes

Before the temperatures drop, move the delicate potted plants to shelter. If you have frost blankets and plant covers, have them at the ready. Your goal is to keep your sensitive plants warm. Cold-hardy plants, such as azaleas, gardenias, and hydrangeas tend to do well. Knowing how to care for all the plants in your landscape can be tough, which is why we are here to help!

With year-round maintenance, we can prepare your landscape to give it an edge against the cold weather. We can also perform post-winter maintenance to make sure any damage from the cold is taken care of and your plants have the best chance to thrive come spring. If your plants suffer damage, do not prune them right away. The plants will still sprout beneath the damage and you can have them pruned then.

When Winter Hits

Some gardeners choose to use overhead irrigation. However, to do this, you have to have an irrigation system designed to run through the winter. The water has to run continuously from before the first freeze until the weather warms again. If not maintained properly, this form of irrigation can end up wasting lots of water.

If your landscape is like most commercial properties, you probably have an underground irrigation system. It is important to have the professionals properly winterize your irrigation system for several reasons. For instance, if your irrigation system is running when temperatures drop, it may cause the pipes to freeze. Once these pipes freeze, they can burst and damage a great deal of your property.

While Florida is not known for its harsh winters, the cold weather can still cause damage to your landscape. If you need assistance caring for or maintaining your landscape throughout the winter months, contact Sunrise Landscape today!