2025 Landscape Maintenance Guide

We offer clients a full complement of maintenance services to care for their yard year round.  We’d like to share some tips and timing with you based on that plan.

Mulching – More than just a pretty finishing touch!

Mulching protects plants roots from freeze, improves moisture retention during periods of drought and reduces pressure from weeds. Back to Nature usually does spring mulching from late February through May. Here’s our process:

• Create a bed edge depth approximately 2-3″
• Apply pre-emergent herbicide to all mulch beds to help control weed seed germination for 2-3 months.
• Apply of double shredded hardwood mulch at a depth of approximately 1.5″ to previously mulched planting beds

 

 

Pruning – Shaping the future of your trees and shrubs

Pruning services will be performed two times a year to allow for pruning of plants during proper pruning periods throughout the year.

Winter Pruning

Winter pruning will be completed from January – March and is based on proper horticultural practices.

• This service typically pertains to specific ornamental trees and shrubs that are best to be pruned during winter dormancy.
  • Great time for thinning and structural pruning. i.e. dogwoods, red buds, Japanese maples

Summer and Fall Pruning

Summer pruning is intended to occur after new spring growth and will typically be completed from May-August. Fall Pruning is intended to occur toward the end of the season as your plants start to go dormant and is typically completed from October-December.

• Based on proper horticultural practices
  • Keeping the plants natural form
  • Thin cuts, crossing branches, dead or diseased branches, long ends, heading cuts reduction cuts.
  • Minimal sheering and “meatballs”
• Trimming and pruning of ornamental trees and shrubs under 12′ in maintained landscape are included. Any trees and shrubs over 12′ are not included unless specified in specific notes or requests.
  • Minor pruning of ornamental trees will occur with this service. Certain ornamental trees are best to be more heavily or structured pruned in the late winter.
• For a free, downloadable guide through Cornell University, visit https://ecommons.cornell.edu/items/ed5958a0-f5c4-4a31-954f-4c89d563500b

 

 

Mowing – Keeping it thick and trim

• Before the season make sure your mower blades are sharp for a clean cut.
• Mowing frequency depends on the weather – make sure to mow often enough that you only take a third of the total blade height at any one mowing.
• During hot weather, when grass is under greater stress, we usually recommend raising your mower height to 4-4.5″.

 

 

Fall Clean Up and Leaf Removal – Putting everything to bed for the winter

Back to Nature does fall clean up in two rounds, typically completed once in November and once in December

• All leaves and debris are removed from turf areas, mulch beds, patio areas, driveways, etc.
• We prune shrubs, perennials, and ground cover (like liriope)
• All debris is removed from client’s property
• You can choose to leave perennials up until spring.  Some people (and birds!) enjoy the winter interest of the seedheads, and it can provide good overwintering habitat for pollinators.