Important Lawn Care Tools To Have On Hand For Yard And Garden Maintenance In Winter

As winter arrives, leaves start to drop from plants, and you can finally take a break from yard work — right? Not necessarily. If you live in a place where it often gets below freezing in the winter, you still need to stay on top of maintenance to prevent damage, keep your yard usable, and prepare for the spring. Bryan Clayton, CEO of GreenPal, spoke exclusively to House Digest, and explained that although grass goes dormant in the winter, there are still tasks you need to do to ensure it bounces back in the spring. Aside from your grass, winter can quickly create concerning situations as tree branches fall down from high winds and ice develops on walkways, creating potential slipping hazards.

So, Clayton has offered tips on which tools to keep on hand to stay on top of yard and garden maintenance in the winter, including chainsaws and handheld blowers, and the best ways to use them during this time.

Clayton recommends clearing snow promptly so it doesn't have the chance to freeze into a solid mass that's more difficult to remove. The tool he recommends using can even save you from having to shovel snow. "Believe it or not, you can use a [handheld] blower to remove fluffy snow before it freezes," Clayton told House Digest exclusively. For heavier snow, he recommends keeping a durable snow scoop on hand with an oak handle. "The oak handle gives you the strength and reliability you need," he explained.

As for ice, Clayton recommends calcium chloride rather than rock salt. "Have four to five bags ready to pretreat your walkways and driveways for ice," he said. "Skip the rock salt — it damages concrete and asphalt." Additionally, he advises grabbing a metal spade for chipping away bigger chunks of ice, and a hot torch to quickly melt ice in troublesome areas. For storm debris, the handheld blower will come in handy, as well as a reliable, sharp, mid-sized chainsaw for cutting up fallen branches. Clayton also recommends clearing out leaves from gutters before ice builds up. "Early December is the sweet spot for this," he said.

In addition to dealing with snow and ice, it's important to protect your lawn during winter dormancy. "Keep foot traffic to a minimum to avoid compacting the soil while it's dormant," Clayton told House Digest exclusively.

When February hits, it's time to start planning ahead to bring your lawn back to life. Aerating shoes are the perfect, low-effort tool. "I like to aerate my lawn in February to relieve compaction and prep the soil for seeding before spring," Clayton said. "Aerating shoes are an easy way to do this while walking the yard." Then you can sprinkle your grass seed to give it plenty of time to germinate as the weather warms up. Lastly, don't forget to care for your essential tools by cleaning them after every use, and keep your chainsaw properly sharpened so it cuts cleanly. "I like to rub linseed oil on wooden handles to keep them in good shape for the next season," Clayton explained.