How can we plant in the Winter?
A common misconception in Springfield, MO landscaping is that all the planting is done in the warmer months. As a matter of fact we know this to be the way of thinking because we see fewer estimate requests in Fall and Winter. Then, all the estimate requests start coming in early Spring. The reality of this way of thinking is it’s wrong. Every single Winter we plant many plants and there have rarely ever been any issues with the plants come Spring. We are here to set the record straight and give you the facts and why you should consider hiring our company in the winter months.
There are several things we will go over, but first lets discuss Hardiness Zones. 
The United States is broken up into 13 different zones based on the annual minimum temperature for that area. Gardeners and Landscapers take into account which zones they live in to select the right plants for their project or garden. So now we need to talk about the hardiness zone we live in. In Springfield, MO our hardiness zone is 6b. Zone 6b is right in the middle of the spectrum with Zone 1 being the coldest and Zone 13 being the hottest.
Why does this matter?
The reason this is important to talk about is that all plants have a certain range of conditions they will thrive in. The amount of sunlight needed, type of soil preferred, amount of space needed, and amount of water needed are just a few factors that dictate where a plant can be placed. What we are talking about today however is the ability of a plant to live in low temperatures. This is also referred to the plants Hardiness. Most of the plants we find in nurseries around our area are plants that can survive our winters. This is why you see many of the same plants used in landscaping all over town.
What does this mean?
Any time we design a landscape for a client, we only choose plants that will survive our winters. This is why you see all tropical plants that your friends or neighbors own must be taken back inside before the first frost hits our area. They wouldn’t survive if exposed to the cold. This is also why you see many fall annuals die when the first frost of the year hits. It’s because they are not hardy plants and cannot survive the freezing temperatures.
When we plant in the winter, we are not only choosing hardy plants for your project, we are also doing several other things to make sure the plant is fine for the winter. One of those things is we make sure and cover the roots of the plants with a thick layer of mulch. This protects the root system from the severe cold. Even if we have gravel for the finish layer, we still put a thick layer of mulch under the landscape fabric. Another thing we do is give each plant a very deep watering. Even though its winter, these plants still need water! And the last thing we do when planting is adding root stimulator to the roots of the plant. This helps plants become establish quicker and encourages rapid growth in the spring.
What is the benefit?
Now you can see why there is still landscaping to be done in the winter. There are also many other projects such as retaining walls, patios, and other hardscape projects that can be completed in the winter as well. The benefit of doing this work in the winter is simple: Landscaping slows down in the winter which means the demand for landscaping work slows down. Any economics course will teach you that when demand lowers, the prices for your product or service must lower too. A landscaping company’s goal is to keep their trusted workers busy with work throughout the entire year because they do not want them leaving for another job that keeps them busy all year. This is why many companies will lower their prices and give discounts in order to secure work through the winter. Then, once spring rolls back around and the demand increases, the prices go right back up to normal levels.
Conclusion
Hiring a landscaping company during the winter is really great for one main reason. You get the same great service at a lower price. If you know that when spring rolls around, you will be contacting companies to update or replace your existing landscaping, do not wait! You could be missing on savings. We are always seeking to add more winter projects to our list so contact us by calling 417 861-1154 right now or Request a Free Estimate and we will contact you shortly. Thank you and we will talk to you soon.
