Landscaper offers advice to avoid winter troubles

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) – The word “winterize” might think of winter tires, de-icer and checking the oven. However, when it comes to lawns and gardens, one landscaper in Kalamazoo recommends netting or wrapping some trees to prevent them from attracting certain four-legged antler friends.

Deer eat arborvitae, which change before and after they eat their food.

“Even if the deer don’t eat them in the summer, they will hunt them in the winter — if they get hungry enough, depending on the population,” Vlietstra said.

When it comes to the greens on the ground, Adam Vlietstra recommends feeding them a fertilizer rich in potassium.

Also, he recommends trimming it down to two or two and a half inches to prevent other pests from getting around.

“Not only can fungus, which can grow in the winter, cause bald patches in the spring, but so can moss,” Vlietstra said.

To ensure irrigation systems are spring-ready, Vanlietstra recommends blowing out their sprinklers to remove debris.