After working on perfecting our lawns all spring, summer and early fall it’s easy to feel accomplished and complete for the year when we send our mowers off for winter maintenance. Not so fast. Chickweed, Shepherd’s Purse, Annual Bluegrass, Buttercups and Purple Deadnettle thrive in the Pacific Northwest winter weather and with lack of oversight and management it can be a real challenge digging up mature root systems (talking about buttercups here) come spring. Get out in your yard and garden once a week and stay on top of the winter weeds. Put down a woven weed-blocker fabric in your garden beds to allow air and water to pass through to the soil, while the mat prevents the light that the weeks want. In your yard, dig up weeds by hand or use your preferred weed-control spray to keep them at bay.
Blackberry Clearing in December?!
December, and winter in general is an ideal time to tackle dormant blackberry bushes. Grab your STIHL RG-KM Reciprocator attachment, snap it on your Kombi and easily go to town on your unruly blackberries. Once you have them mostly cleared to the ground the real work begins! Blackberries have massively gnarly root systems so you’ll want to till up the soil so you can dig down for every last root ball. If you don’t have time to dig up the roots, try spraying vinegar or another organic weed control.
Start’er Up so You’re Ready for Winter Storms!
Side note: has your generator been sitting since last winter? Dust it off and let run— outside of course, never run a generator in an enclosed area. You can let it run while you’re taming your blackberries. The goal is to burn off the old fuel that’s been sitting in the tank to prevent deposits from clogging up the engine. We recommend running your generator every 2-3 months, but understand the out-of-sight, out-of-mind mentality! Try setting a reminder in your calendar. Or check out the new Honda generators with built in Bluetooth that send you friendly reminders.
Also, check your extension cord for tears and wear. Make sure you have a heavy-duty 12-gauge cord that’s no longer than 100ft to avoid a drop in voltage. Knowing your generator is ready to go when you need it is added peace of mind as we head into another winter storm season.
Tackling blackberries and the winter weeds now will make spring gardening more enjoyable in that you’ll be able to dive right into the fun part— planting! And while the generator tip doesn’t really go with winter weed management, it was too important to leave out!!
If you have questions about generators, power equipment, blackberries or chickweed, give Carl’s Mower a call. We’re wishing you a very merry holiday season! Keep your eye on our Instagram & Facebook feeds this month to learn about the perfect gift ideas to get that someone who has everything. Plus, don’t forget we wrap so you don’t have to!