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Have you recently stopped by The Greenery Garden Center? Even if you have visited several times – there’s something NEW that we wanted to share. So it’s time to plan another visit soon!

We have created an “interactive” map for kids (and kids at heart) to help bring your visit to the Garden Center to life. (And, don’t tell the kids – you might actually learn something!) 

The map takes you through the highlights of the Garden Center from cooling off in The Shade Garden to exploring the Planter Place – you can make it a really fun morning or afternoon learning about plants and more! 

Come see our “local celebrity” – the Century Plant. Maybe you’ve already seen the posts on The Greenery Garden Center social media lately? There’s an American Agave (aka a Century Plant) at the Garden Center that has reached over 12 ft tall (as of May 2024). Really, the staff there can’t even measure it anymore – it’s that tall! You’ve GOT to come check it out. 

Here’s some fun facts about the Century Plant…

– American Agave plants (aka Century Plants) are known for their fatalistic life cycle – grow, bloom, die

– After blooming, the plants are expected to die shortly thereafter usually leaving behind clones or themselves via runners 

– The common name “Century Plant” originated because it was once thought to take 100 years for the plant to flower

– Generally, it takes 10-25 years to bloom

– When the American Agave blooms, it sends up a single flowering stalk from the center of the leaves reaching 15-30 feet tall or more!

– The blooming period generally lasts about 3-4 months while individual flowers on the stalk will last for about a month

We invite you to pose for a picture under the “Arbor” or peruse the “Coastal Corner” or visit the Shade House. You will definitely want to adventure through “The Jungle” in the Greenhouse. It’s one of the most magical spaces at The Greenery! Tucked inside of our expansive greenhouse you will find tropical plants and houseplants that are unique and easy to grow.  Our expert staff can offer you recommendations on how to help these unique plants thrive in your space.

See if you can find your “zen” in The Garden Center’s Butterfly Garden. The garden holds a variety of brightly colored flowers – Passionvine, Salvia and Cuphea. These are predominant and necessary plants in any South Carolina butterfly garden that butterflies and bees love to orient themselves around. It’s beauty may even inspire you to want to create your own!  

Get lost in a peaceful trip through the fountains and statuary – it almost feels like you are at a luxurious spa! Soak up some rays in the sunny plant section and pick out some plants for your own yard Our variety and selection will have you planning a “makeover” for your plant beds this season.

And of course…you can’t leave without exploring The Gift & Home Shop. Get inspired by our summer-themed tablescapes, lamps, wall décor, fashionable pillows, and furniture! All home items in our shop are specially selected to complement a coastal themed lifestyle or just a classic look for your home. We’ll help you get your home ready for a summer of hosting parties or guests or just relaxing!

Once you check off all of the “stations” on the map, you (and/or the kids) can collect your prize at The Potting Shed!

So pack up the kids or grandkids and take them on a tour of the Garden Center this summer! We can’t wait to see you soon!

For over 50 years, friends, neighbors and visitors alike gather each spring at the iconic Harbour Town golf course for what has become a favorite tradition full of fun, food, drinks, parties and of course…golf! The RBC Heritage, known for much of its history as the Heritage Classic or simply The Heritage, is a PGA Tour event, first played on Hilton Head in 1969.

Last year, The Greenery, Inc. celebrated a huge milestone with its 50th anniversary in addition to a 50-year partnership with the RBC Heritage. Since the beginning, The Greenery, Inc. has served as one of the greatest ambassadors of the Lowcountry through its beautiful landscape maintenance and signature red geranium floral displays at the golf course and resort areas in Sea Pines for the tournament.

Although tickets to this year’s tournament are already SOLD OUT, it doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the fun. You can celebrate by bringing the Heritage style to your home this spring! Whether you are inviting friends over for a “watch” party or heading to the course to see the action in person, Heritage decor is a must-have this spring for every Lowcountry home. 

The Greenery Gift & Home Shop has a variety of options to make your outdoor or indoor space Heritage- ready! Stop by today to pick up one of our grab and go Heritage themed containers. Decked out with plaid ribbons and golf accessories, these custom-designed planters are perfect for your deck, patio, porch or inside on your table or kitchen counter.  

Or browse our many options for tablescapes and centerpieces to help create the perfect Heritage PAR-TEE! Check out our plaid table runners from Hester & Cook that are stylish and chic. We also have stunning plaid melamine plates from Two’s company that your guests are sure to love. 

Another new item we have in store for the tournament is A Sweeter Seat, which are handmade personal mini towels that are great to take with you on the go. Prevent sticking to your seat on warmer days with these locally made mini towels – now available in plaid for the Heritage!

We would love to help you pick out exactly what you need to make springtime and Heritage Week in your home welcoming and fun! Stop by today!

Making improvements to your yard can often seem overwhelming. But they don’t have to be! The good news is that you don’t have to do it all at once — and your friends at The Greenery are here to help.

It looks like we are going to have an early spring this year. Soils in the Lowcountry are already getting warmer and we are seeing new buds on Crape Myrtles, signaling the beginning of spring! That means it’s a great time to start making those enhancements that you have been putting off all winter.

The Greenery’s Holly Haakenson tells her clients that it’s more important to move forward and get a jumpstart on projects, rather than wait for the “perfect timing.” Holly, the Client Relations Manager for Hilton Head Plantation, Palmetto Hall, and Sea Pines on Hilton Head Island, encourages her clients that now is the time to give their yard the facelift it deserves!

Rather than getting overwhelmed by the size or cost of a big landscape project, Holly recommends to her clients that they break up enhancement projects into phases.

Once you have a vision of how you want your yard to look, here are some simple project phases:

Phase 1: Clean Out!
The first step is to remove all of the plant or turf material that is not intended to be part of the final project. This may be the hardest part of the project depending on how much your yard needs done. But it’s probably the most important! It’s vital to clean out thoroughly before you can move forward. Out with the old, in with the new!

Phase 2: Details & Design
If you are a Greenery client, work with your Account Manager to strategically plan the design for your yard. Be sure to express your ideas and vision. Consider what may be aesthetically pleasing, but also manageable for you. Then it’s time to order the plant materials for installation.

Phase 3:  Installation
Once your plant materials and turf are ordered, then comes the fun part… installing all the plant material and new turf on your property. Take the time to make sure this is done correctly to ensure proper root development. Of course, your team at The Greenery will do a thorough job to ensure a great enhancement process. 

Phase 4:  Finishing Touches
Putting on the final finishing touches on your landscape is the perfect way to wrap up the project. And then it’s time to reveal “the after.”

Breaking up the process of enhancing your yard is the best way to complete the project without feeling overwhelmed. It will all be worth it as you can enjoy your yard all season long!

In our region of the country, we are fortunate to enjoy milder temperatures throughout the winter. But it is still important to pay special attention to your yard during this time of year!

Here are several ways the Greenery teams are taking care of our residential customers’ lawns this winter:

1. Mowing:

• Continue mowing the lawn as needed but adjust the height of the mower to accommodate the slowing growth of the grass.
• Keep the grass at a slightly taller height to provide more insulation for the roots.

2. Pruning:

• Assess and prune shrubs on the property, as needed. We work carefully to not prune too much from your plants, which can damage them if done in excess.
• Pruning or thinning ornamental grasses helps to encourage new horticultural growth.

3. Checking Irrigation:

• We are checking your irrigation systems to ensure they are in top-notch shape before the rainy spring season.

4. Fertilization:

• Apply a winter or fall fertilizer with a lower nitrogen content to promote root growth rather than top growth. This helps the grass become more resilient to stress and diseases.

5. Weed Control:

• Winter is a good time to control weeds. Apply pre-emergent herbicides to prevent weed seeds from germinating.
• Spot-treat any existing weeds with a selective herbicide if necessary.

6. Aeration:

• If your lawn has compacted soil, consider aerating it during the winter months. This helps improve air, water, and nutrient penetration to the roots.

7. Mulching:

• Apply a thin layer of mulch around trees and shrubs to help retain soil moisture and regulate temperatures.

8. Disease Prevention:

• Keep an eye out for signs of lawn diseases, as some fungal infections can occur even in milder winter weather. If you notice any issues, consult with a local garden center for appropriate fungicides.

9. Overseeding (if needed):

• In some Southern regions, overseeding warm-season grasses with cool-season grasses may be done for a green lawn during the winter. Check with local experts to determine if this is suitable for your area.

10. Protect Sensitive Plants:

• If your region occasionally experiences frost, protect sensitive plants from extreme cold by covering them with frost cloth or burlap.

Remember, the specifics of off-season lawn care can vary depending on the exact location within the southern region, the specific grass type, and local climate conditions. It’s always a good idea to consult with lawn care experts for advice.

For more tips about caring for your yard this season and other info, follow The Greenery Garden Center on Facebook and Instagram at @GreeneryIncGardenCenter. 

The Lowcountry of South Carolina is abundant with flora of all shapes and sizes, including native and non-native trees, bushes, and plants. From magnolias to dogwoods to azaleas and camellias, there’s something in bloom here practically all year round. The favorite blossom of many local gardeners during the fall and winter months is the beautiful camellia. With its exotic origins in the orient, the camellia has become one of the most popular plants in the southeastern United States.

A longtime “Southern staple” in Lowcountry gardens, camellias were first introduced to our area in 1786, when André Michaux, the royal botanist for King Louis XVI of France, presented the first camellias to the Middleton family at their Ashley River plantation near Charleston. More than two hundred and thirty years since their introduction, literally hundreds of varietals have taken root in the Lowcountry.

Among the most popular varietals of camellias are “Pink Perfection” and “Debutante” as well as “Shi Shi Gashira,” and “Irrational Exuberance.” There’s also the aptly named “Winter Star,” because camellias bloom mostly in the colder months of November through March.

Camellias are fairly simple to care for: plant in rich soil in an area that gets morning sun and afternoon shade. As they mature and the canopy of leaves provides more shade to the roots, they can take increasingly more sun. Camellias thrive in ample moisture and well-drained soil. Be sure they get plenty of water when conditions are dry.

If you would like to learn more about these captivating plants, join The Greenery Garden Center and Wendy Dickes for a free presentation about camellias, a southern staple for your Lowcountry garden. Wendy will share helpful tips for keeping your camellias happy and healthy all winter long, whether they are newly planted or mature and established. Participants will also receive a 10% off discount on all Garden Center items after Wendy’s talk!

Event Details: All About Camellias!
Free event
Saturday, October 28th at 10:30am
Outdoors in the Camellia Garden
960 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island
843-592-3759
visitthegreenery.com

Man, is it hot outside! Summer has officially arrived and that means it’s time to take extra special care of your yard to protect it from this intense summer heat.   

But summer doesn’t mean that your yard doesn’t get to look its best. With a few extra steps, you can keep your yard looking great despite the rising temperatures.

Here are some tips to keep your landscape looking fabulous all summer long!

Water Often and Early
Dry, hot weather in the summer depletes soil moisture which can cause wilted blades and leaves. It also reduces root growth. Practice watering your plants and lawns on a regular basis, enough to soak plants and turf with a day or two in between depending on soil and sun exposure. The water should reach 4-6 inches deep.   

Remember to water early in the morning, ideally before sunrise, allowing plants time to soak up any moisture before the heat of day sets in. Also pay attention to weather forecasts and adjust your watering plan if heavy rain is expected in your area. 

To Fertilize or Not to Fertilize?
Many of the grasses that make up Lowcountry lawns and other warm weather areas would greatly benefit from a mid-summer fertilizer to promote healthy growth. But be careful not to burn an already heat-stressed grass. If you are unsure, it’s best to consult a professional about whether to fertilize, and what type of fertilizer to use.  

Plant Colorful Summer Annuals
If your yard is looking a little dull as the summer season progresses, or you are ready for a burst of exciting summer color, then consider incorporating new summer-blooming annuals or perennials. Salvia, Zinnias, Pentas, and Lantana are great examples that do well in the Lowcountry.  

Be aware when planting which flowers need more light and shade and arrange in your yard accordingly. Also be sure to water new plants adequately to promote healthy root growth.  

Give Your Plants a Rest
The summer is a stressful time for plants that are battling the heat and sun exposure. Try not to over prune or severely cut back plants when it’s this hot, recovery may not be as timely as thought. Routine pruning is helpful, and safety pruning may be needed.  

For more tips about caring for your yard this summer and other info, follow The Greenery Garden Center on Facebook and Instagram at @GreeneryIncGardenCenter. 

by Darren Davis, Hilton Head Residential Branch Manager   

He was not a runner but at age 47, like most of us, Ronald Vargas was feeling the pressures of life. You’ve been there. Family, work, aging, you name it, these mid-life stressors are real.

But one’s ability to “dig deep and keep going” is equally as real and Vargas is living proof of this. “I was not happy at home and didn’t want to be there. So I decided to go walking. Then I decided to walk-run. Then I just ran,” said Vargas, who is a Production Manager at The Greenery and no stranger to hard work.

Now at 57, Vargas has completed five 100-mile races, five 50-mile races, two 24-hour races, one 160-mile race, and numerous marathons and trail runs. Always striving, on August 11, Vargas will compete in his most grueling course to date: the Bigfoot 200, a four-day 200-mile race through high elevations in the Cascade Mountains in Washington state.

Talking about his preparation for Bigfoot 200, Vargas admitted, “There is a lot of pressure. You never know how you are going to do the day of the race. You can do all the training, but you never know. Elite guys even drop miles in.”

So Vargas has been concentrating on his mental game. “I’m hard-headed. I’m a push guy. However, I listen to my body and know how much to push it.” Vargas’ long distance runs have taught him how to tune out everything around him and just look at each foot as it steps in front of the other, propelling him forward toward his goal.

Vargas also has a hardcore training schedule. “Some days, I am up at 5 a.m. and work until 5 p.m. and then go home. I make sure everything is fine, eat, shower, and chill, and even though I’m freaking tired around 10 p.m. I run four to five hours. I have to be prepared for running at night.” During his workouts, Vargas also focuses on strengthening his legs. At times, he will run outside weighted down with 15 to 20 pounds of filled water bottles or inside on a 15-incline with a 25-pound weighted vest.

And yet, regarding race preparation, it is Vargas’ approach to life that gives him the competitive edge. “When I do something, I do it with a lot of passion.” Vargas began working at The Greenery 24 years ago as a crew member and likens his professional success to his running. “Work and running both take dedication. I do not compete with others. Just myself. I do not need to do anything better than chase my own dreams and do it with a positive mind.”

You should know, though, that getting Vargas across the finish line takes more than just training. “I really rely on the emotional support of other people. I wish I could have my best friend go with me, but he can’t go. I also need financial support. These races are expensive. I need three to four new pair of shoes, nutrition, and money to travel for training and to go to the race.” Jokingly Vargas then added, “And I need to sleep at night.”

Vargas manages his stress just as he competes in his races: one foot in front of the other, step by step. “When I get in a low patch, I know I need to dig down into my soul and keep going.” Vargas’ mental endurance has helped him overcome several physical challenges on the race course like losing a toenail, blisters, muscle cramps, and vomiting, as well as personal challenges off the race course. “We all have the ability to keep going.”

To support Ronald Vargas’ race journey, you can donate to his GoFund Me at https://gofund.me/2b16b20d.

Our very own Janet Fanning was recently interviewed by Sarah Claire McDonald from The Island Packet sharing her expertise in creating a beautiful garden that will attract butterflies all summer long. 

Have you ever walked through a local botanical garden and longingly wished you could have your own butterfly garden at home?

As it turns out, it’s not too difficult to reimagine a butterfly haven in your own yard.

Having the right soil, having enough sunlight and adequate watering and caring for your flowers is all you need.

The preparation of the soils, getting a soil test to make sure you have the right environment for your plants, ideally at least some morning sun or a full day’s amount of sun as well as pre-made plans for the plants you’d like to have are all important beginning steps to creating an at-home butterfly garden, said Janet Fanning, manager for the The Greenery’s Hilton Head Island Garden Center. The Greenery’s Garden center is located on the island at 960 William Hilton Parkway.

Many pollinator plants, the best plants to select for such a garden, are sun-lovers.

The pollinator garden at the Garden Center holds a variety of plants that butterflies and bees love to orient themselves around and create a wonderful butterfly garden.

Passionvine, Salvia and Cuphea are predominant and necessary plants in a South Carolina butterfly garden. These brightly colored flowers even make up a majority of the Garden Center’s pollinator garden.

Many different varieties of Salvia are available and will bloom throughout the summer. They tend to be a group favorite for pollinators at the Garden Center. Cuphea also comes in several different varieties.

“If your goal is to host and take care of the Monarchs, a really important plant to have is Asclepias,” Fanning said.

Asclepias is also known as Milkweed and is essential for these butterflies.

The Monarch butterflies will lay their eggs on the Asclepias and the hatchlings will munch away at it. Eventually the caterpillars will then form their chrysalis and the butterfly will soon emerge, Fanning said about the asclepias’ importance to Monarch butterflies’ life cycle.

Dill is the similar equivalent of Milkweed as a host plant for the Swallowtail butterfly.

Buddleia, also known as butterfly bush, is a common addition to any butterfly garden as well.

Now is a good time to plan for your garden and to plant your pollinators. You can plug new plants into your garden all summer long until the temperatures begin to chill and potentially frost. However, the earlier you plant your Milkweed plant the better.

We’re fortunate here because we can garden for such a long time before the cold dormancy of winter then on to another long growing season, Fanning said.

Growers will want to focus primarily on the pollinator plants when starting their own garden. This is why initially planning the plants you want to include beforehand is essential.

It’s important to understand the necessary needs of each plant, the sunlight they require and how much they need to be watered. Watching the plants and pruning weak flower buds is also the key to maintaining your plants’ health and maximizing bountiful blooms.

Butterflies all live together. I recommend planting lots of different plants and having a jumble of color and texture in your garden, detailed Fanning. This is going to please the bees as well as the butterflies. Especially in the late summer you’ll notice the garden alive with movement.

“It’s a lot of fun honestly and it’s not hard to do,” Fanning said.

Fanning also noted that it is important to water your plants in the morning before the heat of the day to fully hydrate the plants and prepare them enough to tolerate the coming heat.

In midsummer they are just beautiful. You can see the humming and the buzzing and, with the Salvia, hummingbirds will visit them all the time too. So, they are a part of the equation. The butterflies, the bees and the hummingbirds all benefit, explained Fanning.

“The hummingbirds are incredible, but just watching the interplay with all of it is amazing. If you’re having a stressful day you go out to just see all of the butterflies, especially the Zebra Longwing which is my favorite, it’s truly just wonderful.”

Need help getting started on your butterfly garden? Visit us today at The Greenery Garden Center. We would be happy to help!

By: Sarah Claire McDonald – The Island Packet

Berry and Ruthie Edwards signed the papers on a car hood when they bought a piece of Hilton Head Island 50 years ago. They were buying a nursery in a place they’d seen for the first time three months earlier. The two-lane main drag out front was pretty empty in 1973, but Berry saw signs of growth coming. 

Still, it was a dare to quit his job as a textiles executive. He was a 30-year-old Sewanee English major. She was 28 with an art degree from Rollins College. They had two little boys, Berry III, 5, and Lee, 3. And Berry knew not one thing about plants. 

“We made flash cards,” Ruthie said, “and the only way he could get a drink at night was to recite the names of 20 plants.” 

They named their business The Greenery, and it has beaten tremendously long odds. As it marks its 50th anniversary this month, it joins David Martin’s Piggly Wiggly as one the few existing island businesses to survive that long under the same ownership. 

What Berry and Ruthie bought was called Hillside Nursery, with six employees, six lawn mowers and two pickup trucks. This summer, The Greenery expects a staff of 750 to work its locations on the island, Bluffton, Beaufort, Savannah, Greenville, Amelia Island, Jacksonville, and Daytona Beach. 

Through it all, the face of the business remains the same: a wood frame building they bought for $600 from Gethsemane Baptist Church in Okatie and barged it to the island. 

“We wanted something attractive there,” Ruthie said. “It was perfect.” 

That simple, decommissioned church stands as a symbol of a plucky generation of new islanders who dared to be different. They often struggled financially, but found other creative people here, and, as Ruthie says, “We worked like dogs all week and partied like dogs all weekend.” 

Lee Edwards now runs the company as president, while his brother owns and operates another venerable business, Island Tire & Automotive Services. 

In an interview, Lee Edwards discussed how a family business can possibly survive 50 years on Hilton Head: 

Have descendants. Lee took over as president in 2007. Mixing family and business can be hard. Ruthie said: “Berry fired me and I quit. We weren’t compatible business partners.” She opened a Christmas shop. 

Add services. They offered tennis court installation for a while; added landscape maintenance, then landscape design, then the design/build concept doing both. Ruthie said business was helped by referrals from legendary landscape architect Robert Marvin, who liked working with Berry. 

Adapt. Landscape maintenance has veered away from residential to commercial customers. The retail nursery in the old church building is now a small part of the business. They do more staff training and have moved to robotic lawn mowers and electric leaf blowers. 

Take care of employees. Berry Edwards said: “You can achieve sustained, quality growth by finding and keeping the best people at all levels of a company.” To do this, the company has become employee-owned. Employees earn stock, which has increased in value. It pays more, accepting that the minimum wage here is at least twice the government mandate. It provides transportation. Employees take company vans home to nearby communities, bringing others to and from work. It provides some housing for workers. The company owns six to eight condos on Hilton Head and rents some houses in the Hardeeville area. It offers a signing bonus to new hires. It offers a referral bonus to employees who refer new workers. It pays a lot of overtime. 

“I’d rather pay a good employee time and a half than pay somebody else who won’t get the job done,” Lee Edwards said. 

Give back to the community. They did landscaping for the island’s Youth Center in 1974, the forerunner to the Island Recreation Association, and in 2012 did landscaping for the Spanish Moss Trail in Beaufort. More than 250 employees were involved when they did a one-day tear-down and replanting of landscaping at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. Berry Edwards said, “You reap what you sew.” 

Grow. They did it by buying businesses. “We grow, not to be the biggest, but to give employees the next step up,” Lee Edwards said. 

Work hard. “Dad was a workaholic,” Lee said. He tells about the summer day when he was 14, sitting at home watching television when he told his father there was nothing to do. “Well, there’s going to be something for you to do tomorrow,” he was told, and that was his welcome to the world of landscape maintenance. 

By: David Lauderdale, The Island Packet

**Reprinted with permission. 

Living in the south, we don’t have freezing temperatures very often. But occasionally, Jack Frost DOES make a visit and we need to be prepared to protect our plants and lawn. Although the first freeze warning has already come and gone in our area, there could be more to come this winter. Taking these extra steps before a freeze will help your yard fare much better when the frost arrives. Also, a year-round approach to lawn maintenance makes the transition into spring go much more smoothly.

A freeze warning occurs when the temperature threatens to drop below 32° F. To avoid damage to your yard, follow these five steps:

1. Bring your potted plants inside

The easiest way to protect potted plants is to bring them indoors if possible. But if this isn’t an option, place your plants close together so they can protect one another. The plants most susceptible to damage are tropicals, azaleas, tomatoes and petunias.

Moving potted plants inside and outside regularly can cause undo stress on the plants. So you may want to consider just moving plants indoor for the duration of the cold months.

2. Cover tender plants

Just like we bundle up for cold weather – plants need to also! If possible, cover the roots of your plants with mulch or pine straw. Use cloths or burlap to cover your plants to shield them from the freeze. A proper cover should reach down to the roots in order to trap in heat. Don’t use tarps or plastics that can damage the limbs and create condensation on the foliage. 

At the Greenery Garden Center, we use N-Sulate frost cloths to protect our outdoor plants and shrubs. N-Sulate cloths help covered plants to stay 5 degrees warmer as well as protect against frost without weighing down branches. But keep in mind that this cloth will not help when there is a hard freeze.

Once temperatures start rising during the day, be sure to uncover your plants to avoid condensation from forming.

3. Water your plants

Wet soil helps to retain more heat than dry soil. And winter winds can remove water from plants faster than the roots can actually absorb it. Water acts as an insulator for plants. Plant cells that are hydrated will hold up better against cold damage. 

Try to water a day or so before the freeze in the morning directly at the plant’s root system. Avoid getting any of the actual foliage wet. Wet leaves are more likely to form frost that can cause more damage than just the cold air.

The exception to this rule is for succulents. Because they hold water and water expands when frozen, any freezing temperatures can cause succulents to break open.

Pay extra attention to newly planted trees and plants in your yard. Their root systems are less established and the disheveled soil may allow cold air to penetrate deeper into their roots.

If the ground is already frozen, skip the watering. Also, you don’t want to water if there’s a hard freeze (at least four hours of 25°) or the outside temperature is already below 40°.

This step is quite particular. Over watering can actually cause more harm to your plants. So water with care!

4. Protect your pipes and your irrigation system

One of the MOST important things to do before a freeze is to make sure your pipes are protected. A busted pipe can be an expensive and messy problem!

Unhook your outdoor hoses and turn off the water that leads to outdoor spigots. Try to cover exposed spigots using towels. Another way to protect pipes before a freeze is by leaving a slow trickle of water running overnight. 

To ensure your irrigation systems are protected from the cold winter weather, be sure to:

• Shut off the water. The main valve that controls water flow should be located by your water meter. If your system prevents backflow, you’ll also want to turn that off.
• Turn off the automatic timer.
• Drain the water. This is the most time-consuming, but important step. Some systems are equipped with an automatic drain feature. If not, you will need to drain the water manually.

If you aren’t comfortable with winterizing your irrigation system, The Greenery is here to help! Give us a call to winterize your irrigation system.

5. Avoid walking on your lawn

By the winter months, your grass becomes quite brittle. Walking on your lawn when there is a frost can actually break the blades. In spring and summer, grass blades can bounce back easily from being walked on. But damage done in the winter can affect the growth of your lawn in the springtime. So try to avoid stepping on your grass in the freezing weather. 

Even though it doesn’t happen often – freezing temperatures can be costly on your yard and lawn. It’s much better to be proactive to help your yard flourish once the springtime rolls around.  

For more tips about winter weather preparation and other info, follow The Greenery Garden Center on Facebook and Instagram at @GreeneryIncGardenCenter.