The Ultimate Guide to Year Round Landscape Maintenance in Northern Virginia

How to keep your outdoor spaces healthy, beautiful, and built to last.

Maintaining a landscape in Northern Virginia isn’t a one and done task. Our region’s four true seasons, heavy storms, freeze–thaw cycles, and humid summers mean your property needs consistent, strategic care all year long. Whether you own a small suburban yard or a full outdoor living space with patios, walkways, and gardens, knowing what to do and when is the key to keeping your property thriving.

This guide breaks down the seasonal essentials, the must do tasks, and how Sunrise can support you at every step so your landscape stays healthy, safe, and beautiful all year.
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Understanding Northern Virginia’s Landscape Needs

Northern Virginia’s climate creates three major challenges for homeowners:

1. Winter freeze–thaw cycles that damage soil, plants, and hardscape

Soil compacts. Moisture freezes. Roots stress. Pavers shift.

2. Heavy spring rainfall that exposes drainage issues

Pooling water, erosion, and foundation washout are common.

3. Hot, humid summers that strain lawns and plant health

Watering consistency and soil quality become crucial.

Year round care prevents small issues from becoming expensive repairs — and ensures your landscape grows stronger every season.
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Spring Maintenance Checklist

March to May

Spring is the season of growth, recovery, and preparation. This is when your landscape sets the tone for the entire year.

Key Tasks:

• Full property cleanup (leaves, branches, winter debris)
• Soil testing + amendments
• Bed edging and mulching
• Pruning early blooming shrubs and trees
• Aeration and overseeding (if not done in fall)
• Assessing drainage issues after spring rain
• Power washing patios and walkways

Why It Matters:

Healthy soil and clean beds create ideal growing conditions. Spring maintenance also helps identify winter damage early before it becomes costly.
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‍Summer Maintenance Checklist

June to August

Summer in Northern Virginia can be hot, humid, and unpredictable. Consistency is everything.

Key Tasks:

• Regular mowing and trimming
• Deep watering schedules to support root health
• Weeding + bed maintenance
• Mid season pruning to shape shrubs and promote growth
• Monitoring for heat stress + plant disease
• Refreshing mulch if breakdown is fast
• Irrigation system checks

Why It Matters:

Strong summer care protects your landscape through heat waves and storms while keeping your outdoor spaces looking polished and inviting.

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Fall Maintenance Checklist

September to November

Fall is the most important season for long term landscape health.

Key Tasks:

• Core aeration + overseeding for dense, healthy grass
• Fertilizing for root development
• Leaf cleanup to prevent mold + pests
• Cutbacks and reshaping plants for winter
• Planting new trees, shrubs, and perennials (cool temps = strong root growth)
• Preparing beds with fresh mulch

Why It Matters:

Landscapes strengthen in fall, not spring. Fall work protects your property through winter and produces healthier growth in spring.

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Winter Maintenance Checklist

December to February

Winter isn’t a “dead season” — it’s preparation season.

Key Tasks:

• Checking drainage during freeze–thaw cycles
• Protecting sensitive plants with burlap or coverings
• Removing broken limbs after winter storms
• Pruning dormant trees (ideal time for most species)
• Planning spring design + hardscape projects
• Soil preparation before the coldest months

Why It Matters:

Winter work prevents damage, identifies structural issues, and sets the stage for a smooth spring.
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Year Round Hardscape Maintenance

Your patios, walkways, retaining walls, and outdoor living spaces need seasonal care too.

What to Watch For:

• Joint sand loss
• Paver shifting
• Drainage flow changes
• Grading adjustments
• Cracks from freeze–thaw cycles
• Moss or algae buildup
• Settling around retaining walls

Sunrise performs inspections, repairs, and annual refreshes to extend the life of every structure we build.
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How Sunrise Supports Year Round Landscape Health

Sunrise manages every part of your outdoor lifecycle, including:
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• Weekly, biweekly, and seasonal maintenance.
• Drainage and grading solutions.
• Hardscape inspections and repairs.
• Patio, fire pit, retaining wall, and full outdoor living design and build.
• Soil improvement and planting plans.
• Storm response and seasonal cleanup.

Everything is tailored to Northern Virginia’s terrain, climate, and homeowner needs.

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