Lawn care in winter

During winter, the harsh weather can have adverse effects on your lawn, but with some simple maintenance, this will be easy to overcome and you will soon be enjoying a beautiful lawn when spring comes around.

If we experience a long dry winter, with a small amount of rainfall, it is still essential that you water your lawn every three weeks. However, avoid applying fertilizers during the winter, as your lawn grows at a much slower rate than during the spring and autumn. It is best to apply fertilizer during the early summer or late autumn. As the winter approaches a close and it begins to get warmer, you can apply fertilizer to encourage rejuvenation of the grass growth.

Do not leave objects such as logs or debris on the lawn during winter as when the snow arrives, they can exert pressure on your grass causing damage and leaving it susceptible to disease.

It may be cold and unpleasant outside, but do not avoid weeding your lawn. The slow growth rate of grass during winter will give weeds the chance to sprout and kill the grass, so it is essential you protect your grass by weeding when you observe any weeds sprouting.

When it comes to mowing, you should lower the mowing height during the winter to eliminate tender shoots and new grass growth, which causes your lawn to become more susceptible to winter diseases. Reducing the mowing height will also reduce the possibility of your lawn turning brown during the winter. This is caused by the lawn drying out when the early winter winds set in. Lawn height should be reduced gradually as winter approaches, rather than suddenly cutting off the grass once.

If you follow these simple steps and continue to care for your lawn during the cold winter months, you will cut down the amount of work required come spring, and will also prolong the life and health of your lawn.