How to look after your lawn during the winter

With the weather getting colder, many of us will be preparing to hang up our garden gloves for the winter season. By keeping up with garden maintenance tasks throughout the cooler months however, you’ll be better placed to care for your garden come the spring.

Lawn care is very much a year-round responsibility. Whilst there’s certain to be fewer gardening to-dos on your list, enjoying a lush, green lawn depends on the following winter lawn care tips…

Ease off the mowing

With grass not actively growing during the winter months, your lawn doesn’t need to be mowed as often. But don’t neglect mowing completely. Giving your lawn a little trim at least once a month will help to keep your lawn in the best possible shape.

Take the time to aerate

Aerating your lawn is essential during the winter months, especially if your soil is particularly compacted. Using a garden fork to spike holes into your lawn or investing in and using an aerator unlocks a long list of benefits for its health.

Regular aeration relieves surface compaction, encourages new root growth, improves drainage, and boosts nutrient uptake to ensure healthy soil and grass, not to mention a beautiful lawn.

Keep off the grass

If possible, try to keep footfall on your lawn to a minimum during winter, especially if it’s been raining heavily or is extremely frosty. Grass plants are easily damaged in the cooler seasons and cannot repair themselves properly as they aren’t actively growing.

Collect leaves regularly

Blowing and collecting leaves can feel like a never-ending battle during the autumn and winter months, particularly if you’re the proud owner of a tree or two.

Fallen leaves can cause a number of issues for lawns without regular clean-ups. A thick carpet of fallen leaves can prevent the three things that are integral to a healthy lawn from getting to the grass plants and soil hidden underneath – water, nutrients and sunlight. Use a rake or blower to keep your leaf problem under control.

Give your lawn a boost

Nutrients and sunlight are sparse during winter so give your lawn the boost it needs to make it through this harsher season by sprinkling with a winter lawn feed.

Winter lawn feed provides valuable nutrients for the root systems that support a healthy lawn. It also increases your lawn’s protection against disease.