Looking after garden lawns during the colder months, is essential to ensure they look their best when spring arrives. There are a few key things you need to do, to help keep your garden lawn in top condition.

Winter lawncare is tricky given the climate, but still very important.

Maintaining your garden lawn during the colder months can prove challenging, yet the care provided in the fast approaching weeks and months will dramatically have an impact on its vitality and appearance come spring.

Some guidelines exist to help maintain lawns in excellent condition throughout the winter period, guaranteeing they return and start to thrive when spring starts to appear.

It’s a common misunderstanding that garden lawns do not need any care once the cold weather arrives, but that is not the case at all. The way a garden lawn is treated during the autumn and winter months, has a huge impact on how healthy and green your garden lawn will look when spring arrives. Simple things like clearing away debris, aerating the lawn before the ground hardens, and applying a good fertiliser will help the grass recover faster.

Remove any debris from your lawn

One thing worth remembering is that garden lawns might look dormant, but the grass roots underneath are still active below the surface. By taking care of those roots, you are setting your garden lawn up for success in the new year.

Neglecting seasonal adjustments can render garden lawns susceptible to frost damage and the lawn becoming saturated in water, resulting in a garden lawn needing reviving by the following spring.

Aerate the soil

If you aerate the lawn before the ground becomes too hard, this will help improve drainage and will ensure that oxygen, water and all the nutrients continue to reach the roots during the long lasting colder period. This helps strengthen the grass from below and will help your garden lawn withstand a heavy frost and heavy rainfall. A garden fork or lawn aerator can be used to gently spike the soil to aerate your garden lawn.

Clear debris from the lawn

The easiest thing you can do, is to remove any debris from your garden lawn, including fallen leaves and tree and bush twigs. Any debris left will cover the grass, blocking out much needed sunlight and trap excess moisture that encourages the growth of moss and fungi on your garden lawn.

Apply a winter fertiliser

If you switch to a winter or autumn fertiliser this can help boost disease resistance and frost tolerance, as the fertiliser is typically high in potassium, which helps strengthen garden lawn roots.

Don’t overwater your garden lawn during winter

Autumn is an ideal opportunity to repair any thin or patchy areas of garden lawn grass before winter sets in. Overseeding allows new seedlings to establish roots in the mild, moist autumn weather conditions. So ensure you overseed bare patches on your garden lawn.

Don’t cut your grass too short

Mowing your lawn too short during cold spells will expose the roots and leave your garden lawn vulnerable to frost and disease. As your garden lawn growth slows, it’s time to raise the cutting height and mow less frequently to reduce any stress on the grass.

Do not walk on waterlogged or frosty grass

Walking on your garden lawn when it’s wet or frosty can crush your grass and compact the soil, which can possibly lead to long-term damage and patchy grass growth.

Do not overwater your garden lawn

During the colder autumn and winter seasons, the usual rainfall is usually enough to maintain soil moisture. Overwatering your garden lawn can result in a drenched, waterlogged soil, depriving the grass roots of necessary oxygen, and could lead to rot and disease within your garden lawn.