Lawn Care in Winter

Keeping the lawn clear of debris such as leaves and worm casts will help prevent damage to the lawn during the wet winter season. This is best done during any drier periods of weather. Unless the weather proves milder than usual, most time spent on the lawn during winter will prove more damaging than beneficial due to the likely state of the ground.

A simple gauge of whether the ground is dry enough is whether significant amounts of soil stick to boots when treading on it. If it does, then work that involves standing on the soil or lawn is best deferred. If cutting grass during winter, only a high cut is required to help maintain a healthy green lawn.

Cautionary Points about Lawns in Winter

If the early weeks of winter remain a little mild and simply showery, with no risk of frost or snow, this can be used to advantage by carrying out a little more aerating and overseeding of the lawn to maintain and improve the soil immediately below the surface of the lawn.

Avoiding putting weight on the lawn surface is advisable during winter. If work has to be done that involves crossing the lawn, using boards to walk on or any form of temporary stepping stone is advisable. The time and care spent will be worth it in the long term, rather than having to invest even more time and effort to repair damage caused.

If the lawn has been stood on or walked over during the winter repeatedly and the grass has not grown back, it will be easiest and most effective to rake out dead grass and sow new seed in spring. This is better than leaving it, which might allow weeds to develop.

When inclement weather does occur, one aspect that is sometimes overlooked is the opportunity to note good and bad points of drainage in the garden and on the lawn in particular. There may well be points that will subside if the ground dries out in a hot summer, so that remedial work can be carried out on both types of problem area when the weather permits in the coming seasons.

Winter is a good time to make sure any lawn tools, especially the lawn mower, are in good condition, so any outstanding cleaning, repairing or servicing is best down during the winter season. Lawn maintenance is more active during spring, summer and autumn but winter should still be viewed as the time when a little maintenance and attention could prove useful.