Lawn Care In Winter

Is your lawn Spring ready? 

Lawn and garden priorities change in winter. It’s tempting to stop working outdoors due to the cold, gloomy days. However, if you put in effort during the cooler months, you can make your lawn look vibrant and healthy for spring. 

Here are our top tips!

Mower Clippings 

During Winter, it is recommended to remove clippings and leaves from your lawn. This will ensure that your lawn receives as much sunlight and air as possible in order for it to thrive in the cooler months. If you have a lot of trees planted in the garden, you might want to consider pruning these so that your lawn gets more sunlight. 

Mowing

During Winter, you grass will grow slower. Mow your lawn every three or four weeks. Raise the mowing height to present damaging the grass and do not cut the grass lower than 2.5cm. Also, remember to never mow wet grass as this can clog the mower and weigh down the grass. 

Aeration

High impact on your lawn can be a problem in Winter. Try to avoid traffic on your lawn where possible and regularly aerate your lawn to allow increased amounts of air water and nutrients to penetrate the soil. This will help strengthen the grass roots and will make your lawn more resilient for whatever the next season brings. The same applies after heavy rain, particular if water tends to pool. Aeration with help get the air to the roots, allowing it to breath. 

Weed Management

Winter is the time when more weeds may appear. Because grass growth tends to slow down over Winter, weeds will find it easier to take over. Make sure you spray them during Winter, especially Bindii – if they are allowed to seed, they will return again, worse than the previous year. Investigate a good herbicide that is powerful enough to kill weeds but does not cause damage to your lawn. There are also some natural solutions available, e.g. vinegar which can be helpful in combatting some Winter weed worries.

Watering

Over Winter, you lawn will not need to be watered as much, if at all. Switch off your timers and water on an as-needed basis. If the leaves start to curl, give it some water, but it is best to be left alone. Excess water will encourage compaction and leave it vulnerable to fungi. If you must water your lawn, do it early in the morning.

Service your mower

Chances are that your mower has been sitting relatively dormant for a few months over winter. Avoid unnecessary repairs with a pre-spring service and Expert Check. We will change the oil and filters, grease the service points, check the battery and cables, and look over the blades and deck.

A yearly tune-up is important to ensure all parts of your mower are functioning properly and safely and there’s no better time than before the weather warms up again.