Winter lawn care is a common concern and while you won’t be mowing in the coming months, there are a few jobs you can do to ensure your lawn emerges in great condition next year…

1. Stop Mowing!
As temperatures cool and the days shorten, your lawn's growth rate will naturally decline. With all the rain we’ve had recently and light levels dropping quickly it's time to put the lawnmower away. Continued mowing during this period can stress the grass and make it more susceptible to winter damage.
2. Aerate for drainage and root health
Aeration involves perforating the soil to create channels that allow air, water, and nutrients to reach the grass roots more effectively. Make sure this is done before the ground freezes, down here in the South we’ve probably got a couple more weeks yet, but if you’re further North it might be better to wait until spring.
3. Apply a Winter Fertiliser to your lawn
Yes! You can fertilise your lawn for winter – but again, make sure you do it before the frosts set in. Choose a fertiliser with a low nitrogen and a higher potassium content, as this will encourage root growth and hardiness without stimulating excessive top growth.
4. Keep Leaves at bay
Should you remove leaves from the lawn or not? This is a topic of some debate. While the jury may still be out, if you have a lot of leaves, they may smother the grass, so it’s probably best to rake them up. Don’t waste the leaves, they can go straignt on to your borders (in moderation!), or you can collect them to create lovely leafmould for next year.
5. Protect Your Lawn from Foot Traffic
During wet or frosty conditions, excessive foot traffic can damage your lawn, causing compaction and increasing the risk of disease. If possible walk on paths rather than directly on the lawn.
6. Think twice before seeding your lawn now
Winter lawn seeding, can be successful. However, if the ground becomes frozen for extended periods of time, the grass seed won’t germinate. Or it may germinate in a warm spell, only to be killed by frost when the temperatures drop again. For best results, lawn seed should be sown in spring (from March to May) or early autumn (September to mid October), when the soil is moist and warm.
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