The days are colder, the nights are drawing in, and the sky looks ominously cloudy. It's time, then, to learn how to winter-proof a lawn, so it keeps looking its picture-perfect best even in spite of all the frosty mornings and rainstorms to come.
Yes, you may have perfected your garden's lawn care regime. And yes, you may have your lawn care calendar pinned to the fridge at all times. Still, though, one of the biggest winter lawn care mistakes you can make is... well, you've heard the phrase 'fail to prepare, prepare to fail'? That.
Of course, if you have a zoomies-prone rescue hound like I do, you may find you have to work twice as hard to protect your precious turf from spontaneous mud wrestling sessions. Don’t worry, though: with the right prep, even the efforts of the most excitable four-pawed lawn saboteurs can be defeated over the bleak midwinter...
1. Rake before it’s too late
One of the best and easiest ways to winter-proof a lawn? According to Morris Hankinson, Managing Director of Hopes Grove Nurseries, it's all about whipping the rake out.
'Rake up heavy leaf fall and lawn debris because too many leaves can block sunlight from the grass and leave you with bare patches,' he says.
Morris Hankinson is the founder and managing director of Hopes Grove Nurseries Ltd, the UK’s only specialist grower-retailer of hedging plants. He established the thriving business in 1992, shortly after graduating with a Commercial Horticulture Degree from Writtle College, Essex.
Morris adds: 'A few leaves aren’t a problem, simply mow over them when you give the lawn its final cut.'
Something like the DeWit bow tine rake from Crocus, then, is an excellent tool to add to your arsenal of lawn care equipment.
2. Give it one last cut
Yes, the time is fast approaching for that last trim before it's time to stop cutting your lawn for winter.
'It’s soon time to put the lawn mower away for winter, so give the lawn one final cut on a high setting before the first frost, which is usually late October onwards depending on the area,' says Morris.
Writing on his popular gardening blog, Monty Don agrees you should 'keep cutting the grass for as long as it keeps growing'. However, he stresses that it is better to have the grass too long than too short over the winter months, so you might prefer to pop the mower away now.
3. Don’t forget the edges
While the RSPB says that 'longer stems will create a sheltered microclimate' for pollinators and beneficial insects, you should take care to tidy up areas which will see heavy footfall over the winter.
'Trim lawn edges, borders and around stepping stones to keep them neat and to avoid any slippery growth where you need to walk,' says Morris.
Just be sure to use any clippings as mulch or compost later; something like Verdemax's Thermo King Composter (via Amazon) should help you do this in no time!
4. Improve drainage now
If you want to winter-proof your lawn like a pro, Morris says it's vital you think about drainage before any heavy rainfall.
'Aerating the lawn can help to improve drainage and minimise compaction. It can also be good practice if your lawn gets particularly wet and soggy,' he says. 'Simply use a garden fork or a lawn aerator to poke holes in the lawn about 15cm apart.'
Try the Burgon and Ball stainless steel digging fork from Crocus if you want something that comes endorsed by the RHS. Although, and I speak from experience here, do be prepared to defend your aeration holes from any dog who thinks you’ve thoughtfully laid out a new agility course.
FAQs
How to protect your lawn in the winter?
The easiest way to protect your lawn in the winter? Pay attention to the park keepers of your youth and stay off the grass!
'Try not to walk on the lawn as much as you do in the summer, just to help keep the grass healthy and your boots less muddy,' says Morris Hankinson of Hopes Grove Nurseries.
Be sure to up the ante when it's really cold; you should never walk on grass when it's frosty, as it will lead to grass breaking and sad bare patches to spring up.
Can you reseed a lawn in winter?
It's not ideal to reseed a lawn in winter, but a hardy lawn seed mix can be 'sprinkled, raked in and watered if needed in the autumn,' says Morris Hankinson of Hopes Grove Nurseries.
'This does need to be done before the weather turns too cold or growth may be weak if it grows at all,' he stresses.
You can pick up some Empathy RHS supreme green lawn seed with rootgrow via Crocus; it is currently the only grass seed and soil treatment to be licensed by The Royal Horticultural Society.
And just like that, you know how to winter-proof your lawn so it can sail through the soggy season without turning into a mud bath.
It might seem like a lot of energy wasted, but honestly? A little prep now means less mess later. Come spring, you’ll be the smug neighbour whose grass is already bouncing back while everyone else is still battling the bog – and even my own four-legged chaos gremlin will have a harder time undoing all that good groundwork.
Good luck...
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