October 10th, 2018 by Chris Chapman

Winter can be a tough time for your lawn. The cold winter weather and short daylight hours can lead to your lawn looking bare, leaving you with a big job on your hands come the spring. As any Game of Thrones fan will tell you, winter is always coming, so it’s always a good idea to prepare your lawn for the frosty season. This guide will give you 5 easy ways you can start prepping your lawn for the winter right now.

Sow New Seed Before Winter

If you have any bare patches on your lawn you should treat them before winter. This will give your new grass plenty of time to mature and build its strength before the cold weather starts to bite. Sow new seed and nurture it so it’s ready for the first frost. Try and keep people and pets off your lawn as much as possible while the new grass is still growing.

Add Leaf Mulch to Your Lawn

Leaf mulch is an incredibly useful material as it both protects your soil from cold weather and wind while also providing it with nutrients! Luckily, by the end of autumn, there should be plenty of leaves lying around on your lawn for you to use! Don’t make the mistake of leaving dead leaves on your lawn as this can lead to weeds – collect them up in a bag and wait for the first forecast of frost. Just before the first frost, spread the leaves on your lawn and rake them up so that they break into pieces. These leaf fragments will freeze and thaw throughout the winter, breaking down and being absorbed into your soil to keep It healthy. If you have a lot of leaves on your lawn, you can set some aside to make some leaf mould, a wonderful and natural fertiliser. To find out how you can make your own leaf mould, read this article on autumn gardening!

Feed Your Lawn

Take advantage of the autumn rains by giving your lawn a dose of iron sulphate. Iron sulphate is a lawn nutrient that helps keep grass strong, lush, and green, and is vital for fighting off frost, pests, and winter lawn diseases. For best results, you should apply a dose of iron sulphate when rain is forecast as the rain will water the iron sulphate down into your soil. If rain isn’t forecasted, you can still apply iron sulphate to your lawn – just make sure you water it down thoroughly so your grass’ roots can absorb it.

Aerate or Spike Regularly

Long, healthy grass roots are vital for keeping a strong lawn, but it’s important to keep them under control. Over time, grass roots can grow too close beneath the soil which stops water from draining through your soil properly, resulting in your grass growing weak. When winter strikes, this can lead to whole patches of grass dying off. Spiking your lawn with a garden fork eases some of this compaction, meaning your grass can properly absorb water and nutrients into its roots. Aerating your lawn properly will also help your soil drain properly so you shouldn’t end up with a waterlogged, boggy lawn. If you end up with pools of standing water on your lawn after a heavy rainstorm, then it’s essential you do some aeration immediately.

Mow Regularly

Don’t let up on mowing your lawn until you notice the growth start to slow. If your grass gets too long it won’t be able to get the sunlight or air that it needs. It can also become matted, which encourages lawn diseases and pests. However, you shouldn’t cut your lawn too short. If it’s shorter than about two inches it won’t be able to store enough nutrients and water to stay alive through the winter. Keep your grass between two and three inches long through the winter to keep it in peak condition.

Keep Off Your Lawn When It’s Frosty

When the frost does strike, try and stay off your lawn. Let it thaw naturally – trying to treat frost yourself will only risk damaging your lawn. If you end up breaking off frozen grass blades, that grass will struggle to grow back through the winter, leading to your lawn becoming uneven and unsightly.