Lawns are rarely at their best in winter, but according to the Royal Horticultural Society, a little well-timed care now can make a noticeable difference once spring arrives.
'Lawns are hard to love in winter, particularly when rain has returned and made them muddy and sad,' says Guy Barter, chief horticulturist at the RHS. 'But with brighter weather ahead and spring just around the corner, it’s worth being ready to show your lawn a little attention.'
Here are five RHS-approved ways to care for your lawn before spring — without creating extra work later.
1. Start mowing early — but gently
Grass grows at surprisingly low temperatures — as low as 4C — meaning lawns begin growing earlier than most plants, particularly in the south and west. 'Light frequent mowing, when the soil is dry enough, is better than one severe mow later,' advises Guy. 'Where the grass is ready to cut, and much is after the mild autumn, cut gradually, removing no more than 5cm at a time to avoid stressing the grass.'
Winter light levels are very low and grass needs some leaf to feed its roots. Frequent mowing also allows the clippings to fall into the sward and act as fertiliser. Guy says 'there won’t be enough warmth and light for expensive lawn fertilisers to be useful until mid-February.'
2. Tackle moss carefully
Moss is also widespread in lawns after the wet mild autumn – a good remedy is to rake out the worst when the soil is dry enough. 'Leave it piled up nearby so birds can gather it for nest making which will start soon,' Guy suggests. 'Grass is beginning to grow and will fill in gaps left where the moss has been removed.'
3. Keep weeds in check (but don’t aim for perfection)
Weeds in general grow less well in winter than grass, so they will be under pressure as grass slowly edges into growth. 'Weeds are actually good for wildlife so a weed-free lawn is not wholly desirable,' says Guy. 'All the same, dig some weeds out where they have spread during the very dry spells last summer, when grass, being shallow rooted, was less competitive to ensure an equal footing.'
• Read more: TV gardener Sue Kent shares genius trick to banish weeds for good
4. Repair bare patches with turf or grass clumps
Winter is also a useful moment to tackle bare or damaged patches, particularly if you can source turf easily. 'For economy, even sections of turf and clumps of grass taken when edging lawns can be planted and will gradually spread over summer,' says Guy.
• Read more: Brown patches on your lawn? Here's what’s causing them
5. Neaten the edges
One of the quickest ways to make a lawn look better — even before it starts growing strongly — is to tidy the edges. Using a half-moon edging iron or flat-bladed spade, trim back unruly borders created during the mild autumn. It makes an immediate visual difference and helps reduce the workload once spring arrives.
Tip: Use planks to work from if the lawn is on the soggy side.
