How to Prepare Your Lawn for Winter

Let’s be honest, as the cold, wet and windy weather rolls in, none of us wants to be outside! So, if you want to stay cosied in the warm knowing your lawn will survive the winter, you need to put the prep work in now.

Winter can be a friend and a foe to turf. On the one hand, cooler temperatures slow weed growth and suppress pests; on the other hand, your grass is at risk of stress from reduced sunlight, frost and increased rainfall. But with the proper preparation, you can minimise damage to your turf and ensure a lush spring lawn!

Content Overview

• Why prepare your lawn for winter
• 7 tasks to prepare your lawn for winter
• How landscapers can help their clients
• Our range of natural turf
• Speak to the experts

Why Winter Lawn Prep Matters

While grass growth slows down in winter, your roots still need essential nutrients to help protect your turf. Without the correct winter lawn preparation, you risk:

• Weed growth
• Waterlogged lawns
• Increased moss
• Dull-looking grass
• Weakened root systems
• Higher risk of lawn diseases
• Costly lawn repairs in spring!

Our 7 Top Tips to Protect Your Lawn This Winter

By following these tips, you can help your lawn recover from the summer months and remain in good condition to withstand the winter weather.

1. The Final Mow

Thanks to the UK’s unpredictable seasons, a timeslot for the last cut of the year can vary. While the weather is warm, your grass will grow. But you’ll want your final mow to align with your grass becoming dormant for the winter. As a rule of thumb, wait until the temperature drops below 5 degrees. Look for a dry day and mow! Leave your grass height around 4cms; any longer and the blades can freeze and snap. Any shorter and you expose the soil to frost, weeds and moss.

2. Fertilise Your Lawn

Follow up your final mow with a nutritious fertiliser. Look for a slow-releasing autumn/winter fertiliser as these are designed to strengthen your grass roots and thicken the sward throughout the dormant season. It will also help your lawn wake up come spring to produce a full, resilient and vibrant lawn.

3. Clear Grass Clippings

Leaving grass clippings and a thatch build-up across your lawn in winter can lead to bigger problems. Thatch can create moisture, resulting in a soggy soil. Furthermore, with limited sunlight during winter, you want your lawn to absorb as much as possible. Clearing thatch enables more sunlight to help keep your grass bright and healthy.

4. Aerate Your Lawn

Waterlogged lawns are a common issue during winter. With an increase in rainfall, sometimes for days at a time, if your soil isn’t equipped to absorb high water levels, it will sit on the surface of your lawn and cause further problems. Aerating your lawn ensures multiple channels into the soil where water can drain and hydrate the roots.

5. Reseed Bare Patches

Excessive heat, dry spells and high summer usage can all lead to bare patches across your grass. To preserve your lawn over winter, you need to refill these patches before weeds take over. A simple solution to regrowing bare grass patches is by overseeding them. Apply a high-nitrogen grass seed to encourage a growth spurt before the temperature cools down. You also want to overseed a few weeks before the final mow to give your new grass blades a chance to anchor in and establish a good root structure that’ll feed them through winter.

6. Top Dress Your Lawn

Another way to give your lawn a boost this winter is with topsoil. By adding a thin layer of a high-quality topsoil, you help level out small dips in your lawn, improve drainage and protect grass seeds. Our blog on ‘Can I Put Topsoil Down in Winter’ can tell you how to best to apply topsoil and protect your lawn.

7. General Tidy Up

Finally, we recommend giving your whole garden a quick clear up, so it looks neat no matter what weather heads our way! Trim the edges of your lawn, weed between paving slabs, deadhead summer plants, trim back trees and hedges, and clean garden furniture before packing it away.

How Landscapers Can Support Their Clients’ Winter Lawns

If you’re a landscaper, this is the perfect time to add value for your clients:

• Offer a seasonal lawn care package that includes aeration, fertilising, and weed control.
• Educate clients on post-winter recovery plans so they’re not caught off-guard in spring.
• Recommend the right type of turf for winter resilience, especially for new installations.
• Sign up for our Trades Account for reliable turf support and delivery.

View Our Range of Natural Turf

• Trident Turf
• Clover Turf
• Wild Flower Turf
• RTF Turf
• Shade Tolerant Turf
• Species Rich Turf

Looking for an easier grass solution? We also offer a range of artificial turf, along with our artificial lawn care tips for winter.

Speak to the Experts

A healthy lawn doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of year-round care, and winter prep is one of the most overlooked but essential seasons in that cycle.

As your local turf experts, we’re here to guide you with the best landscaping materials, turf varieties, and seasonal advice to make your lawn the envy of the neighbourhood! Even in the depths of winter.

Helpful Articles

A Guide to Buying and Laying Turf in Winter

Can Fertilising My Turf in Winter Help?

Top Tips for Laying Turf in Winter