We often don’t think about winter as the season to get stuck into gardening; however, it is a great time to get stuck into to any ongoing maintenance and preventative chores. Whether you need to replenish the soil in your garden beds and vegetable patches or do some hedge pruning and tidying, utilise the cooler climates to tackle these tasks!
One task that tends to get overlooked in winter is tending to your lawn. We’ve listed some recommendations of ways you can help your lawn get through winter and ready to flourish in spring.
During the cooler months, you don’t need to water your lawn as much, if at all – depending on how often it rains where you live. We recommend watering on an as-needed basis to avoid putting excess moisture into the soil as this encourages compaction.
You should increase your mowing height in winter as this will allow your grass to absorb more sunlight and nutrients. When grass is longer it can better block out weeds and can retain its colour for longer. Similar to watering, you only need to mow your lawn every few weeks in the cooler months, however, this differs based on where you live and your lawn type.
Quick tip: Even though you will mow less in winter, make sure you don’t leave too long between mows to avoid scalping your lawn, as this is what makes it brown and patchy.
Compaction is a common problem that arises over winter, particularly if you’re experiencing wet weather. However, there are ways for you to combat it! If limiting the level of foot traffic on your lawn is difficult, then aerate these areas to help loosen the soil. All you need is a simple but sturdy garden fork. If you’re noticing any areas on your lawn where water tends to pool, keep up the aerating as this will help air get to the root zone, allowing your lawn to breathe.
While your lawn may be more dormant over winter, we can’t say the same for nasty weeds! Australia’s weeds are mostly made up of winter annuals, this means they germinate in autumn and grow through winter. It’s best to stay on top of your weeds to avoid a larger problem in spring when you’re spending more time on your lawn.
Quick tip: Treat weeds once they have sprouted, which usually occurs during winter.
We know winter is the slowest season for growth in your garden, but looking after your lawn through the rain and cooler months will prevent disease and help you stay on top of your outdoor space just in time for the weather to warm up again!
If you have any questions about any of the tips shared or our units, get in touch here.
