If you read our recent blog, what does grass need to live, you'll know that water, sunlight, soil and nutrients are vital for keeping your lawn alive. In the winter months, these things are not so abundant. Your grass has to adjust to fewer sunlight hours, freezing temperatures and less readily available nutrients. Safe to say, winter is just as challenging for your lawn as summer, so it's important you know your do's and don'ts of winter lawn care.
Why does your grass need water?
Like all living organisms, grass needs water to help it perform all kinds of functions and stay hydrated. Although the grass doesn't grow rapidly during the winter months, its roots still need water to prevent them from dying. Autumn can often be a particularly wet period for lawns, but as the really cold months set in, water can become scarce again. For this reason, you may need to water your law periodically through winter to help keep it alive and healthy!
How much water should I give my lawn?
If too much water sits on the surface of the grass, it can encourage fungus and lawn diseases to develop, so it's important that you don't overwater your lawn in winter. Some water will evaporate on sunny winter days, but nowhere near as much as would evaporate in summer. Where you might normally give your lawn 1 or 2 inches of water, winter calls for around half the amount.
When should I water my lawn in winter?
Watering your lawn at the start of the day can really help to prevent it from freezing during winter. In the morning, the water will have time to soak into the soil and the warmth of the winter sun will help any excess water to evaporate before the temperatures plummet in the evening.
The 'water test'
Still not sure if you need to water your lawn through winter? Here's a simple test you can do to find out if your lawn is in need of a drink. All you need to do is head outside and take 5-10 steps across your lawn. Turn around and see if your footprints are still visible.
If the footprints aren't there any more than your lawn is healthy and doesn't need a drink. If you turn around and the grass has retained your footprints, then this could be a sign that the grass blades are weak and in need of water. If the grass looks 'muddy' or 'boggy' where you walked then it definitely doesn't need any more water!
Winter lawn care
Winter lawn care is a fine balancing act. Your lawn's needs are so different in winter compared to summer, so it's important you get it right. Here at Lawn and Weed Expert, we've been providing winter lawn care services for as long as we can remember! Take a look at our winter lawn care treatment here:
Winter Lawn Care Treatment >
If you have any other questions about looking after your lawn through winter, why not give us a call on 0800 111 4958? Our specialist team are happy to advise you where they can.
