Winter Lawn Care UK

Winter is when most gardeners forget about their lawns entirely. The grass stops growing, the mower goes in the shed, and the lawn becomes an afterthought until spring.

That’s a mistake.

What you do (or don’t do) between December and February has a direct impact on how your lawn looks come April. The good news? Winter lawn care is minimal. You’re not mowing every week or battling weeds. But a few simple tasks can make the difference between a lawn that bounces back quickly and one that struggles well into summer.

Why Winter Lawn Care Matters

Your grass doesn’t die in winter. It goes dormant. The roots are still alive beneath the surface, and they’re actually quite active during mild spells. This is when the plant builds reserves for spring growth.

The problem is that while grass slows down, moss doesn’t. Moss thrives in the cool, damp conditions that UK winters provide. If you ignore your lawn completely, you’ll often find moss has quietly taken over by March.

Winter is also when physical damage happens. Frozen grass is brittle. Walk on it and you’ll crush the cell walls, leaving brown footprints that won’t recover until new growth appears in spring.

December: The Transition Month

December is about tidying up and setting your lawn up for the coldest months ahead.

Clear fallen leaves. Any leaves still sitting on your lawn need to go. A layer of wet leaves blocks light, traps moisture, and creates perfect conditions for fungal disease. It also smothers the grass beneath, leading to yellow patches.

Apply winter feed. If you haven’t already applied an autumn lawn treatment, early December is your last chance. Winter lawn feeds are high in potassium and iron, which harden the grass against frost and help suppress moss. They’re deliberately low in nitrogen because you don’t want to encourage soft, vulnerable growth.

Final mow if needed. Grass can still grow in December if temperatures stay above 5°C. If your lawn is looking shaggy, give it a light trim with the mower on its highest setting. This is likely your last mow before winter properly sets in.

Service your mower. Now is the perfect time to clean, sharpen, and service your mower before storing it for winter. A sharp blade makes cleaner cuts, which means healthier grass when mowing resumes in spring.

January: Minimal Intervention

January is typically the coldest month, and your lawn needs you to largely leave it alone.

Stay off frozen grass. This is the most important winter lawn care rule. When grass is frozen, the water inside each cell turns to ice. Walking on it crushes these cells, causing irreversible damage. You’ll see brown footprints or trails that won’t green up until the grass grows new blades in spring.

If you need to cross the lawn, wait until the frost has melted. The same applies to wheelbarrows, children playing, and pets running around.

Keep clearing debris. Branches, leaves, and other debris can blow onto your lawn throughout winter. Check periodically and remove anything that’s sitting on the grass. Prolonged coverage leads to yellow patches and dead spots.

Check for waterlogging. If water is pooling on your lawn and not draining away, you may have a waterlogged lawn problem. Note these areas for aeration work in spring.

February: Preparing for Spring

February is a transition month. Days are getting longer, and on mild days you might notice the first signs of new growth.

Watch for moss. By February, any moss problem will be clearly visible. The wet winter months are when moss spreads most aggressively. If you can see moss patches forming, plan to tackle them as part of your spring lawn care routine.

Avoid the temptation to mow too early. Even if you see some growth, hold off on mowing until the ground is no longer saturated and temperatures are consistently above 5°C. Mowing on waterlogged ground compacts the soil and damages grass roots. Your first mow of spring should wait until conditions are right.

Plan your spring work. Use February to assess your lawn and plan what needs doing. Does it need scarifying? Would it benefit from aeration? Are there bare patches that need reseeding? Having a plan means you can act quickly when the weather improves.

Winter Lawn Care Don’ts

Knowing what not to do is just as important as knowing what to do.

✗ Don’t walk on frozen grass – the damage is visible for months

✗ Don’t apply nitrogen-rich fertiliser – it promotes soft growth that frost will kill

✗ Don’t attempt any renovation work – scarifying, aerating, and overseeding should wait for spring or autumn

✗ Don’t pile snow on the lawn – if clearing paths, spread snow thinly rather than creating piles that take weeks to melt

✗ Don’t ignore persistent puddles – they indicate drainage problems that need addressing

What About Mowing in Winter?

Grass growth essentially stops when soil temperatures drop below 5°C. In most UK winters, this means no mowing from late December through to early March.

However, during mild winters, grass may continue growing slowly. If your lawn is looking noticeably long and the ground isn’t frozen or waterlogged, a light trim on the highest mower setting won’t do any harm. Check the recommended mowing heights and err on the side of cutting too little rather than too much.

Most years, you won’t need to mow at all between your last autumn cut and your first spring cut.

Setting Up for Spring Success

The lawns that look best in May are the ones that received some attention over winter. Not much attention, but some.

Keep leaves cleared. Apply a winter treatment if you haven’t already. Stay off frozen grass. That’s really all there is to it.

Come spring, while your neighbours are dealing with moss-infested, patchy lawns, yours will be ready to respond to warmer temperatures and longer days. A little winter care goes a long way.

For a complete month-by-month breakdown of lawn tasks throughout the year, see our UK lawn care calendar. You can also explore our full lawn care guide for detailed advice on every aspect of lawn maintenance.