Home LivingGarden6 of the best lawn care tips for autumn and winterHow to prepare your lawn for the colder monthsWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Home LivingGarden6 of the best lawn care tips for autumn and winterHow to prepare your lawn for the colder monthsWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
How to prepare your lawn for the colder months
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Pexels | Fox)
(Image credit: Pexels | Fox)
As the golden hues of autumn foliage begin to fade and leaves start piling up on the lawn, it may seem tempting to retreat indoors and neglect the sward until the arrival of spring. But this is a bad thing if you want a lush, healthy and verdant lawn come springtime.
In this guide, we’ll explore the essential steps and strategies for preparing your lawn during the colder months, helping you achieve a landscape that’s not only beautiful but also well-prepared for the challenges that will inevitably follow during the next growing season.
1. Remove leaves on the lawn
(Image credit: Bosch)
(Image credit: Bosch)
While foliage looks beautiful in autumn, it can get very a messy once the leaves start falling. So, if you have loads of trees around the garden like I do, the first battle of the season is to get rid of the inevitable deluge that litters the lawn. This is important because clearing lawn leaves will help the lawn breathe better and prevent the buildup of thatch that can smother your grass and make it more susceptible to pests and diseases. And, besides, leaves make the lawn look sad and unsightly.
There are several methods you could use for leaf extraction and chief among these is thebest leaf blower. So grab your cordless beast and blast the leaves towards some hard ground where they’re easier to sweep up using a wide outdoor broom or, if you fancy spending more, aKärcher Push Sweeper.
Alternatively, you could try raking the lawn with a wide grass rake. This scarifies the grass in the process, removing thatch at the same time. (You can read about scarifying in ourguide to making your lawn look spectacular). However, raking leaves off a lawn is one of the most time- and energy-intensive garden activities and it’s often frustrating, too, because there will always be some obstreperous leaves that refuse to budge.
And that brings us to the most effective leaf removal solution of all – thebest lawnmower. I‘ll get to mowing the lawn in the next chapter but stay here for a minute while I tell you why a lawnmower is the very best way to remove lawn leavesen masse.
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
Using your lawn mower is the most effective way to remove lawn leaves(Image credit: Future)
Using your lawn mower is the most effective way to remove lawn leaves
Using your lawn mower is the most effective way to remove lawn leaves
(Image credit: Future)
2. Mow the lawn
Mow the lawn before winter sets in – and clear all the leaves at the same time. Instant success!(Image credit: Future)
Mow the lawn before winter sets in – and clear all the leaves at the same time. Instant success!
Mow the lawn before winter sets in – and clear all the leaves at the same time. Instant success!
(Image credit: Future)
Once winter sets in it shouldn’t be necessary to mow the lawn. In fact it’s not really advisable because the grass will be wet from rain or covered in dew almost every hour of the day… and wet grass doesn’t cut well. However, it is a good idea to at least try and get a mowing session in before the end of autumn. As mentioned above, you could kill two birds with one stone and cut the lawn to a height of two-to-three inches while collecting leaves at the same time. Job’s a good ‘un.
3. Maintain your lawn mower
Use Aspen ethanol-free alkylate fuel to fill your petrol mower. It doesn’t damage the engine and it lasts for years(Image credit: Future)
Use Aspen ethanol-free alkylate fuel to fill your petrol mower. It doesn’t damage the engine and it lasts for years
Use Aspen ethanol-free alkylate fuel to fill your petrol mower. It doesn’t damage the engine and it lasts for years
(Image credit: Future)
Autumn and winter are also a good time to do some lawnmower maintenance. Thankfully, thebest cordless lawnmowersdon’t require any TLC though this period would be a good time to either take the blades in for resharpening or replacing them altogether.
It’s an altogether different kettle of fish if you have apetrol lawnmowerbecause these lawn beastsdoneed some TLC. One of the most important things you should do come winter is syphon off the unleaded fuel in the tank or it will absorb moisture over the winter months and play havoc with the mower’s carburettor. This could not only make your mower difficult to start the following spring, but chances are the engine will suffer from surging where the revs go up and down. Since pump fuel goes off after a few months anyway, empty the mower’s tank and take the fuel to your local municipal refuse dump for safe disposal.
One of the easiest courses of action is to add a fuel additive or stabiliser every time you top up your fuel can. This won’t remove the ethanol but it will coat the engine’s internals with a protective barrier, helping it to run more smoothly. It will also increase the life of the petrol itself, whether it’s stored in the shed or in the mower’s tank.
However, there is another fuel solution which I recently learned about from a reputable lawn mower engineer. It’s calledAspenand it’s available for both four-stroke and two-stroke engines. Aspen is an ethanol-free alkylate fuel that contains 99% fewer harmful hydrocarbons, which results in a dramatic reduction of exhaust fumes. It also lasts for up to five years in storage! This is great news for the environment and your health but it’s also much better for your lawn mower’s engine. So scrap the forecourt petrol and give Aspen a whirl. You will thank me later for this.
4. Aerate the lawn
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
Aeration is the foundation of a well-maintained lawn because it helps to loosen compacted soil, which allows water and air to penetrate the root zone more easily. Unfortunately, aeration is even more time and energy intensive than collecting leaves. In fact it’s more energy intensive than running the Marathon des Sables.
There are three main ways to aerate a lawn and the cheapest but most exhausting method is to use thebest garden forkto punch holes about four to six inches deep into the soil at regular intervals. For maximum effect it’s best to stomp on the fork and wiggle it back and forth a bit so the soil is loosened beneath the surface. However, if you have a big lawn, chances are you’ll give up on this method after about 10 minutes and start searching online for a more useful solution. One of these is theDraper Rolling Lawn Aeratorwhich is essentially a spiky roller than makes small holes in the lawn as you push or pull it along. Although this is one of the easiest methods, it’s not very useful on hard ground because the spikes simply won’t penetrate. Hence, it’s best used during damp weather when the ground is soft enough.
Another unusual but bizarrely effective method is to invest in a pair oflawn aerator strap-on sandals. Simply strap the spiked sandals to yourbest garden bootsand stomp up and down the lawn. Yes, you’ll look like a plonker but, hey, the grass will thank you for it.
5. Add extra seed
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
Autumn is an ideal time for overseeding your lawn since the cooler temperatures and increased moisture create optimal conditions for grass seed germination and establishment. Whether you’re looking to repair bare patches or thicken existing grass, the autumn season provides the perfect opportunity to achieve a lush, healthy lawn for the upcoming year. Simply purchase a box of suitable autumnal seed likeColdStartfrom Garden Lawncare Guy and spread it evenly over the lawn, taking care to add a bit more seed to the barest patches.
6. Feed the lawn
Today’s best Gardening Tools deals786 Amazon customer reviews☆☆☆☆☆$5.79View$11.01View$27.99ViewShow More DealsWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Gardening Tools deals786 Amazon customer reviews☆☆☆☆☆$5.79View$11.01View$27.99ViewShow More DealsWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Gardening Tools deals
786 Amazon customer reviews☆☆☆☆☆
786 Amazon customer reviews☆☆☆☆☆
☆☆☆☆☆
$5.79View$11.01View$27.99View
$5.79View
$5.79View
$5.79View
$5.79
$5.79
$11.01View
$11.01View
$11.01View
$11.01
$11.01
$27.99View
$27.99View
$27.99View
$27.99
$27.99
Show More Deals
Show More Deals
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
If you ever needed proof that cassette players are back, this is itWe Are Rewind has made a portable tape deck so retro it should appear from nowhere in a DeLorean
We Are Rewind has made a portable tape deck so retro it should appear from nowhere in a DeLorean
PS5 could finally be getting Gears of War and Halo after game-changing decisionThe age of exclusives is coming to an end
The age of exclusives is coming to an end
Gardening expert gives 5 tips on how to look after your plants while on holiday5 tips on ensuring your plants get watered while you’re travelling, according to gardening experts
5 tips on ensuring your plants get watered while you’re travelling, according to gardening experts
Mammotion YUKA 1500 3D Vision Robot Lawn Sweeping Mower review: a top-performing robot replete with autonomous grass catcherThe future of robotic lawn maintenance starts right here
The future of robotic lawn maintenance starts right here
Gardening jobs for July: 10 tasks that’ll keep your garden thriving under the sunHere’s a gardening to-do list that will keep your outside space looking great during higher temperatures
Here’s a gardening to-do list that will keep your outside space looking great during higher temperatures
Mammotion LUBA 2 AWD robot lawn mower review: the future of autonomous lawn maintenanceThe Mammotion LUBA 2 AWD is a sensational wireless lawn bot that’s a cut above the rest
The Mammotion LUBA 2 AWD is a sensational wireless lawn bot that’s a cut above the rest
Gardening jobs for June: 10 tasks to complete at the start of summerWanting your garden to thrive this summer? Here’s a gardening to-do list that will help get your garden in full swing
Wanting your garden to thrive this summer? Here’s a gardening to-do list that will help get your garden in full swing
6 mistakes everyone makes with robot lawn mowersHow to make sure your robot mower behaves as it should
How to make sure your robot mower behaves as it should
Worx Landroid Vision M600 review: a cracking wireless plug-and-play robotic lawn mower for technophobesThe Worx Landroid Vision M600 is a cut above the rest when it comes to simplicity and lawn navigation
The Worx Landroid Vision M600 is a cut above the rest when it comes to simplicity and lawn navigation
The Revolve Pizza Oven is perfectly portable, and will cook pizza in secondsHoping to impress your friends and family this summer? Look no further…
Hoping to impress your friends and family this summer? Look no further…
