Winter lawn tips from THE AVID GARDENER…

Winter is well and truly here in Orange, and so this Week, Henrietta Hood from The Avid Gardener o ers a few tips to have your lawn looking its best when the warmer seasons return.

Let your mower have a bit of a rest over winter and only mow when necessary at a higher length. The extra leaf on your lawn will encourage the process of photosynthesis (using sunlight energy to produce chemical energy, or food, for the plant).

Rake up excess leaf matter. A little bit of leaf debris is fine, but too much will inhibit sunshine on the grass. Aerate your lawn if you didn’t do it in autumn. Aeration alleviates compaction and helps water and nutrients to reach the root system. Overall this helps to create a stronger, healthier lawn.

Water first thing in the morning on an “as needs” basis. Too much water will encourage compaction of the soil. Watering in the morning helps to remove frost from the leaf.

Winter is probably the best time to address weeds in your lawn. Use a fork to remove them individually…a little bit of weeding every few days soon adds up! For vast lawns, use an all purpose lawn weed control.