January Lawn Care

There isn't a great deal for you to do in January, but there are a couple of important points to note to ensure your lawn is able to get back into tip top shape later on in the year.

As my Mum always used to tell me - Keep off the grass if it is frozen or heavily water logged. Believe it or not, walking on frozen grass actuallly "injures" it!

Any damage to grass that was frosty probablly won't be seen immediately, but you will notice it within 12 to 48 hours after you have done the damage.  Sometimes the grass will go a purple or black colour, before it turns brown as it dies. Dead grass will leave areas for weeds to develop, and damaged grass that does not die will be more prone to diseases. 

The actual nature of the injury isn't completely clear, but some people say that the cells of the grass are damaged because the water in the leaf tissue is frozen, it is brittle - literally snapping the blade of grass.  Some believe that the crystallised water punctures through the blades of grass in thousands of places creating "wounds" that cannot heal.

Also (if not frozen or waterlogged) ensure you clear any leaves that you may not have cleared at the end of the autumn - this will stop them rotting on the lawn, and also allow air and light to get to the grass.