Winter Lawn Damage
During winter several things can go wrong with your lawn from grass thinning a little, complete loss of grass in some areas to an invasion of moss and strange coloured patches in the lawn. The degree to which this happens depends on many factors and would include some of the following:
- Lawn age with greater deterioration over time - 20 years is starting to be old!
- The previous summer particularly if a drought stressed your lawn
- A dull wet winter will increase thinning compared to a cold bright winter
- Snow can bring on disease particularly where any snow men stood
- Amount of thatch - the more thatch the worse your lawn would be
- Compaction – worse for older lawns or ones not aerated
- Traffic and level of use
- Shade – low light levels cause all grass to thin
- Poor air circulation increases moss and disease
- Water logging – literally drowns the plant
CAUTION: All work on the lawn should only start when temperatures rise in spring. Ideally if you start to see a little growth then things are on the move and the timing may be right. Growth in the lawn means it can repair and recover from your remedial work and seed will germinate.
Lawn Repair
If limited areas of lawn have thinned, usually in the shadier areas then these can be simply over seeded after either raking or scarifying in spring. The thinning may be an annual occurrence and you should consider over seeding in spring in shady places a normal part of lawn care. Grass doesn’t grow in woodland so it’s understandable it won’t grow in similar places in your garden.
Please refer to Moss Removal if the area also has moss
And this page and following pages for Scarifying and over seeding
Lawn Renovation
Do you consider the problem with your lawn to be a one-off (more than likely due to a combination of conditions) and the lawn is fertilised, scarified and aerated every year and less than 20 years old. If so you should be able to repair the lawn. See Spring Lawn Repairs
Alternatively do you consider this to be an unusual problem, your lawn is less than 15 years old and your lawn has not been regularly fertilised, aerated or scarified. If so follow this Spring Lawn Repairs. Then register for the Lawn Diary and start a good lawn care program which will go a long way to preventing this happening again.
If your lawn is 15-20 years old and neglected and spring lawn repairs are not successful, then the lawn is well past its best and you should consider replacing it. See Creating a New Lawn
Lawn Replacement
Lawns don’t last forever and replacing it can cost less in time, money and effort than trying to keep an old lawn with annual problems alive. It'll also be easier to keep and look a whole lot better. See Is my Lawn too Old
If the lawn is 20 years or older and progressively getting worse then seriously consider replacing it.
OR
The lawn so bad this year that replacing it would also solve other issues?
If YES to either or the content in this link sounds like a description of your lawn then definitely replace it.
Seeding Tips
It can be a little trickier to seed in shady places for a couple of reasons.
- Where there is shade from buildings, fences or conifers the area remains cooler than surrounding areas because the sun isn’t warming it up. This means you need to seed a little later in spring so the soil warms which will then enable germination.
- If the area is shady from deciduous trees try to seed slightly earlier and well before leaves come on the trees.
Lot’s more help
More Grass Seeding Techniques and Problems
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![How to Plant Grass Seed for Guaranteed Success]()
Grass Seeding Techniques and ProblemsA step by step guide on how to prepare the ground, sow your grass seed, protect and nurture it to create a brilliant lawn in a matter of weeks.
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![All about Grass Seed Germination]()
Planting and growing a lawn from grass seed requires warmth, moisture and air to ensure success. Learn what's needed for a great lawn in quick order.
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![Seed vs Turf]()
Grass Seeding Techniques and ProblemsTemperature and moisture are the two main factors when it comes to planting and germinating grass seed whether that's for a new lawn or when over seeding.
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![How to Water Grass Seed]()
Watering grass seed is quite different from the way you would water a lawn. The golden rule is never let the seed dry out so frequent light watering is needed.
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![When to Feed New Grass]()
Grass Seeding Techniques and ProblemsFor convenience you can fertilise the seeded lawn area on the day of sowing however, due to changing weather patterns this may not always be best.
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![Why Grass Seed doesn’t Grow!]()
Grass Seeding Techniques and ProblemsGrass seed is easy to germinate and grow into a lawn if you get the planting, moisture and temperature right. Here are some very common grass seed sowing mistakes.
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![Stop Birds Eating my Grass Seed]()
Grass Seeding Techniques and ProblemsWhether you're planting grass seed for a new lawn or just seeding a few patches birds can be a problem so here are some ways to stop birds eating your seed
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![The No 1 Best Way to Protect Grass Seed]()
Grass Seeding Techniques and ProblemsCovering your precious newly planted grass seed with polythene sheeting is not only an effective protection from birds but also drying winds and torrential downpours. Very cheap, easy to lay and speeds germination.
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![How Long Will Grass Seed Keep For?]()
Grass Seeding Techniques and ProblemsIn general grass seed will keep for up to 5 years if fresh to begin with. The biggest influence on germination is how well it is stored not the age.
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![Is my Grass Seed Dead?]()
Grass Seeding Techniques and ProblemsA simple test for viability. This test can be performed on grass seed that has been sown or is yet to be sown. Ideal for checking if old seed will germinate.
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![I've got Weeds in my Lawn after Seeding]()
Grass Seeding Techniques and ProblemsWeeds in newly seeded soil is normal. Digging, scarifying or new soil wakes dormant seeds. Most will disappear with the first cut but some require weed killer.
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![When can I Start Mowing my New Grass?]()
Grass Seeding Techniques and ProblemsCare must be taken when cutting a new lawn for the first time as the grass is tender and the roots are shallow. Sharp mower blades and dry grass are essential.
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![When can I Walk on my New Lawn?]()
Grass Seeding Techniques and ProblemsThe best way to decide is not by time but by the condition of the grass. Grass seed or turf laid in perfect conditions in April in Cornwall will establish twice as quickly as that sown in Aberdeen.
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![Grass Seed for Dry Areas]()
Grass Seeding Techniques and ProblemsSandy or poor soils and the drier east of the country are presented with a challenge when it comes to lawn care. Choosing drought tolerant grasses will help.
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![Grass Seed for Clay Soil]()
Grass Seeding Techniques and ProblemsWhen dealing with clay soil, it's important to choose grass seed varieties that are well-suited to these conditions. Here are a few grass seed options that tend to perform well in clay soils.
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![What Lawn Seed for Shaded Areas]()
Grass Seeding Techniques and ProblemsChoosing grass seed for wet shade, building and fence shade, dry shade from trees and partial shade from objects distant from the lawn
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![Grass Seed for Under Trees - Dry Shade]()
Grass Seeding Techniques and ProblemsThis is a dry place where trees or other plants out compete the grass for ground water and may also prevent showers reaching the lawn.
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![Grass Seed for Heavy Shade or Wet Shade]()
Grass Seeding Techniques and ProblemsAreas of lawn where little light gets to the grass for long periods usually from autumn through to spring.
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![Slow Growing Grass for Lawns]()
Grass Seeding Techniques and ProblemsFor slow-growing grass varieties suitable for UK lawns you can consider the following options though there are considerable downsides!
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![Should I let my Lawn go to Seed?]()
Grass Seeding Techniques and ProblemsLetting your lawn go to seed is a personal decision that depends on your preferences and goals for your grass. Nature vs nurture!
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![Can I mix Grass Seeds Together?]()
Grass Seeding Techniques and ProblemsLawn seed will already be a mixture of a variety of grass species. Mixing two together before sowing just halves the benefits and doesn't increase them.
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![Over Seeding a Lawn]()
Grass Seeding Techniques and ProblemsOver seeding with grass seeds that are different to your existing grass will change the composition of the lawn. Expect a 10 to 20% change each over seeding.
