As featured in SALIFE Gardens & Outdoor Living Magazine Winter Edition 2026.
A busy gardener in winter reaps the benefits in spring and this is especially true when it comes to your lawn. Even though most warm season lawns at this time of year are semi-dormant, there are key steps you can take to repair any damage that occurred throughout the year and to ensure it’s at peak health when it starts growing again in spring. And if you’re one of the lucky few to have a cool season variety like fescue, you need to keep up your regular lawn care regime as it continues to grow through the cold.
Winter dormancy affects all warm season lawn varieties including kikuyu, buffalo and couch, it will slow down the growth of your lawn when soil temperatures drop below 14 degrees. It’s a way your lawn protects itself from the winter weather to come but it does mean your lawn is more susceptible to winter related issues like weeds and disease, and it can take longer to repair from damage. What it doesn’t mean though, is that you can forget about your lawn, especially if you want a happy and healthy lawn in spring.
It’s important to keep mowing your lawn, albeit you won’t have to as regularly. Mowing promotes healthy new growth and by raising your mower height by a notch or two in the cooler months you can increase the sunlight and nutrients your lawn absorbs. This will give your lawn a better chance at growing into and repairing bare patches and maintaining turf quality and health.
When you think of a simple lawn fix, you might look to a fertiliser, but unfortunately the time of year for a successful fertiliser application is critical. Winter fertilising should focus on essential nutrients for plant health and colour such as Potassium and Iron. You also need to look for foliar fertilisers, ones that are absorbed directly through the leaf (like Exceed), as they are more effective in the cooler months. They will give a rapid nutrient boost and target key nutrients lawns need for winter colour, strength and growth.
Controlling weeds growing in your lawn and garden now will help reduce spread and reoccurrence in the months to come. A two-pronged approach with weed pre-emergent preventative treatments and selective herbicides for control is the best way to tackle the weeds from all angles. Weed pre-emergents like Oxafert create a barrier at soil level that affects the germination of any new weed seedlings, controlling them before they appear in your lawn. Promptly treating or pulling any weeds that do sneak past and establish in your lawn with a selective herbicide will help your lawn focus on strong growth and repair instead of weed-fighting. You also won’t have to struggle controlling established and more stubborn weeds in a few months’ time.
The key for a successful spring lawn is to not forget about it through winter. Keep on top of mowing, weeds and nutrient applications and you can enjoy year-round green and an enjoyable, useable space come spring.
