How January sets up your lawn for the year ahead

Moss

If moss is starting to spread across your lawn, it’s rarely the grass itself that’s the problem. Moss thrives in damp, shaded conditions, which are much more obvious during the winter months. The most common causes are:

• Poor drainage
• Compacted soil
• Shade from buildings, fences or trees
• Constant damp or surface water

Winter rain and lower evaporation rates simply highlight these underlying problems. If moss is left untreated, it will continue to outcompete grass when growth resumes in spring.

Muddy patches

When areas of your lawn turn to mud, it’s usually because the soil beneath has become compacted and can no longer drain properly. Water sits on the surface instead of soaking in, leaving the grass roots starved of oxygen. This is especially common in high-traffic areas such as:

• Walkways and shortcuts
• Dog runs
• Kids play areas
• Drive-on or access points

If you’re planning to lay new turf in spring, these areas should be addressed now. Improving drainage and relieving compaction before turf goes down makes a huge difference to how well it establishes.

Yellow or pale grass

Cold weather puts grass into a dormant state, so yellowing or pale patches don’t mean the lawn is dying. Once temperatures rise, healthy grass will naturally green up again.

Bare patches

Unlike colour changes, bare or thinning areas won’t recover without help. If you can already see bald patches in January, they will still be there in spring — and often worse. Winter is the ideal time to repair, prepare or returf these areas so your lawn is ready when growth begins again.

Key points

• Moss and mud mean soil problems, not grass problems
• Discolouration is normal, but bare patches are not
• Winter is the best time to prepare for spring success

We supply quality turf all year round.  If you would like further advice on lawn care or would like to talk to us about your order, please contact us on 01392 231040 or email sales@wesellturf.com