Why weeds love winter
Cooler weather and damp soil create ideal conditions for weed seeds to germinate and spread. Your lawn isn't growing as fast, which means weeds have less competition for space, sunlight and nutrients. And if your soil is low in nitrogen – quite common in sandy conditions – that’s even better news for weeds like clover.
Now’s the time to act, before things get out of control.
Clover: fast-spreading and frustrating
One of the easiest ways to discourage clover is to boost your lawn’s health:
- Mow regularly to stop clover from flowering and spreading.
- Use a good-quality NPK – nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) – fertiliser with a higher nitrogen content to give your grass the upper hand.
- Avoid overwatering – too much moisture can help clover spread even faster.
In garden beds:
Pull clover out by hand, making sure to get the roots. Follow up by adding a layer of mulch. This helps smother new weeds, keeps the soil warm, and slows down any clover trying to make a comeback.
Bindii: small weed, big pain
Bindii is the one that turns lovely green grass into a barefoot hazard zone come spring and summer. The plant starts growing in winter, flowers in early spring, and then forms those sharp, spiky seeds that stick to feet, paws and anything else that crosses its path.
To stop that from happening:
- Pull out any bindii plants now while they’re still soft and haven’t gone to seed.
- In larger lawns, use a selective herbicide that targets bindii without harming the lawn. Apply it before flowering to break the cycle.
- Thick, healthy turf will make it harder for bindii to spread in the first place – so keep up the fertilising and fill in any bare spots.
Other tips to stay ahead of winter weeds:
- Keep mowing, just not too short. Mowing too low can weaken the grass and let weeds take hold. Leave a bit of length to help your lawn crowd them out.
- Clear up fallen leaves and debris. This reduces damp patches and dark spots where weeds love to hide and grow.
- Aerate compacted areas. If the soil is firm underfoot, give it a light aeration to help water and nutrients get down to the roots.
Or hand it over to the professionals
Weeding is one of those jobs that never really ends. If you’d rather not spend your weekends pulling up prickles or clover, a local lawn care expert can take care of it for you. They’ll be able to spot the early signs of weed trouble, choose the right treatments for your lawn type, and help keep everything under control.
.jpg)
