As temperatures drop and your garden starts looking a little bare, you may not want to spend your time mulling around the outdoors. While your lawn growth will come to a bit of a halt, it doesn't mean there aren't things you can do to keep your lawn looking green and fresh. When it comes to Winter lawn care tips, we reached out to the experts at QLD Organics to give us their best advice on how to keep your lawn looking green over winter.
Glen Vaughan, from QLD Organics, took some time out to answer a few of our questions. QLD Organics has been in the business of making lawns green since 1995, producing several well-known turf fertilisers.
What is the one piece of advice you would give when it comes to maintaining your turf all year round?
We recommend that you fertilise your lawn at every change of season, and yes, that includes the switch over to winter.
What is it about Queensland Organics products that makes them so effective at maintaining a healthy lawn?
Queensland Organics products are Certified Organic and are developed with soil health in mind. We don't just think about getting your turf looking green: we want to give your soil the best nutrients and structure to maintain healthy growth. If you are looking to keep your lawn green over winter, I think it is important to look at these key points.
Tips on Lawn Care for Winter
Brisbane winters are milder than southern states, but cooler temperatures, shorter days, and occasional rainfall still affect lawn growth. With the right approach, you can keep your lawn green, healthy, and resilient throughout the season. Below are the key steps recommended by QLD Organics for winter lawn care in Brisbane.
1. Ensure you cut tree over-hang to allow sunlight to all grassed areas
Winter sunlight in Brisbane comes at a lower angle, so shaded areas are more prone to thinning or yellowing grass. Trim overhanging branches from trees or shrubs to allow sunlight to reach all parts of your lawn. Increased light exposure improves photosynthesis, supports growth, and reduces the risk of moss or fungal problems in shaded areas.
2. Raise the cutting level of your mower
During winter, grass grows more slowly, so mowing too short can stress the lawn. Raise your mower cutting height slightly to protect grass crowns and retain leaf area for photosynthesis. Mowing less frequently, but maintaining a tidy lawn, helps prevent disease and encourages healthy turf through the cooler months.
3. Rake up all leaves and grass cuttings on your lawn
Fallen leaves and leftover clippings can smother grass and create damp conditions, which encourage fungal diseases in Brisbane winters. Regularly raking your lawn keeps it clean, allows air circulation, and helps maintain even growth. Composting these materials is also a great way to recycle nutrients back into your garden.
4. Aerate your lawn to ensure air and water can reach the root system
Aeration is essential, especially for lawns that receive heavy foot traffic or have compacted soils. By perforating the soil, water, nutrients, and oxygen can better reach the root system. In Brisbane, aerating in early winter gives the grass time to recover and strengthens roots before spring growth. Aeration also improves drainage, helping prevent waterlogging during Brisbane’s wetter winter days.
5. Fertilize lawn with a quality fertilizer
Winter is the perfect time to give your lawn a nutrient boost and prepare your soil for the warmer months ahead. Using a high-quality fertiliser like Turf Master or Organic Xtra not only supports grass growth during the cooler season but also improves overall soil health, helping your lawn recover from wear and stress accumulated over summer.
Applying fertiliser in winter allows you to address nutrient deficiencies, strengthen root systems, and build resilience against cold stress. It’s also an ideal time to tackle problem areas, such as compacted soil or thin, patchy sections of your lawn. Fertilising alongside other winter lawn care practices, like aeration and top dressing, ensures nutrients penetrate effectively, supporting deeper root growth and a healthier turf profile.
In Brisbane, where winters are mild but lawns still slow down in growth, using Turf Master or Organic Extra helps maintain green colour, improve soil structure, and feed the grass consistently. Incorporating fertiliser now sets your lawn up for a strong, lush, and vibrant spring.
6. Do not overwater your lawn
Brisbane lawns require much less water during winter due to cooler temperatures and slower growth. Overwatering can lead to root rot and fungal problems. Check soil moisture before irrigating, water in the morning to allow evaporation during the day, and avoid creating puddles in shaded areas. Proper winter watering helps maintain a healthy, stress-free lawn.
8. Top Dressing for Winter
After fertilising, applying a nutrient-rich top dressing helps fill in low spots, protects exposed roots, and provides additional food for the lawn as it transitions into spring. Winter’s slower growth makes it easy to spot problem areas and correct them before the warmer weather returns. This practice ensures your lawn stays even, healthy, and lush throughout winter in Brisbane.
7. Weed Prevention
Winter weeds like Winter Grass can establish quickly in cooler Brisbane conditions. Using a pre-emergent herbicide in autumn or early winter helps prevent weed seedlings from germinating, reducing competition for nutrients and water and keeping your lawn dense and healthy.
By following these winter lawn care practices specific to Brisbane, you can ensure your grass remains green, healthy, and resilient, ready to thrive when spring arrives. Regular attention now will pay off with a stronger, more vibrant lawn all year round.
Find out How often should you water your lawn in winter? and more tips on How to keep your lawn green in winter on our website. We have plenty of Brisbane turf tips that cover what is the best time of day to water your lawn is, what turf would be best for your backyard and more.