The lawn in December

Continue to rake fallen leaves before they block out light and air to the grass. Assuming the weather is mild (above 5°C) you may continue to mow the lawn to a height of around 40mm.

Lawns maybe repaired at this time of year using turf or patches taken from other parts of the garden. The lawn edges maybe cut at this time, both to re-gain the shape of the lawn and to save on work when the next growing season starts.

Avoid the temptation of walking on a lawn on a frosty before it has had chance to warm up as this can damage the grass... generally in footprint shaped marks! If the weather is very wet or snow is falling, stay off the grass. If you have to walk on it, especially in muddy areas, use boards or stepping stones to prevent damage.

In wet weather a mould called Fusarium patch may become a problem. This is particularly acute if the lawn has been overfed and left a little too long before mowing. Algaes can also be a problem on lawns which there is poor drainage, lots of shade or under the drip line of any trees which overhang the grass.