Home › Guides › Winter grounds maintenance: leaf clearance, gritting and dormant pruning
Winter brings a different set of tasks for grounds maintenance. Leaves, frost, ice, and rain create specific hazards and opportunities, and there are established best practices that reduce risk while preparing the garden for spring. Understanding what needs to be done and when makes the difference between reactive crisis management and planned, safe grounds care.
Manage leaf clearance to prevent slips and trips
Fallen leaves are more than unsightly—wet, decaying leaves create a significant slip hazard. Once wet or partially decomposed, leaves hide the ground beneath and their slippery surface can cause falls. On paths, around buildings, and in car parks, this is a safety issue and a liability for the property owner.
HSE guidance on slips and trips emphasises regular leaf removal as a control measure. The best approach is to establish a schedule for removing leaves at regular intervals throughout autumn and into early winter—weekly if trees are heavily established, fortnightly or monthly if leaf fall is lighter. This prevents accumulation and reduces the hidden slip risk. Remove leaves from paths, steps, drains, and gutters; leaves clogging drains also increase waterlogging risk.
Collect fallen leaves in one of three ways: rake and bag them for disposal by a registered waste carrier, compost them on site if space allows, or collect them for local community use if your property has wildlife areas. Many Wiltshire parishes have community composting schemes; it may be worth asking your local council.
Grit and treat slippery surfaces when ice and snow come
The responsibility for gritting depends on the type of surface. Local authorities grit public highways and footpaths, and councils vary in whether they grit their own car parks. However, private car parks and entrance areas are the responsibility of the property owner. If your grounds include a private car park, office forecourt, or extensive hard-standing areas, you are responsible for keeping them safe in winter weather.
When snow or ice threatens, buy grit (rock salt or specialist de-icer from hardware stores) or contract a gritting specialist to treat car parks, access roads, and entrance areas. Gritting should be done before conditions become icy, not after an accident has occurred. Salting works best when temperatures are above about minus 5°C; below that, specialist de-icers are more effective.
Ensure treated areas are clearly marked if possible so staff and visitors understand the surfaces have been treated. Document gritting work, as this shows due diligence if someone slips and injury occurs.
Prune in the dormant season (but time it right)
Late autumn through to early spring is the traditional pruning season for deciduous trees and shrubs. During dormancy, plants have sent food reserves down to their roots, making it the ideal time to prune: regrowth will be vigorous in spring, and the plant can heal wounds efficiently. Prune deciduous hedges, deciduous shrubs, and deciduous trees from November through February, but finish by early March before active growth resumes.
However, there are exceptions. Some trees and shrubs, such as birch and other trees that “bleed” sap, should not be pruned in late winter as the sap flow can weaken the tree. These are better pruned in late summer or early autumn instead.
Avoid pruning evergreen trees and shrubs in autumn and winter, as they do not store food reserves in their roots during dormancy and cannot regrow efficiently in cold conditions. Pruning them risks unbalancing the plant and leaving it exposed to frost damage.
Prune to remove dead, diseased, or crossing branches, and thin crowns to improve light penetration and reduce wind resistance. Leave pruning cuts tidy but do not seal them with wound sealant; modern research shows trees heal better when left exposed to air.
Protect tender plants from frost
Frost damage occurs when ice crystals form inside plant cells, rupturing them. Tender perennials and young plants are most at risk. Several protection strategies work:
Mulching: Apply a 5–10cm layer of organic mulch (bark, compost, or leaf mould) over the soil around plants in late autumn. This insulates the roots and moderates soil temperature fluctuations. Avoid piling mulch against plant stems, as this can cause rot.
Wrapping with fleece: Horticultural fleece, wrapped around plants, provides about 2°C of frost protection. Apply fleece at the first warning of frost, typically September to November. Remove fleece in spring when hard frosts have passed.
Lifting tender plants: Tender perennials such as dahlias and fuchsias should be lifted from the ground before the first frost, potted up, and moved indoors or to a frost-free greenhouse.
Container protection: Move container-grown tender plants to a sheltered location and wrap the pot in bubble wrap to insulate roots.
Avoid applying nitrogen-rich fertilisers late in the season, as they encourage soft, sappy growth that is easily damaged by frost.
Rest the lawn; prepare it to cope with winter
In winter, grass does not need mowing unless temperatures remain mild and growth continues (in which case, cut on a high setting—around 40mm or higher). On frosty mornings, avoid walking on the lawn as frozen grass blades are brittle and repeated footsteps can snap them, leaving brown patches that persist for weeks.
Autumn is the time to prepare lawns for winter. If the lawn is waterlogged after heavy rain, spike it with a garden fork or hire a mechanical aerator, then brush sharp sand and loam into the holes to improve drainage. Scarify (rake vigorously) to remove thatch—the layer of dead grass and debris at the soil surface—as this impedes water drainage and air circulation. Apply an autumn lawn feed if needed; autumn feeds encourage root growth rather than leafy top growth.
Throughout winter, monitor for waterlogging. If puddles form on the lawn for more than a few hours after rain, drainage is poor and should be addressed in early spring.
Service and maintain machinery before winter
Gardening and grounds maintenance equipment—mowers, strimmers, chainsaws, aerators, and tools—needs maintenance to keep working safely and reliably. Before winter sets in, service key equipment: sharpen blades, replace worn spark plugs, check oil levels and top up, drain old fuel or add a fuel stabiliser, and store equipment in a dry place.
Clean tools regularly to prevent rust—dry metal and wooden handles thoroughly after wet work. Long grass near hedges and fences can hide obstacles; clear these areas to make winter work safer for personnel and equipment.
Key points
- Remove fallen leaves regularly from paths and surfaces to prevent slip and trip hazards; established trees may need weekly collection, lighter coverage fortnightly or monthly.
- Grit car parks and access areas in winter before snow or ice settles; this is the property owner’s responsibility for private areas.
- Prune deciduous trees and shrubs in their dormant season (late autumn to early spring) but avoid pruning evergreens or trees that bleed sap in late winter.
- Protect tender plants with mulch, fleece, or by lifting and moving indoors before the first hard frost.
- Service mowers, strimmers, and other equipment before winter to ensure safety and reliability during the busier maintenance season.