How Do You Manage Those Winter Lawns?

As they say on Game of Thrones, “Winter is coming.”

Luckily for us, that doesn’t mean an army of White Walkers is headed our way. But Jack Frost? Yeah, he’s definitely around the corner and so are the winter lawns.

And when he shows up, so do the texts from customers:

“Hey, can you just skip this week? The lawn doesn’t really need it.”

And just like that, your tidy fortnightly mowing schedule starts slipping. Some lawns drop to three weeks, others go on pause altogether, and before you know it, your workflow is a mess.

So how do you manage your lawn care business through winter without losing your rhythm—or your income?

Let’s walk through it.

Why Winter Throws a Spanner in the Works

When the days get shorter and the temperatures drop, grass slows right down.

Here’s what tends to go wrong if you’re not ready for it:

• Customers assume slower growth means fewer mows.
• You start turning up to jobs that don’t look “worth” mowing.
• You waste fuel and time.
• Your weekly schedule becomes patchy.
• Your income drops for no good reason.

Back in the 90s, I’d rock up to a lawn, glance out the window, and think, “That doesn’t need cutting.” So I’d drive off.

Smart move? Not at all.

I had no idea what the customer wanted. Maybe they had a birthday BBQ on. Maybe they just liked tidy edges. I didn’t ask—I just assumed.

Complete waste of time, and I didn’t get paid.

How to Tell If a Lawn Has Hit Its Winter Cycle

Apart from the weather deteriorating, what else should you be on the lookout for?

Common signs include:

• The blades are thinner and shorter than usual.
• The colour fades to a duller green.
• You’ll notice fewer clippings after mowing.
• The grass might feel spongy due to damp ground.
• Dead or patchy spots start showing.
• More weeds creep in as grass growth slows.

Once you spot a few of these, it’s time to think about adjusting the cut cycle.

How Often Should You Mow in Winter?

A lot of people think winter means mowing less—or not at all. But that’s risky.

Long, damp grass is a recipe for fungal disease, pest problems, and mowing headaches in spring. Let it go too long, and you’ll end up dealing with thick, uneven growth that bogs down your mower and clogs your catcher. If you are going to mow lawns on rainy days, read this first.

Our rule of thumb:

Stick to mowing every 2 to 4 weeks in winter, unless a customer requests otherwise. If you let grass grow too long, you’re cutting more than one-third of the blade, which stresses the lawn.

In most cases, we encourage customers to stay on their two-week cycle year-round.

Set Expectations Early

These days, we run a system.

When we take on a new customer, we explain upfront: mowing is weekly, fortnightly, or four-weekly. No one-offs. No guessing.

We also make it clear that if they want to go onto a winter cycle, they need to tell us before we arrive. Not after we show up and unload the gear.

We tell them we can’t make the decision about whether the lawn “needs” mowing or not, because we don’t know what they’re thinking. They might want it done just to tidy up the edges. Or they might be happy to let it go.

Letting the customer decide and communicate gives them control, but keeps our schedule efficient.

Here’s the funny part:

Almost nobody gets in touch.

And that’s where one of the most useful principles in business kicks in.

The Power of Least Resistance

There’s an old sales concept called the path of least resistance. It means people will always take the easiest option available to them.

If your customer has to pick up the phone, text you, or send an email to skip a mow—most won’t bother.

So they stay on their normal schedule.

No missed visits. No wasted time. And no unnecessary rescheduling of your winter lawns on your end.

It works for them, and it works for you.

What If Someone Wants a Winter Cycle?

That’s fine too.

If someone asks to go to a four-weekly cycle, we adjust straight away. No drama.

But we also remind them that from the first mow in September, everyone returns to fortnightly.

We want everyone on the same page so that we’re not juggling different start dates and trying to remember who said what.

Having a clear “reboot” date keeps your spring schedule clean and manageable.

Winter Services You Can Offer

Winter isn’t just a time to cut less—it’s an opportunity to offer more.

Here are a few simple services that fit perfectly into the slower season:

Winter add-ons:

• Mulching garden beds
• Weeding paths and borders
• Pruning roses and fruit trees
• Tree trimming or branch removal
• Gutter cleaning
• Yard waste removal after storms

You can even offer a Winter Maintenance Package and promote it to your regulars or post it in your local Facebook groups. Winter work might not be weekly, but it’s still valuable.

Pricing for Winter Work

Here’s a common trap with winter lawns: someone drops to four-weekly and expects the price to be cut in half.

But in reality, a four-weekly cut often takes longer than a fortnightly one.

The grass is thicker, wetter, and sometimes weedy. It clogs gear, takes longer to clean up, and can even require a double pass. That all adds time—and time is money.

So we price accordingly.

Don’t be afraid to charge more per cut on extended cycles. You’re not being greedy—you’re being fair to yourself and the job.

Don’t Lose Momentum in Winter

Winter mowing isn’t about switching off. It’s about keeping your structure, communicating well, and giving your customers clear choices.

And it’s about avoiding the mess of a broken schedule and lost revenue.

The truth is, a lot of customers are happy to keep things ticking over. They like knowing the lawns stay tidy, even if the grass isn’t bursting out of the ground.

And when you keep the wheels turning, you’re not stuck scrambling to re-book everyone come spring.

Final Thoughts

Managing lawns in winter comes down to three things:

• Communicate clearly.
• Let customers make the call—but make them do the calling.
• Stick to your system.

It’s easy to lose money in winter if you don’t stay on top of things. But with a simple plan in place, you can glide through the season without wrecking your income or your calendar. If you want to see more about how we plan our winter mowing schedule you can find out more in the lawn business builders community

Winter doesn’t have to be the slow season. It can be the smart season. If your in an area with snow you might want to check this out.

Stay warm, stay sharp, and here’s to a good winter mowing run.