How to mow your lawn..
Most of us still have a lawn, some of us have one at the front and rear of the home. They’re great for lounging around on, providing a space for kids to play on and are, potentially, marvellous for supporting some biodiversity in our gardens, so, when should you cut your grass, and how?
Lawn care isn’t hugely complicated. The best advice is to keep it trimmed and, to encourage biodiversity, avoid weed killers and chemical fertilisers. So, how do you know when is the best time to mow, and how often should you do it?
The frequency of mowing is heavily dependent on the weather and the season. Here is our guide to optimal lawn care.
Preparation is key
- Don’t mow a wet lawn
If the grass is wet, mower blades won’t cut cleanly and will get clogged up with the clippings. This makes the whole process take longer, as you have to frequently shut down the mower (ALWAYS switch off at the power point if using an electric mower, or disengage the engine with a petrol mower) and remove the clumps of wet grass by hand. Also, if you mow when the soil is wet (and this summer it’s been sodden, quite often) you can cause the soil to compact and this will result in muddy areas along the wheel ruts – so no nipping out between downpours..
Don’t mow frosty grass as this can damage it. If you must mow, wait until later in the day when the lawn has defrosted and dried out, or postpone mowing to another day.
- Adjust the height of your mower blades.
This is particularly important on the first cut of the season, when the temptation is to go at it hard and create a smart, level lawn for summer. Ideally, that first cut should be undertaken with the blades set at their highest, not their lowest. This will result in a tidy lawn, looking lush, not scalped. For each mow after this, you should aim to remove only the top third of the grass blades. A slightly longer lawn in autumn, winter and spring – around 4cm tall – will help the grass maintain strength and provide a safe haven for the many tiny creatures that live within it. In summer, you can take this down to 2.5cm, as this is lovely for bare feet and strolling about. During a heat wave, don’t cut the grass – growth naturally slows when there’s a lack of water, and if you mow, you risk exposing the bottom layers and even the roots, and can kill off patches of your lawn which will take months to come back.
If you have areas that get heavy use – around a swing set, or goal posts, for example, keep that area a little longer when mowing. This will help it stay strong and green. Equally, if you have shady areas – where tall trees cast hours of shade, perhaps – leave the grass longer there, too, around 7.5cm. Grass grows more slowly and less abundantly in shady areas, so needs a little extra help to maintain itself, and where grass is cut too short and grows slowly, you’re likely to get weeds taking advantage.
How to mow your lawn
- First, mow around the edges of your lawn
This creates an easy border in which to mow the rest, and a place in which to turn around the mower.
- Make stripes
Who doesn’t love a striped lawn? Mow up and down in even widths, overlapping the last a little to ensure an even stripe. The grass flattens slightly in the direction of travel, so creating that lovely stripey look.
- Empty the clippings box, or rake up the clippings, as you go
Don’t wait till the box is full, or you will end up dropping clumps all over the lawn. And it’s easier to rake fresh clippings than dried out clippings. You will also be able to stop and see how it’s looking when the mower is still out of the shed, rather than raking up at the end, and then spotting you’ve missed a bit.
- Compost
If you have a compost heap, you can add the grass clippings to this, but try to layer more woody materials between cuts, to help the air to move around and speed up the composting process. If you have chosen to use weedkiller, check the bottle – compost made to feed your flower beds doesn’t work so well when laced with plant poisons.
- Edge the borders
Use some edging shears, or a strimmer, to tidy up the edge where lawn meets flower bed. Not only does this give a lovely finish, but it helps prevent grass creeping into the borders, where it can run riot and become a total pain in the…
A smart, striped, green lawn is one of an English garden’s greatest glories and just some basic, regular care will keep yours healthy all year round, for very little actual effort.
Eddie – Friday 18th August 2023. (Picture used from Hartington Road, Chorlton).
