With the clocks going forward and the weather improving, winter may finally be coming to an end. For gardeners that means it’s time to get out the lawnmower, but before you do make sure you read our guide to get the best from your lawn, this year and every year.
First check your mower
If you’ve listened to our previous advice, then you will have had your mower serviced before you put it away for the winter. If you didn’t don’t panic. Just ensure that you check your mower over before you start mowing the lawn again.
Blades are probably the most important part of your mower. Cutting with blunt blades won’t just make it harder to cut your grass, you will also damage the grass by tearing it rather than giving it a clean cut. Existing blades can either be sharpened by a professional or you can buy a blade sharpening tool and do them yourself. Alternatively, you may need to replace theblades completely. This is relatively simple to do yourself, and YouTube is a very useful resource for ‘How to’ videos.
If you have a petrol mower, you should also check your air filter and spark plugs and replace them is necessary.
Know how frequently to mow
When you first cut your grass, early in the year, you may only need to cut the lawn once or twice a month. Once the weather gets warmer you could need your grass up to twice a week. However, with our climate changing, going purely by the time of year is less and less accurate. Consider the weather and how quickly your grass is growing, and when you do cut, remember the one third rule.
The one third rule means that you never cut more than a third of a blade of grass. So, if you like your grass about an inch long (or 25mm) then you won’t cut it until it as least 1 ½ inches long (about 40mm). These are obviously rough measurements, no-one expects you to go down on hands and knees measuring every blade of grass, but if you stick to this rule you reduce the risk of damaging the grass.
How long to have your lawn
People in the UK tend to cut their lawns shorter than people in the rest of Europe, and the length of the grass is usually down to personal taste. Regardless of how long you want your lawn to be in the end, you should always start with your blades at their highest setting. This avoids both damaging the grass and clogging up your mower. As the year progresses you can lower the blades when you cut.
The weather so far this year has been quite wet, and so your grass may be quite long. If it is very long, it’s advisable to strim and rake the lawn first to make the first cut more manageable.
Generally, unless you are responsible for the upkeep of an ornamental lawn, you should avoid very close mowing. Close mowing can weaken grass and make it more susceptible to weeds, moss and drought. A slightly longer lawn will be robust and so will tend to look better with less effort. If you fancy some time off mowing, and don’t mind a slightly wilder look, No Mow May encourages gardeners to let their grass grow for a month to help pollinators.
When not to mow your lawn
Just as important as understanding when to mow your lawn is understanding when not to mow your lawn. You shouldn’t mow a wet lawn as wet grass can clog your mower and it is also more likely to tear. In addition, walking on and using a heavy mower on a wet lawn will churn up the soil. Much better to wait until the ground is dry.
There’s good news if you don’t like getting up early, as you should avoid mowing first thing. Even during dry weather, the grass may still be damp and could face the same problems as after rain. Mowing in the middle of the day should also be avoided, especially in the summer. At this time of day the sun is at its hottest and could burn your newly cut lawn.
What to do with your grass clippings
One of the great debates when it comes to lawn mowing is what to do with grass clippings. The answer is it depends. During the summer, if you are mowing your lawn every couple of days, then leaving clippings on the lawn could provide the grass with much need nutrients.
However, during wetter months, or if you are not cutting your grass that regularly, it is far better to collect up your clippings. This is because clippings can take longer to break down and contribute to the formation of thatch or moss.
Once you’ve collected your grass clippings you can either put them on a compost heap or in a compost bin, to make your own compost, or place them in your green waste to be disposed of by your local council.
Tidy your edges
When you first cut in spring take the opportunity to trim the edges of the lawn. After cutting use a half moon tool to re-cut and neaten your lawn edges. You could even get creative and cut curved edges, which can look great.
Check your lawn’s health
Many of us ignore our lawns over the winter, so the first cut of spring may is often the ideal time to check on the general health of your lawn. When you cut the grass you may notice, moss, bald patches or other problems. To avoid these becoming more serious contact All Green Lawn Treatmentsfor a free lawn analysis.
And don’t forget, however often you mow your lawn, and however long you want your grass, it will always look better if you care for it all year round.