We all agree that regular lawn maintenance is essential if you want a good-looking garden. However, most of us don’t enjoy spending more time mowing than absolutely necessary, especially on a hot, sunny day. Before you next mow the lawn, familiarise yourself with these lawn care techniques. Our lawn mowing tips will make the task quicker and easier.
Don’t stick blindly to a lawn mowing schedule. Follow best lawn care practice by mowing the grass as and when needed, dependent on the season and the condition of the grass.
How to mow grass: types of mowers
Before you start to mow the lawn, make sure you have the most suitable type of mower for your needs:
Hand push: quiet and with no running costs, these are suitable for small areas of grass only (up to 100 sq.m).
Electric: less expensive than petrol mowers, but your mowing may be hindered by the cord. Cordless electric mowers are available but more expensive.
Petrol: petrol lawn mowers are great for larger gardens ( 250sq.m +) as you don’t need a cable. More expensive than electric mowers, they are also faster and easier to manoeuvre around trees and other large objects.
How to mow a lawn
Mow the lawn correctly and get on top of your lawn maintenance with these simple lawn care steps:
Only cut the top third of grass: set your mower to the highest preferred setting for your grass type and cut only the top third of the blades of grass. This is better for long-term lawn maintenance, helps prevents weeds from taking hold, and is nicer to walk on!
Mow a dry lawn: cutting wet grass can produce uneven results and wet clippings might clog the mower.
Vary the mowing pattern: if you always mow the lawn in the same pattern, grass will start to lean towards the direction you mow. Alternate the mowing pattern for more upright growth and to prevent ruts in the lawn.
Mow as and when needed: don’t mow the lawn every Saturday, but only as and when your grass requires cutting. In Spring, for instance, when the grass is actively growing, you will need to mow more often.
Keep the mower blade sharp: if you mow the lawn with dull blades, you’ll get grass with ragged brown edges more prone to disease. Always sharpen your blades at the first sign of wear.
Safety Warning
To stay safe while caring for your lawn, always read the mower's safety manual thoroughly before use. Follow all instructions during use and keep children and pets well away from the lawn whilst mowing. Do not attempt to alter any safety attachments on your mower and store it safely when not in use. Don’t attempt to refuel a hot engine and always keep hands and feet well away from moving parts.
Lawn care tips
Here are some additional grass mowing tips to help keep your lawn neat and tidy:
Always remember to clear any debris from the area you'll be mowing before starting.
Make sure you know which types of grass are in your lawn so you can mow at the proper height.
To avoid heat stress, mow in the early evening when it is cooler.
Always mow moving forwards.
Discharge clippings towards the area you have already cut.
Leave clippings on the lawn (unless they form clumps) to return nutrients and nitrogen to the lawn.
If you bag clippings, consider composting them to make your lawn cutting more eco-friendly.
Mow grass slightly higher in shaded areas under trees, where grass has to compete with roots for water and nutrients.
Wait 3-4 weeks to mow newly seeded grass.
Neaten the edges of your lawn by hand, using an edging tool or spade to cut a clean line into the soil.
Remove weeds from your lawn and garden when mowing. You can use weedkiller or dig them up and replace with fresh grass seed.
Now that you have all of the information you need, forget about messy-looking lawns!
Set your mower to cut only the top third of the grass.
Vary the mowing pattern.
Mow as and when needed with sharp blades.