With spring around the corner, it’ll soon be time to start trimming the garden. But what is the exact date that you should haul out the lawn mower?. Lawn mowing is about more than just keeping your garden neat. It’s also an important way to maintain the health of your grass. When gardens are left overgrown it can lead to weed infestations, poor air circulation and even infestations of bugs like chafer grubs and leatherjackets. These small maggot-like creatures can wreak serious havoc on your garden, as they chew on grass stems and leave large brown patches of dead material.
Plus, aside from keeping nasty insects away, trimming your grass also encourages it to grow thicker and denser. This is because sheering off the top layers allows more sunlight to reach the lower leaves. Equally, it prevents dead grass from building up near the roots and creating a layer of scratchy yellow thatch.
Of course, it is also possible to over-trim your garden, which is why you should be careful about being overzealous with the lawn mower. Particularly in winter, when it’s too cold for grass to grow, cutting can actually hamper its health. So, when to start revving up the ol’ mower?.
Experts from Fantastic Gardeners say that the first mow of the year should ideally happen in mid-March. For most of the UK, this is when the temperature thaws and conditions become favourable once more for grass growth. From then on, they recommend trimming the garden once a week. Although, be careful not to take off too much. They advise, “Try to keep your grass’ height the same all throughout spring. For most lawns the ideal height would be 2.5-4cm (1-1.5in). However, for those that take a lot of wear and tear, strive to keep their grass raised at around 5cm (2in) in height. If a part of your lawn is covered by shade, maintain the grass at a height of 7.5cm (3in).”.
