The height and frequency you mow at shape the whole lawn. Here's how to cut for a thick, resilient turf.
Created by jflgardens.co.uk
Mowing is the job you do most often, and the way you do it matters more than almost anything else for the lawn's health. A few good habits turn a thin, mossy lawn into thick, resilient turf.
As a rule, remove no more than a third of the grass blade at any single cut. Scalping stresses the grass, exposes the soil to weeds and moss, and leaves brown tips. If growth has got ahead of you, ease it down over two or three cuts.
Longer grass shades the soil, holds moisture and copes far better with heat and drought. Raise your blades in hot spells and in shady areas; lower them in spring and autumn when growth is strong and the sun is gentler.
Once a week in the main season keeps growth steady and even. Mowing frequently means you're always taking off a little rather than a lot, which is what keeps the sward dense. Skip a mow after frost or heavy rain, when the ground is soft.
Sharp mower blades cut cleanly instead of tearing, which keeps the grass healthy. Alternate your mowing direction each time and you avoid the ruts and the 'grain' a one-way habit creates. A little extra care cuts far more than grass – it cuts the jobs you'll have to do later.
From garden maintenance to a full lawn care-style overhaul, the JFL Gardens team works across Surrey and London.
