Spring will be here before you know it, which means you will soon be trudging out your lawn mower for the first time this year. However, what might seem like a mindless task, there is actually some technicality when doing your first mow of the season.
When should your first mow be?
Before taking your cordless lawn mower to the garden, choose a time of day when your lawn is dry and free of moisture. Early afternoon on a dry day is usually the best time, as the morning dew has had time to evaporate.
Mow your lawn for the first time after the sap has started to rise in the grass and you see signs of growth, which is usually mid-March.
After the initial mow, we advise you to cut your lawn once per week thereafter. This gives the grass sufficient time to photosynthesise and heal before you cut it again.
Cutting to the point
Choosing the right height
On your battery lawn mower, set your mower deck to a height so that it cuts no more than one third off the grass length. Cutting your lawn any lower at this time of year may shock the grass and stunt its growth. Frost is also a likelihood and cutting your lawn will make it less likely to recover from frost damage.
The lawn may also be damp at the surface so cutting it low down may cause issues such as clogging your battery lawn mower.
The objective here is to trim your lawn at most. You can then work your way down the cutting deck heights, gradually cutting your grass shorter each week as spring approaches summer.
What about the clippings?
Whilst it’s true that leaving your grass cuttings on your lawn will act as a natural fertiliser to aid grass growth, we advise to remove them at this time of year.
Leaving the clippings on your garden lawn at this time of year will block sunlight at a time when your lawn needs it most. The lawn disease ‘Thatch’ can also take hold if you leave your clippings on the surface. Newly seeded lawns are especially susceptible to Thatch.
Grass cuttings are an excellent source of Nitrogen and therefore make a great addition to your compost heap. Once the clippings are composted, add this to your lawn to give it a healthy boost, and avoid the complications involved with leaving your clippings on your lawn.