Six things to consider before the first grass cut of the year

6 things to consider before the first grass cut of the year

1. DON'T MOW ALL OF YOUR LAWN

Choose the part you'd like to be neat and tidy but then let the rest stay a little messy. This is much better for wildlife and will encourage habitats to flourish throughout summer. You could even plant some wildflower seeds here and make it a real visual feature of your garden. Don't mow all of your lawn. Find a corner of your garden where you can allow it to become unkempt, That long grass will provide food for butterflies and other invertebrates and shelter for other animals – maybe even something as exciting as a hedgehog.

2. HAVE A PRE-CUT TIDY

After months of being starved of sunshine, your garden may look a little neglected. It’s important, before your first grass cut of the year, to take time to clear any mess around the area you wish to mow, including dead sticks, leaves and any rubbish that may have gathered.

3. CHECK FOR NESTING ANIMALS

Check the area you are about to mow for any animals that might have made it their home during winter. Hedgehogs can often be found in piles of grass and leaves. If you do find a habitat, consider mowing a different part of the lawn instead and leaving it be.

4. DON’T LEAVE IT TOO LATE

Although the difference in climate can vary depending on where you are in the country, research has shown that the first two weeks in April are the most popular time to dig the lawnmower out for the first grass cut of the year.

5. USE THE ONE THIRD RULE

When mowing your lawn for the first time, you should always follow the one third rule: Never cut more than a third of the blade of grass off in one go. Cutting more than this can stress the grass.

You should gradually reduce the grass length over a number of weeks to reach the desired length. Cutting the grass too short, too fast, is known as 'scalping' which can lead to disease and weed infestation.

Flymo explains: "If your lawn has been a little unkempt throughout the colder months and has grown with a mind of its own then fear not, still follow the one third rule but take it in stages over a number of weeks. Gradually decrease the cutting height on your lawnmower each time to reach your preferred grass length."

6. USE THE CUTTINGS TO MAKE HAY

Horticulturalist say that allowing our cuttings to turn into hay is great for seed-eating birds. Leave the summer mown grass in place for a few sunny days to become ‘hay’ and release seeds to refresh the lawn for next year and also provide food for seed-eating birds and other wildlife. The ‘hay’ can then be removed and composted. Removing and composting all grass mowings also supports wildlife by reducing soil fertility,”Running down fertility, assuming no fertiliser is applied, leads to turf becoming more sparse which allows room for wildflowers, particularly clovers, and wildlife. Happy mowing!

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A6 Flyers.indd 3 18/09/2018 13:23

A6 Flyers.indd 3 18/09/2018 13:23