When and how to mow the lawn – tips for mowing the lawn

Like most plants around the house and yard, the lawn pauses for growth during winter. When the blades of grass have reached a height of around 8 cm in spring, you can start mowing the lawn for the first time. Of course, it would be an exaggeration to measure with the ruler, but cutting the grass too early can damage it if it freezes again afterwards. On the other hand, if the hobby gardener waits too long before cutting the first lawn, the mower may be overwhelmed because the grass is too high. The first time you use the lawn mower, it should be at the maximum adjustable cutting height. The setting is then reduced a little each time you mow. The following advice will help you decide when and how to ideally mow the lawn:

• mow in dry weather and overcast skies;
• the lawn must be well dried;
• the perfect cutting height is between three and four centimeters;
• do not trample the uncut grass beforehand;
• Mowing too deeply hinders growth;
• too high lawn, e.g. B. after vacation, cut in stages;
• mow a slope across the slope;
• let the blades of grass stand a little higher in summer;
• do not mow in direct sunlight;
• Restrict mowing the lawn in severe drought;
• Do not mow after the first frost.

During the warm season in particular, mowing the lawn should be postponed to the cooler evening hours. Freshly cut lawn withers very quickly in direct sunlight.

Scarifying after the first cut promotes growth

When the lawn is mowed for the first time in spring, the experienced hobby gardener uses the scarifier. This device loosens the lawn and loosens moss, weeds, clover and other matting. The aim of this measure is that the lawn can ‘breathe’ better. The process is a bit complex, but is rewarded with an even more lush growth of the lawn. The perfect weather conditions for scarifying exist in dry weather and temperatures between 10 ° and 20 ° Celsius. The work itself can be done by hand using a special rake available at any hardware store. With this variant, however, a lot of muscle strength is required, because all matting is scraped off the lawn to a depth of about 10 mm. Those who work the soil deeper damage the roots of the blades of grass, which is not the point of the measure. An alternative to this manual work is the electric scarifier, which can also be borrowed from hardware stores and retailers because it is only used once a year. In well-functioning neighborhoods of hobby gardeners, it is not uncommon for a joint device to be purchased. The advantage of the scarifier is, on the one hand, that the work is easier to carry out and, on the other hand, that the cutting depth can be adjusted so that the lawn is not damaged. Whichever method is preferred; it’s amazing the amount of moss, weeds and matting that has to be disposed of in the end. because it is only used once a year. In well-functioning neighborhoods of hobby gardeners, it is not uncommon for a joint device to be purchased. The advantage of the scarifier is, on the one hand, that the work is easier to carry out and, on the other hand, that the cutting depth can be adjusted so that the lawn is not damaged. Whichever method is preferred; it’s amazing the amount of moss, weeds and matting that has to be disposed of in the end. because it is only used once a year. In well-functioning neighborhoods of hobby gardeners, it is not uncommon for a joint device to be purchased. The advantage of the scarifier is, on the one hand, that the work is easier to carry out and, on the other hand, that the cutting depth can be adjusted so that the lawn is not damaged. Whichever method is preferred; it’s amazing the amount of moss, weeds and matting that has to be disposed of in the end.

Fertilize after mowing or scarifying the first lawn

Like all plants and flowers in the garden, a well-tended lawn also needs sufficient nutrients to grow and thrive. In particular, he needs:

• Potassium, which protects him from the elements;
• Phosphorus for healthy roots;
• Nitrogen for a deep green.

The ideal time to fertilize the lawn is in spring, right after the first lawn cut. Anyone who has decided to scarify the grassy area then waits one to two weeks and only then spreads the fertilizer. Various fertilizers are available in specialist shops, depending on the type of lawn. A good universal lawn fertilizer for ornamental, utility and sports lawns usually contains all the important nutrients. If the lawn is particularly susceptible to weeds, the experienced hobby gardener uses a combination product consisting of fertilizer and weed killer. So that the fertilizer can be applied as evenly as possible, it is advisable to invest in a fertilizer wagon. A natural way to fertilize the lawn without the use of chemicals is to leave the cut grass on the ground at all times. The organisms living there mineralize the stalks, which supplies the lawn with new nutrients. However, this method of fertilizing is not conducive to an attractive appearance of the lawn. If artificial fertilizer has been used, the next time the lawn should only be mowed when the fertilizer grains can no longer be seen, i.e. have been rained as much as possible.

Mow the English lawn through a regular lawn

It is not available in any specialist shop, the seeds for the English lawn. Rather, this term is a synonym for the perfectly manicured ornamental lawn. Many a hobby gardener has the slightly ironic image of the lawn owner in front of their eyes, cutting every single blade of grass with nail scissors. This may be a bit of an exaggeration, but it is possible, by deciding when and how to mow the lawn, to come very close to the ideal of the English lawn. The most important requirement is that it is a lawn that was preferably created for representation purposes and not as a family lawn. If you take the following tips to heart, you have the best chance of soon being the envy of your English lawn:

• the lawn is in a sunny spot;
• mow the lawn every few days during the growing season;
• never mow in direct sunlight;
• use the cutting width exactly;
• apply fertilizer regularly once a month;
• scarify in spring and autumn;
• every little gap is immediately filled with seeds;
• Do not allow the lawn mower to slip on cut edges;
• if it is dry, watering is done regularly and abundantly;

The more regularly the lawn is mowed, the more the roots will grow. Therefore, weeds, moss or clover have no chance to settle and spread. Thanks to the dense growth, the lawn is extremely hard-wearing, but it would not be able to withstand the stresses of a children’s birthday party or a football game. For this purpose, special lawn mixtures have been developed that also require significantly less maintenance.

Mow utility lawn correctly

If a lawn is to live up to its name, some important advice must also be observed when it comes to care. With this type of lawn, the frequency of mowing plays an equally important role. Depending on the age and the seed mix, a lawn will grow between 2.5 cm and 4 cm per week. Therefore it should be mowed at least every 7 days. The cutting height of the lawnmower is adjusted accordingly. The so-called ‘one-third rule’ must be observed. This means that a maximum of one third of the blade of grass is cut off in the respective mowing process. If half or more is removed, the shoot will take much longer to recover and grow back, especially during the dry season. Since the grass is used most frequently in the summer season and is therefore subjected to the greatest stress, It is particularly important to observe this mowing specification. A lawn for use will only in the rarest of cases come close to the appearance of an English lawn; Nevertheless, a harmonious cut can be achieved if the cutting width of the device is used as precisely as possible when mowing. This means that only the wheel protrudes into the lane next to it. Another advantage is of course that the time required to mow the lawn is noticeably reduced. Since every lawn has to be watered abundantly in summer so that it does not wither, it should be noted with a lawn that it is only released for playing and romping again when it has dried out. Otherwise there is a risk that the children will slip and not only be painfully injured in the process,

The sharper the knife, the more successful the lawn cut

In Germany, the rotary mowers are used most often. These lawn mowers use rotating blades to cut the grass. The sharpness of the knives is decisive for a beautiful and even cut. The lawn will only be mowed evenly if they are reground regularly; otherwise unsightly, frayed cut surfaces will result. It is therefore advisable to have the lawnmower’s blades sharpened in a specialist workshop during the winter break so that there are no unnecessary breaks in the maintenance rhythm during the summer season. In addition, it is worth investing in a lawnmower that has a high speed. The faster the knives turn, the cleaner the cut edges are. However, buying an electric lawnmower or petrol-powered mower is only worthwhile if the lawn area is 100 square meters or more. Up to this size it is advisable for the hobby gardener to use the cylinder mower so popular in England, which is powered by muscle power and still creates an even lawn. The whisper-quiet electric mowers are suitable for grass areas between 100 square meters and 500 square meters. Only then is a gasoline-powered device generally considered.

Less mowing thanks to the flower meadow

Anyone who no longer enjoys mowing the lawn or who would like to limit the frequency of this work to a maximum of 7 times a year can turn the lawn into a meadow of flowers. For this purpose, the lawn is loosened up a little with the rake and wild flower seeds or other flower seeds are distributed. It is now up to the hobby gardener whether a high-growing meadow of flowers will develop from it or whether the area will take on the look of a flower lawn. If the scythe is only used two to three times a year, a lush, colorful meadow will flourish. The areas that are mowed several times a year with the lawn mower at the highest cutting level setting are ideally suited as seating and playground. Other maintenance work, such as scarifying or fertilizing, as required with a conventional lawn, is definitely not necessary, except for abundant watering in dry times. However, it should not be overlooked that it will be difficult to transform the flower meadow or the flower lawn back into an evenly green lawn.

Conclusion
A well-tended lawn is the calling card of a successful hobby gardener. The most important part of the maintenance program is mowing the lawn. It is therefore worth paying attention to a few valuable tips that make an important contribution to an attractive green carpet in front of or behind the house. Young families with children prefer the grass for use, which with a little horticultural support can withstand the stresses and strains of games and fun. With a little more effort, the goal is to maintain the front runner among ornamental lawns, the proverbial English lawn.