Lawns will have gone through a tough time in winter, so as the weather warms up and the days get brighter, it’s good to pay your lawn some attention to get it back into shape for the summer.
Sharing what needs to be done in the garden in April, Monty Don has shared his top mowing tips for the month.
The gardening expert claimed that he is “all for mowing as little as possible” as long grass is “one of the best environments for a huge diversity of wildlife” in the garden.
He said: “Try and restrict the mowing as much as possible. In our garden, we have reduced it right down to mown paths in the long grass.”
As well as this, he argued that having long grass makes flowers from bulbs, perennials and annuals look “beautiful”.
Whatever your grass-cutting preference is, “resist the temptation to scalp your grass down to its midsummer height”.
Monty instructed: “Set the blades high and just trim the grass for the first few weeks as much to even it out as to reduce it.
“Then, as the weather gets warmer and the grass starts to grow more strongly, gradually reduce the height over a few weeks but always keep it slightly on the long side.”
The 68-year-old claims that mowing lawn this way “will result in a much healthier and greener grass”.
Lawn specialists at The Grass People also recommend a light trim for the first few mows of the year.
The said: “We recommend that the ideal height of your grass should be around five to 7cm before you cut it.
“This is simply because if the grass has reached this height, it is viable, growing well and can be cut.
“The aim is to give the grass a trim and not cut too far down the grass blades. If it isn’t reaching this height, it either isn’t established, or something is stunting its growth.”
Once the grass has been mowed, Monty recommends all clippings are to be collected and added to the compost heap.
Mix the clippings well with dry, brown material like straw or cardboard which will stop them from becoming a wet, green sludge.
If you leave the clippings on a newly seeded lawn, you could contribute to thatch, which would undo all your hard work.
In addition, dead grass sitting dormant on top of your lawn stops much-needed sunlight from getting to your new grass.