Fall Into Perfect Turf: Essential Autumn Mowing Tips

he temperatures are dropping, the nights are drawing in and, if you’re anything like us, you’ll be using this as the perfect opportunity to dig out your cosiest jumpers and cuddle up on the sofa.

However, when the weather gets cold, gardens tend to get neglected and, here at GreenThumb, we think that is a terrible shame! Many believe that as soon as you get to the end of September you can stop cutting the lawn, but this is not a great idea due to the weather patterns we get in the UK.

Here are some of our top tips for mowing your lawn in the winter months:

• Leaves are beautiful when they are on the trees but can be a nightmare when they start to fall on your lawn. As a lawn owner, this is one thing you do need to take care of as leaf damage can be long-lasting and can affect even the toughest and roughest of lawns. Cutting your lawn will help collect these and help prevent lawn disease.
• When the ground temperature is above 5 degrees, the grass will continue to grow. However, we would not recommend mowing your grass if heavy frost is expected or if the ground is very wet. Only mow when the conditions are suitable.
• If the lawn is growing then it is advisable to cut it to keep it tidy. The important factors for cutting is to ensure that you have a sharp blade on the mower and do not cut the lawn too short.
• We suggest keeping the lawn cut to about 25mm (1”). You will find that cutting the lawn at this length is ideal if you are having aeration and scarification work this winter.
• Stick to the 1/4 rule — never remove more than 1/4 of the grass blade length at any one time. A healthy lawn can survive an occasional close cut but repeated close mowing produces a brown lawn and has several harmful side effects, including injuring new growth and increased vulnerability to pests and disease.

During this time of year, your lawn is busily absorbing moisture and nutrients in preparation for a long winter. Give it a little attention now, and you’ll be rewarded with a healthy lawn next spring for all to enjoy!