Gardening expert explains benefits of not mowing your lawn
A neat, well-kept lawn is a great way to add value and appeal to a property without spending a fortune. And now spring is here, gardeners can get to work creating the perfect green space for the warmer months ahead. With the weather warming up, many gardeners will be giving lawns their first cut after months of cold, wet weather.
Director of Polhill Garden Centre, Josh Novell, has shared his advice for mowing and “thickening” lawns during the spring months.
He said: “Having a beautiful, vibrant lawn is a great way to add value and beauty to your property and create a beautiful and relaxed setting.
“To achieve a healthy lawn, there are several steps you can take.
“Starting out with a new lawn or trying to revive a winter lawn can be a daunting task and you may not know where to start, however, we have many tips and products to help get your lawn back to full health.”
Mowing grass
Josh said mowing lawns regularly is “essential” for maintaining a “healthy, vibrant lawn” as it helps to promote growth.
Cutting lawns removes old, dead blades of grass which is what helps to promote new growth as the new blades have a chance to sprout in their place.
Mowing regularly also “prevents weeds from taking over” by cutting off their access to sunlight which they need to survive.
In spring and autumn, lawns need to be mowed once a fortnight or once a week depending on how quickly it grows.
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Edging lawns
One aspect of mowing many gardeners forget to do is the edges of the lawn.
Sometimes a mower can’t reach the edges of a garden, especially if the lawn is against a wall or a fence.
In this case, gardeners may need to dedicate some time and use gardening shears to trim the edges.
Josh added: “Trimming the edges of your garden can help maintain an attractive, well-kept look in your garden.
“It not only prevents your grass from overgrowing, but it also helps define the shape of your garden and helps you see the boundaries of your lawn better and this makes a big difference in making your garden look neat and tidy.”
Thickening lawns
Thickening an existing lawn will make it look healthier, more vibrant and spongey in the summer months.
Josh said: “Along with regular mowing and sufficient watering, you can thicken up your lawn by ensuring that you have prepared your existing lawn correctly.
“By removing debris and dead grass using a rake and disturbing the top layer of soil, you can plant new grass seed to make your lawn look thicker and greener.”
Gardeners need to ensure they expose the soil underneath the grass. By doing this, it gives new seeds an opportunity to grow and gives gardeners an opportunity to remove debris.
Add extra grass seed to dull or patchy areas. Gardeners also need to ensure that their grass seed is suitable for their climate and soil type.
After scattering grass seeds, they can apply fertiliser to give seeds the best chance at healthy growth.
Gardeners can also gently roll or walk on their lawns after seeding to ensure the seed has good contact with the soil, which will improve germination.
Gardeners can also use lawn-thickening products. These products are specially formulated to increase the thickness of an existing lawn by providing essential nutrients that can be absorbed into the soil.
Josh added: “Clay soil can pose some difficulties for growing grass as the density can cut off air circulation and hold a lot more moisture in the ground.
“If you have clay soil, it would be best to use a type of grass seed that would be suitable for this environment, or use clay-breaking products to condition the soil and improve drainage without affecting pH levels.”
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