The first grass cut: when should I mow?

Knowing when to cut grass will ensure you get the timing right and help your grass grow thicker and healthier. Keep reading our advice on mowing your UK lawn, which looks at getting the best results when performing the first grass cut for a new lawn. We also provide tips on when to cut grass after overseeding an established lawn.

Knowing how and when to cut grass?

You should allow your lawn to grow to a specific height before your first grass cut of the season. By doing so, you won’t damage it, and you won’t stunt its growth. Allowing your grass seed to grow to the ideal height before mowing is essential to aid its future growth. Why? Because if you mow it too short, you might damage it, and it might take a long time to grow back properly.

Four Tips for Your Lawns First Grass Cut

Wait until your lawn is it is 5-7cm before its first grass cut
Rake away the cuttings (why not add them to a compost heap)
Let the grass settle for a week or two after your first cut
Going forward, mow at the recommended height (mowing height differs per product)

Check out our video below on how and when to cut grass for the best growth throughout the year:

For this reason, it’s important to know when to cut grass

Everything else will be easier if you know your grass mixture’s first mowing height and recommended cutting height. Mowing and grass-cutting are easy, but remember not to mow your lawn if frost is forecast in the colder months, and feeding your lawn with fertiliser will also boost its growth all year round.

What height should your lawn’s first grass cut be?

We recommend that the ideal height of your grass should be around 5 – 7cm before you cut it; this goes for all our grass seed mixtures. This is simply because if the grass has reached this height, it is viable, growing well and can be cut. If it isn’t reaching this height, it either isn’t established, or something is stunting its growth.

5-7cm is the perfect height for your garden’s first mow

If your new lawn or overseeded lawn has reached the golden heights of 5-7cm then it’s time to give it its first mow. Set your lawn mower to the highest setting. The aim is to trim the grass and not cut it down the grass blades too far.

Tidy up after cutting to enhance growth

Ensure that you remove all the clippings after you have mown your lawn. If you leave them on a newly seeded lawn, you could contribute to thatch, undoing 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.

Most grass types have different tolerances for mowing height

Different types of grass seeds have varying tolerances for how close they can be mowed.

For example, the fescues in our STATEMENT: Front Lawn mix will tolerate close mowing because they are of a finer-leafed variety, and close mowing helps to achieve the ornamental look that fescues are known for. The recommended mowing height for STATEMENT: Front Lawn is 10-20mm.
The recommended mowing height is 20-40mm for our ever-popular SUPERSTAR: Back Lawn. This height is double the recommended mowing height for STATEMENT: Front Lawn. Whilst this doesn’t entirely mean that the mix won’t withstand closer mowing, it shows that it is not intended for an ornamental lawn. But likewise, it will perform well at a slightly higher height

Our recommended grass mowing heights

We have recommended mowing heights for all our grass seed mixes , which can be easily found in the ‘Usage guide’ tab for each of our products (see the example below). And if you haven’t got a ruler handy, each of our grass seed mixtures comes with an instructional card that already has a ruler on it!

The links to the guides on the image from the usage guide above can be found below:

Can you mow wet grass?

One final point is that we don’t recommend mowing a wet lawn. This is because wet grass tends to clump together, causing the possibility of getting an uneven grass cut and an undesirable finish to the looks of your lawn! On top of that, the weight of your lawnmower digging into the damp soil can damage the roots of your grass, encourage common grass diseases and hinder the growth of your lawn.

So, contrary to popular belief, the first grass cut isn’t the deepest; it might just be the easiest! However, if you have any questions about this, please drop us an email, and we have included some further reading below to help ensure your lawn is as good as it can be!

How long does grass take to grow?

In ideal conditions, most grass seed species will begin to grow about 8-10 days after initial sowing. After 6-8 weeks, the grass will be fully established and provide full coverage across the lawn with no patches. You will be pleased to read this guide, which will ensure your grass grows as quickly as it should!

What lawn fertiliser should I use?

With so many options to fertilise your lawn, it can be tricky to know what’s the right grass fertiliser for your garden at certain times of the year or when you plan to carry out lawn maintenance.

Categories

Help & Advice

Pages

Products