You can begin to mow your lawn when grass growth resumes. Our UK weather will always greatly affect the rate at which grass grows, but generally, the mowing season begins in mid-March. It typically ends in October throughout most of the country when grass becomes dormant and is susceptible to frost.

How often should you mow your lawn?

Regular lawn mowing in the growing season can greatly improve the quality of your lawn. Reducing your lawn mowing in periods of drought can help to protect it. Getting the balance right may seem difficult, but if you follow our rules below, you can keep your lawn in pristine condition.

• In spring and autumn, you should aim to mow once a week; this allows the grass ample time to grow back
• During summer, your grass will grow back faster, so aim to mow twice a week
• When winter arrives, mowing isn't usually necessary, but if you feel it requires a cut - mow on the highest setting on your mower

Excessive mowing/cutting can create a nitrogen deficiency and cause the grass to turn yellow and dry out in the sun. To prevent this from occurring, apply a SLOW RELEASE: Spring / Summer fertiliser.

How short should you mow your lawn?

Generally, we all like a short and tidy lawn; however, the problem is that most people often cut far too short on the first cut. We also cut so short that the grass in our lawn can't cope with it and begins to suffer. Some grass species can tolerate closer mowing than others. These are typically fine-leafed grasses such as fescues.

Fescues are often found in ornamental / bowling green style lawns, where the recommended mowing height is 10-20mm. For lawns that are for general use, the recommended mowing height is 20-40mm. If you try to mow shorter than this, you may hack your lawn (cut too short).

Tell-tale signs that your grass has been cut too low are that it can turn yellow/brown at the tips - this may also be due to blunt blades. Your lawn may also begin to suffer from patches if you cut it too much in the summer months.

For your first mow of the season, you should put your mower on the highest setting. Following this, you should gradually reduce the height until it is at the recommended height for your lawn.  In autumn, you should increase the height of your mower so that shorter grass blades won't be susceptible to frost/disease.

Mowing your lawn for biodiversity

At The Grass People, we're big fans of a well-maintained lawn and advocates of helping our biodiversity.  By mowing 10mm higher, you can increase the invertebrate biodiversity within your lawn greatly.