As Brits prepare to cut their grass this weekend, one expert has urged green-fingered folk to avoid mowing their lawn at certain times as it could damage your turf
With the warmer weather and longer days now making a welcomed return, one garden expert has revealed the best time of day to cut your grass – especially if you’re looking for a luscious lawn by summer.
Green-fingered Brits often perform the first grass cut of the year in April, as temperatures are consistently above 8°C, explains garden gazebo expert Samantha Richards. The outdoor guru, from Gazeboshop, added that from this point onwards, people should aim to mow their lawn at least once a week to a height of 4cm, as this prevents weeds and moss from taking hold.
Samantha also highlighted the importance of timing, as she said: “In terms of the best time in the day to mow your lawn, we recommend mid-morning, between 8am and 10am. Not only will it risk neighbour wars, but mowing too early in the morning or late in the day can expose your grass to disease and fungal infections if you’re not careful.”
According to Fantastic Gardeners, grass is usually wet in the early morning, which will not only damage your mower but also cause your grass to tear and compact the soil. What’s more, cutting your lawn from 6pm in the evening increases the risk of infections and the grass also won’t have enough time to recover before nightfall.
When it comes to lawn care this month, the expert urged green-fingered folk to make dead grass patches a priority. She said: “Whether you had a gazebo on your lawn last summer or it’s struggled to survive the bout of storms, start by getting some compost and an even spread of seeds, and apply it to the soil.
“Rake this in gently and then lightly firm it with your feet. Next, spray the area with a hose, but make sure you’re not pushing the seeds out in the process.” Samantha also encouraged Brits to set time aside for the other essential spring jobs, which can be found below.
Mulch your borders
Mulch is used on the top layer of soil to control weeds, regulate temperatures and improve soil structure and is best applied from mid to late spring. Doing this ahead of the warmer months will help your soil to retain moisture in the summer too.
There are many different types of mulch available, but they can all be applied in the same way. Samantha continued: “Start off by preparing the ground and removing any weeds, then lay around 5cm worth of mulch onto the bed or around your plants.
“Use a narrow spring tine rake or garden fork to help with this step. It’s beneficial to spread the mulch around so it’s evenly distributed and make room around the base of trees so it’s not in direct contact.”
Plant pollinator-friendly flowers
When planting ahead of summer, you should be mindful not to plant flowers that will deter honeybees and bumblebees. Where possible, it’s best to avoid plants with double or multi-petalled flowers such as hydrangeas, petunias and busy lizzie plants as bees may find it difficult to access the nectar.
The expert explained: “By collecting nectar and pollen from the plants, pollinators play a pivotal role in the garden. Since bees associate the shiny metals with sugar, it’s important to avoid planting dark coloured flowers like red too.”
Shallow blossom plants like daisies, abelia lungwort and crocus are stunning options that will attract pollinators to your garden. “Not only will the shades of blues, purples and yellows make your garden pop with colour, but pollinators can easily perceive these bright shades,” added Samantha.
Clean the greenhouse
It’s important to carry out essential maintenance jobs ahead of the growing season, like cleaning your greenhouse. Greenhouses are vital for nurturing plants, but failure to clean them properly risks damaging them instead, infecting the soil and even leading to pests and diseases.
Samantha advised: “The most effective way to clean your greenhouse is by mixing a warm water and vinegar solution together and wiping off any mould, mildew, moss and grime. Make sure you pick a mild, dry day to do this job and move everything outside of the greenhouse first before you start removing dead plants and cleaning the staging and guttering.”
While this is often considered a tedious task, it will maximise the light levels in your greenhouse and create a healthy environment to facilitate plant growth.
Check your guttering
Checking the guttering on your home, sheds and greenhouses is another key maintenance job to tick off, as it ensures that any spring showers fill up your water butts efficiently.
Clogged gutters can obstruct the flow of water which can then lead to spillover, infiltration and even mould and mildew buildup. The expert said: “If too much water runs over the soil in your garden, this will also make it difficult for your lawn and new plants to grow as the soil will be stripped of valuable nutrients.
“By regularly cleaning your gutters over the coming weeks – especially if there’s been heavy rain – this will ensure your plants receive pure, healthy water, whilst also keeping the soil around your house at a stable moisture level.”
