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Mowing the Lawn: How to Get Thick, Green Grass
During the growing season, cut your lawn to about 4 cm and never take off more than a third of the grass length in one go. From May to the end of August that usually means mowing the lawn once or twice a week, and less often in spring and autumn.
Mow when the grass is dry, change direction each time and keep the blades sharp. Do that and the turf grows thicker, leaving less room for moss and weeds.
What will you learn in this article?
- Why mow the lawn regularly?
- How short should you cut grass?
- What is the one-third rule?
- How often and when should you mow?
- Which direction should you mow in?
- Should you collect grass clippings or leave them?
- Cylinder mower or rotary mower?
- Looking after your lawn mower
- Common lawn mowing mistakes
- Frequently asked questions about mowing the lawn
- In short: mowing the lawn
Why mow the lawn regularly?
Grass grows from the base of the plant. Regular mowing encourages it to branch out and produce new shoots, so the turf becomes denser. Long grass also blocks light from the lower, finer blades, and a thick, dense lawn leaves very little space for moss and weeds to take hold.
Mowing rarely and then cutting very short does the opposite. The grass is shocked, turns yellow and needs time to recover.
How short should you cut grass?
A short lawn looks tidy, but grass that is cut too low scorches faster in the sun and dries out more quickly. Use these heights as a guide:
| Type of lawn | Cutting height in the growing season |
|---|---|
| Ornamental lawn (little foot traffic) | About 3 cm |
| Family or play lawn | About 4 cm |
| Spring and autumn | 0.5 to 1 cm higher |
| Drought and hot spells | 5 cm or more |
| Shady areas | A little higher than the rest |
Set the cutting height before you start. With a new mower, it helps to test it on a small patch and measure the result.
What is the one-third rule?
Never remove more than a third of the grass length in a single cut. If you want to end up at 4 cm, mow when the grass is about 6 cm long. If the lawn has grown well past that, after a holiday for example, bring it back down in two or three cuts with a few days in between.
How often and when should you mow?
In a normal season you can follow this schedule:
- March: start once the grass is growing and the ground is neither frozen nor waterlogged. Mow about every two weeks on a slightly higher setting.
- April: roughly every ten days.
- May to August: once or twice a week, depending on growth.
- September and October: back to about every ten days.
- November: only mow if the weather is mild and the grass is still growing. Let the lawn go into winter a little longer.
What time of day is best?
Mow in dry weather and preferably not in the full midday sun. Late afternoon, or the morning once the dew has dried, are good times. Wet grass clumps, gets torn rather than cut, and the mower leaves tracks behind.
Mowing during a drought
In a long dry spell grass barely grows. Mow less often and leave it longer, because the extra length shades the soil and helps stop it drying out.
Which direction should you mow in?
Change direction every time: lengthways one week, across or diagonally the next. If you always follow the same pattern, the blades lie flat in one direction and ruts form in the turf. Overlap each strip by a few centimetres so you do not miss any.
Should you collect grass clippings or leave them?
That depends on how much there is. A thin layer of fine clippings can stay on the lawn: it breaks down quickly and returns nutrients to the soil. This is called mulching. A thick layer, on the other hand, blocks light and air and can start to rot, turning the grass underneath yellow and building up thatch.
As a rule of thumb: if you mow often and only take a little off, leave the fine clippings where they fall. If the grass has grown long or is wet, collect the clippings or rake them up. They can go on the compost heap.
Cylinder mower or rotary mower?
| Cylinder mower | Rotary mower (cordless or electric) | |
|---|---|---|
| How it cuts | Snips the grass like scissors between a rotating cylinder and a fixed blade | A spinning blade cuts the grass off |
| Finish | Very neat and crisp | Good, slightly rougher at the tips |
| Best for | Small to medium, flat lawns that are mowed often | Larger lawns, longer grass, uneven ground |
| Noise | Quiet | Louder |
A cylinder mower, such as the Batavia cylinder mower, suits anyone who keeps the lawn short, mows often and wants a crisp finish. For long or wet grass and bumpy ground, a rotary mower is easier to work with.
Looking after your lawn mower
- Keep the blades sharp. Blunt blades shred the grass, so the tips turn brown. Have the blades checked or sharpened at least once a season.
- Clean the mower after use and remove any caked-on grass. Take out the battery or unplug the mower first.
- Check the cutting height at the start of the season.
Common lawn mowing mistakes
- Cutting far too short in one go
- Mowing when the grass is wet
- Always mowing in the same direction
- Leaving a thick layer of clippings on the lawn
- Working with blunt blades
- Cutting short during drought and hot weather
Frequently asked questions about mowing the lawn
How often should you mow the lawn in summer?
From May to the end of August, once or twice a week. In a warm, wet spell the grass grows faster and you will need to mow more often. In dry weather, mow less often and leave it longer.
Can you mow wet grass?
It is better not to. Wet grass sticks to the mower, gets torn rather than cut, and the wheels leave tracks. Wait until the dew or rain has dried off.
When should you stop mowing in autumn?
Keep mowing as long as the grass is growing, which usually means until some point in November. Raise the cutting height a little for the last few cuts so the lawn goes into winter with some length. Our guide on when to mow your lawn covers the timing in more detail.
Is a cylinder mower better than a normal lawn mower?
A cylinder mower gives a crisper cut and is quieter, but it works best on a flat lawn that you mow often. For long grass, large areas or uneven ground, a rotary mower is more practical.
In short: mowing the lawn
Mow often and not too short: around 4 cm for a family lawn, 3 cm for an ornamental lawn, and higher during drought, in shade and outside the main season. Follow the one-third rule, mow in dry weather, change direction and keep the blades sharp. Leave a thin layer of clippings on the lawn and collect a thick one.