The sun has finally made an appearance, pulling us out of the depths of winter into the sunny, bright days of spring. As well as being able to enjoy longer, warmer times outside, this also means it is time to get your garden or field into shape for the spring and summer seasons. Before you give your lawn its first mow of the year, however, here’s what you should know.
- Get rid of debris
Over the winter months, sticks, stones, and leaves will have collected on to the grass, so it is important to remove these to avoid them getting caught in your lawn mower. It is also a good idea to check whether there are any animals nesting in the long grass, such as hedgehogs, so you can avoid mowing this part of the garden for now.
- Leave some lawn wild
Although you might want polished short grass all over your outdoor space, it is a good idea to leave some long to encourage wildlife to flourish.
Chris Packham told Country Living: “Don’t mow all of your lawn. Find a corner of your garden where you can allow it to become, dare I say it, a little bit unkempt.”
He stated this will “provide food for butterflies and other invertebrates and shelter for other animals”.
- Don’t go too short, too soon
To avoid adding stress to your grass, do not cut more than a third off at a time. Start mowing with the mower blades on the highest setting and gradually reduce the length of the grass over the next few weeks.
The English Garden explains: “Grass also doesn’t appreciate spending a month or two unmown, then suddenly being shorn short – lower cutting heights need to be worked towards gradually.”
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