Lawn needs to be cut regularly. But even when mowing, there are a few things to consider that can influence optimal lawn growth.
Mowing is the most important, most frequent and, for many lawn owners, also the most annoying maintenance measure for the lawn. But you just can't get around it if you want to use your lawn. Before purchasing a lawn mower, an important question arises: Do I want to mow my lawn and at the same time collect or mulch the lawn clippings in a grass catcher? If you have decided to mow with a grass catcher, you can find out here when, at what length and how deep it is best to mow your lawn.
Mowing the lawn: choosing the right time
The lawn mowing season begins in spring with the flowering of the forsythia. Depending on the region and year, this is usually in March or April. The lawn is mowed for the first time at the latest before the lawn is scarified. Depending on the weather, the lawn is cut for the last time in October or November.
Mowing the lawn in frost?
In winter there are generally poor growing conditions. Lawns lack light, warmth and sometimes moisture. The physiological processes in the grasses are shut down and the lawn prefers to rest instead of growing. For this reason, the lawn does not have to be mowed from October or November to March.
Mowing the lawn when it rains?
Wet clippings can clog the mower and clog the discharge opening to the grass catcher. If the soil is very moist, the wheels can also smear the soil and then crusts can form as the soil dries. The heavier the mower, the higher this risk. The lawn should therefore preferably be mowed when it is dry. Incidentally, when it is wet, the wheels of the lawnmower have less grip on the ground and the lawnmower can easily slip on slopes.
Mowing the lawn in the sun and heat?
Sun and heat stress the lawn. In order not to increase the load on the lawn and burnsTo avoid this, do not mow during lunchtime. The best time to cut is in the morning when the dew has dried or in the early evening when the lawn has recovered from the midday heat.
Mowing the lawn: How often and how deep do you mow?
The frequency of lawn mowing is determined by a number of factors. During warm, humid "growth weather", which often occurs here in May, the lawn grows quickly and the need to mow increases. Dry periods of heat in midsummer allow the lawn to rest a little. Even with artificial irrigation, it then grows less vigorously and is therefore mown less frequently. It also depends on the composition of the grasses in your lawn, how often they have to be cut.
Most ornamental grasses, for example, require trimming more often than utility grasses. If the lawn is well fertilized, it grows faster and therefore has to be mowed more often. In addition, the frequency of the cut depends on which device is used to mow. Less powerful lawn mowers, such as some electric mowers, can only cleanly cut deeper grass. Accordingly, they have to be used more frequently than powerful motor mowers, which can also cut long grass well. If you use a mulching mower, you generally have to mow more often.
From what length does the lawn have to be mowed?
The length of the lawn to mow depends on how deep you want to mow the lawn. At the latest, when the lawn has reached twice its ideal height, it should be shortened. To put it the other way around, this means that a lawn that you want to shorten to a length of five cm must be mowed when it is no longer than ten cm. This principle is essential because the lawn is severely weakened when it loses more than half of its mass in one cut. As a result, the competitive power of the lawn decreases and weeds and moss can be happy. It is even better to cut the lawn so that it only loses a third of its mass with each cut. With a desired length of five cm, it can be mowed at a growth height of seven and a half cm.
How deep can the lawn be mowed?
How deep the lawn is mowed depends crucially on the grass that was sown in the lawn system. Most types of grass used for play and utility turf tolerate a cutting depth of 1.5 to 2.5 inches well.Decorative lawns are usually mowed to a length of three to four cm and are therefore mowed more frequently. Shaded lawns have poorer growth conditions and therefore do not tolerate deep cuts as well. For this reason, shady lawns are usually shortened to seven or ten cm at a length of 12 to 15 cm.
| Type of use | Target cutting height | Length of lawn to mow |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial Lawn | 4.5 - 6 cm | 7 - 12 cm |
| Ornamental Lawn | 3 - 4 cm | 4.5 - 8 cm |
| Shadow Lawn | 7 - 10 cm | 12 - 15 cm |
In summer, commercial and ornamental lawns tolerate drought and heat better if they are mowed to a maximum depth of six cm. By the way, if the frequent mowing of the lawn is too annoying for you, you can inquire about a flower or herb meadow as an alternative.
Tip: Check regularly whether the cutting blades of your lawnmower are still sharp enough, because the lawn does not like a cut with blunt blades. If the blades of grass are frayed after mowing, this is a sign that the blades are too blunt. For example, you can have the knives sharpened in an agricultural machinery workshop.
Mowing the lawn: Dispose of lawn clippings or use as fertiliser
The grass clippings contain many nutrients that were previously withdrawn from the soil. The principle of lawn mulching brings the nutrients contained in the lawn clippings back into the soil. If, on the other hand, you dispose of the clippings on the public composting site, for example, the soil will become poorer and poorer in nutrients, until there is even a risk of nutrient deficiency over the years. If you still like a clean lawn, you have no choice but to completely compensate for the nutrient loss of the lawn clippings with lawn fertilizer.
But even those who decide to remove the lawn clippings could still compost the clippings themselves and use the valuable nutrients later, for example as fertilizer for flowers or in the vegetable patch. Because grass clippings are very moist, they are dried for a few hours before composting on a small lawn or on a jute or plastic sheet. If the lawn is mowed in the morning, the grass clippings will dry off wonderfully over the course of a sunny day and will also reduce its mass considerably. Not too much grass clippings should be placed in or on the compost. The lawn clippings are filled with structure-richMixed material such as branches so that the compost does not get too wet.
Mowing the lawn: note the time and observe rest periods
When the lawn is mowed depends not only on the best conditions for the lawn and one's own free time, but also on the so-called Lawn Mower Noise Ordinance. The good news first: The legislature also allows mowing at the optimum lawn mowing times, namely in the morning and early evening. In principle, lawns can be mowed in normal residential areas on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Louder devices such as the brush cutter may also not be used between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. But the warm midday is not recommended for cutting the lawn anyway. So don't be afraid to give your neighbors their midday rest.
The question of whether you should mow or mulch your lawn is a hotly debated topic among hobby gardeners. In our article we explain the advantages and disadvantages of both methods.