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First grass cut of the year UK

Knowing when the first grass cut of the year in the UK should be is important, and so is making sure you cut it right the first time. Doing it at the right time and following our steps below will give your lawn the best start for the rest of the spring and summer months!

First grass cut of the year UK

When is the best time for the first grass cut of the year in the UK?

There’s nothing quite like the smell of freshly cut grass, and after months of coldness over winter, many people will want to mow their lawn at the first sign of milder weather. However, if you hold off until the weather is right and then carry out the recommended prep work, the first grass cut of the year will have your lawn ready for family gatherings and BBQs in the UK summer sun and will provide the perfect play area for you and your kids and pets. The same applies if you have just sown some fresh grass seed and are itching to get the mower out when the blades start to show on the surface.

We recommend you wait until mid-March for your first grass cut of the year, which gives your lawn a chance to recover after winter! The best way to tell if it’s the right time is to check your weather forecast. Once warmer weather arrives with no frosty temperatures at night, you know you're ready to mow!

If you live in the south of England, the perfect grass-cutting conditions will likely come sooner than in the highlands of Scotland, so be sure to check your local forecast before pulling the mower out of the shed or garage!

Tips for the first grass cut of the year in the UK

Before you start mowing beautiful stripes into your lawn, there are a few steps - or prep work if you like - to ensure your first grass cut of the year goes as smoothly as possible to benefit your grass and local wildlife!

Check around your garden for wildlife

Take a walk around your garden and watch for signs of animals that may be hiding in the grass. This could be the likes of hedgehogs (or their hoglets), baby birds or squirrels – admittedly, they will likely all run away when they hear you’re coming, but it’s good to check just in case!

If you find a family of nesting animals, consider mowing a different area of the garden and give them more time to get used to the spring weather before they move on. Or, you could let the area of your garden where they live go wild, creating a habitat for local wildlife.

Clear away sticks, leaves and debris

Once you’re sure there are no animals around to disturb, you can start clearing away anything that will make the first grass cut troublesome. Remove any sticks, debris, leaves or rubbish that has landed on your lawn and created a bit of a mess over the winter months.

If you don’t remove these from your garden, they could damage your mower blades if your lawn mower goes over them. After you have collected them, you can also use them to start a compost heap in an unused garden spot, or you could add it to the wild area if you’ve decided to let the hedgehogs stay a while longer.

Use the “one third” rule for the first cut of the year

It’s important to apply the “one third” rule for the first grass cut of the year! To do this, you should set your lawnmower to its highest setting for the first cut, then never cut down more than one third of the grass’s total height each time you mow.

Over time you can cut your grass shorter until you get it to the height you want. But this is best done over several weeks because cutting it too short in one go, especially at the start of the season, will weaken your grass and invite weeds and moss to move in.  

It’s worth mentioning that the lawn type and grass seed you’ve used will also determine what mowing height is best for prolonged growth over time. For example, a 20-40mm mowing height is ideal for general use and family lawns, whereas 10-20mm is perfect for ornamental lawns.

When should I mow my lawn again after the first cut?

We recommend mowing your lawn once a week during spring to give your grass time between cutting to grow back and thicken more. This regular mowing also helps improve the strength of your lawn’s roots and helps to get rid of weeds.

However, if you find some pesky weeds that just don’t want to leave, then using our 3 IN 1 Lawn Rescue will get rid of them for you, and it feeds your grass to make it greener and stronger!

What time of day is best to cut grass?

The best time of day for the first grass cut of the year in the UK and every cut that follows should be between 8 am – 10 am and 4 pm – 6 pm. By sticking to this schedule, you will avoid exposing your freshly cut lawn to hot midday sunshine and early morning dew that can weaken your grass, which the mower blades will then damage.

If you have any questions on the first grass cut of the year in the UK, or if you have queries you feel are unique to your garden, please message us, and we will happily help!

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