Why does Colin next door always seem to know exactly when to mow? Every Saturday, he strides out in his wellies with the mower cable looped over one shoulder, while your lawn went knee-high during one rainy week in May.
UK grass grows at very different speeds across the year. It only grows properly once the soil warms above roughly 5 to 6°C. So a strict weekly routine will have you mowing mud in February and falling behind in June.
So, here’s how often you should cut your lawn in each month of the year, and how to adjust when the British weather turns unpredictable.
Rarely or Not at All in January and February
For most gardens, the mower can stay in the shed for the first two months of the year, and that’s because the soil can be too cold for grass to grow, so there’s very little for you to cut.
If a mild, dry spell arrives and the grass looks shaggy, you can give it one light trim. Set the blades as high as they’ll go and take off the very tips only.
Keep off the lawn completely when it’s frosted, though. Frozen grass blades snap under your weight, and you’ll end up leaving a trail of black footprints from the back door to the compost bin for everyone to admire until spring.
Once or Twice in March
As the soil warms up through March, your grass will start growing again, and you’ll usually need one or two cuts. Gardens in the South West tend to get going first, while lawns in Yorkshire and the North East may not need a trim until the end of the month.
For your first cut, set the mower to its highest setting and take off just the tips. That way, you’ll stay within the one-third rule, which means never removing more than a third of the blade height in a single cut.
If you cut lower than that, you’ll scalp the lawn and expose the pale, yellow stems underneath. Regrowing all that lost leaf will drain the energy stored in the roots, which will leave your lawn weaker for the rest of spring.
Every Seven to Ten Days in April
April brings longer days and warmer soil, so you’ll likely be mowing every seven to ten days, which usually adds up to three or four cuts. With each one, lower your blades a notch until you reach your summer height.
For most family lawns, that’s somewhere between 2.5 and 4cm. Ornamental lawns can go shorter, but only if you’re prepared to mow them far more often.
Keep an eye on the forecast too, especially if your garden sits on heavy clay. After a week of April showers, your mower will sink into the soft ground and leave ruts across the lawn, while the wet grass will tear and clump under the blades.
Once a Week in May
With warmer soil, longer days, and regular spring rain, your grass will grow noticeably faster in May, so you’ll need to mow once a week. That usually comes to four or five cuts over the month.
If you skip a weekend, the grass will grow too long to bring back down in one cut without breaking the one-third rule, so you’ll need two cuts a few days apart to catch up.
You might also want to try Plantlife’s No Mow May, a UK campaign that encourages you to leave your lawn uncut so daisies, clover, and other wildflowers can bloom for bees. You can take part with the whole lawn or just a strip along the fence.
If you decide to join in, bring the height down gradually over two or three cuts in early June. One aggressive cut straight back to 3cm will break the one-third rule by a mile and leave you with a straw-coloured lawn for weeks.
Up to Twice a Week in June
June is the busiest month in the lawn calendar, and you may need to mow twice a week during warm, wet spells. That can mean as many as eight cuts before the month is out.
The easiest way to tell is to check the height a few days after mowing. If the grass has already grown a third past your target, it’s ready for another cut.
And if keeping up feels like a second job on top of your real one, booking seasonal lawn mowing will keep your grass at the right height while you get on with barbecue weekends.
Every Ten to Fourteen Days in July and August
Midsummer is when the UK tends to see its driest spells and, in some areas, hosepipe bans. When the rain stops, your grass slows right down, so you’ll only need to mow every ten to fourteen days, or two to four times a month.
Raise your cutting height by a centimetre or so during dry weather. Longer blades shade the soil and help it hold onto moisture, which gives the roots a better chance of getting through a heatwave.
Leave light clippings on the lawn as well, since they’ll form a thin layer of mulch. But if the summer turns damp, as British summers often do, go back to weekly cuts until the rain eases off.
Once a Week in September
September’s cooler nights and returning rain usually bring a second growth spurt, so you’ll be back to mowing once a week. That typically means about four cuts for the month.
You can lower the blades slightly from their summer setting now that the drought risk has passed.
And if you’ve reseeded any bare patches left behind by summer, mow around them until the new grass reaches about 5cm, so you don’t pull the seedlings straight out of the soil.
Every Ten to Fourteen Days in October
As temperatures drop through October, growth slows again, and you’ll only need to mow every ten to fourteen days. That usually works out to two or three cuts.
Clear fallen leaves before each one, either with a rake or a leaf blower. Otherwise, you’ll spend a cold afternoon on your knees, scraping brown leaf pulp out of the mower deck with a stick.
Make your last main cut in late October, and raise the blades a notch above your usual summer height. The extra length will give your grass some cover through the winter months.
Once at Most in November and December
Your lawn usually needs no more cuts after October, though a mild, dry November may call for one high tidy-up. After that, you can put the mower away until March.
Try to keep off the grass while the ground is wet or frozen, as heavy footfall will compact the soil. Then use the quieter months to clean your mower and get the blades sharpened, so your first cut in spring comes out crisp and even.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know your lawn’s calendar better than Colin does! Your neighbours will soon be peering over the fence at your stripes, so pour yourself a cold drink and enjoy the view from the patio.