Mowing the lawn is a garden chore no one really enjoys doing. Hay fever sufferers can attest to the adverse side effects of freshly mown lawn, and all of us have endured the random bits of grass that get stuck in our socks around halfway through the job.
It comes as no surprise, then, that Aussies only mow their lawns when it’s absolutely necessary.
A survey conducted by Jim’s Mowing found that just 11 percent of respondents mow their lawns once a week, and it turns out Millennials are the most enthusiastic mowers, with one in four clocking in a lawn-cutting session at least once a week.
Jim’s Mowing reports that 37 per cent of Australians only mow their lawns once a month, 16.6 per cent mow their lawns even less than that, and 19.7 per cent said they never mow their lawns, and prefer to pay someone else to do the dirty work.
Lawns should be mowed every second week in summer and every two to five weeks from autumn to winter. Spring mowing times will vary according to rain and sunshine, so watch and mow whenever they begin to look messy or unruly.
While it appears that Aussies aren’t particularly interested in mowing their lawns regularly, those that do will reap the rewards.
Benefits of mowing your lawn regularly:
1. The more your grass is trimmed the healthier the roots will be, resulting in a grassy garden that is strong, healthy and lush.
2. Mowing your lawn regularly means every part of your lawn is receiving similar amounts of light and nutrients, resulting in even growth.
3. Lawns that are regularly trimmed recover from pests, inclement weather and disease much quicker than lawns that aren’t.
4. An overgrown lawn is the perfect hiding place for garden pests and rodents. A neatly trimmed lawn prevents infestations from ever taking place.
Lawn mowing tips:
- The best time of the day to mow your lawn is mid-morning because any dew will have dried up and it’s just before the heat of the day has set in.
- Leave your lawn clippings on the grass as a natural fertiliser so the nutrients can be reabsorbed into the remaining blades.
- Always wear enclosed shoes, eye, ear protection and sunscreen, and make sure there isn’t anything hidden in the lawn that will interfere with the mower.
Can you mow the lawn when it’s wet?
Although mowing the lawn when the weather is bad may seem like a great idea, it can be quite harmful to your tools, your grass and even yourself.
Mowing the lawn while it’s wet can lead to:
- An uneven finish after the wet grass dries
- Bruised, torn or ripped grass roots due to difficulty mowing
- Damaged equipment, as wet grass sticks to the blades and blocks the mower vacuum
- Potential slipping hazards
- Getting an electric shot, if you are using an electric mower or whipper snipper
It is definitely recommended to wait until your lawn is completely dry before mowing to avoid these potential risks.
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How to pick the perfect type of lawn for your location
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