I’m a gardening pro – why you need to cut your grass soon and how letting it grow longer than 2cm can cost you hundreds 

WE are slowly edging closer to spring and many people will be turning their attention to their garden.

With this in mind, a gardening expert has revealed why you should never let your grass grow longer than 2cm as it can cost you hundreds of pounds.

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Experts have warned that grass being too long can damage your mower[/caption]

Lawnmowers can be quite an investment and there is one error that many are unaware of, especially those who may be new to the world of gardening.

Bob Macintyre, CEO of The Green Reaper has warned that “cutting long lush grass with a traditional rotary lawn mower can be disastrous.”

He advised: “Even the best pedestrian, walk-behind rotary lawn mowers should not be used to cut extra-long thick grass over 200mm.”

If you do use a lawn mower on long grass, it can break the machine, costing you loads to repair or replace.

He continued: “Grass can be incredibly tough and it can hinder the blades from turning and put strain on the engine or motor, potentially causing the engine to overheat and seize.

“Large volumes of long grass can also work their way into the gearbox drive for the wheels causing the drive belt to come off of the pulley so it will lose drive to the wheels.”

Some mower decks have optional side discharge chutes which allow long, lush grass to be ejected away from the underside of the deck when cut, which can help the issue.

However, it’s a good idea when tackling long overgrown grass areas to narrow the cutting width “swath” to half the width of the mower, or even less if the grass is really overgrown. 

Bob continued: “You should set the height of the cut to a maximum setting and adjust the ground speed of the drive to the lowest to ensure the cuttings have enough time to discharge from the aperture in the side of the deck and that the engine is not overloaded.”

Exact date to start mowing

But when should you start mowing your lawn?

Grass grows when soil temperature reaches above 6 degrees celsius, making it one of the earliest plants to start growing in spring.

It’s likely you’ll need to start cutting your grass during March, but the first mowing date will generally depend on where you live, local conditions and the weather that year.

And according to Woodland Trust Citizen Science Officer Lorienne Whittle, most Brits have found the sweet spot to be on March 18. 

Grass can be incredibly tough and it can hinder the blades from turning and put strain on the engine or motor, potentially causing the engine to overheat and seize

Bob Macintyre

Nature’s Calendar records found that it was the average date of first lawn cut in the UK in data collected over an 18 year period. 

However, some Brits are even cutting their grass all year round due to the milder winters. 

Regional differences are vast, but on average over 7% of our green-fingered Brits on Nature’s Calendar records cut their grass throughout winter.

“The Met Office has estimated that the growing season has increased by at least a month compared to 1961 to 1990,” Lorienne said. 

“In some areas, grass is growing all year round. 

“This is an important indicator of the effects of climate change.”

Lorienne also urged Brits to think about our native wildlife before getting the lawnmower out this March. 

“Climate change is not only influencing our mowing regimes, it’s increasing the pressure on our wildlife too and more species are looking to our gardens for food and shelter,” she explained. 

“These mini wildlife reserves can become precious habitats for them to thrive.

“Before you mow, be sure to scout your lawn for any animals that could be harmed. 

“Hedgehogs in particular like to curl up in long grass and may otherwise go unnoticed.”

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Experts have advised that the ideal date to start mowing is typically around March 18[/caption]