Mowing the lawn: The important tips and tricks for a healthy lawn

Mowing your lawn is one of the most important steps in lawn care. Regular mowing promotes the formation of a dense and visually appealing turf. Mowing ensures that your lawn grows well in the long term and also looks attractive.

Do you also dream of a lush green lawn without holes and moss? In this article we summarize all the important tips and tricks for mowing the lawn. You will find out when you should mow and what cutting height is ideal. We will also show you how to mow wild meadows and turf and address the question of whether a robotic lawnmower or a traditional lawnmower is better.

Proper lawn care: When should I mow my lawn?

Many garden owners wonder when they should start cutting their lawn. Your lawns are dormant over the winter: the low temperatures mean that the grass stops growing. So you don't have to mow.

But when is the ideal time to mow the lawn in spring? That depends on the temperatures. In spring, you should watch your lawn closely and pay attention to when it starts growing again. Growth starts when the temperature rises above 9 °C and it is no longer freezing.

Grass growth usually begins between late March and mid-April. Let your grass grow to about 8 to 10 cm and then trim it minimally. When cutting the grass for the first time in the year, it is important that the grass is not cut too short.

If you want to mow your lawn, you should choose a dry day. You should not mow your lawn when it is wet: the blades of grass will break and the cut will be unclean. In addition, the clippings will stick to your lawn mower and cleaning will be much more difficult. So it is best to mow your lawn when it is dry and the temperature is moderate.

There are a few things to consider when mowing. It is important that you adjust the cutting height and the frequency of mowing to the season. This will create the best conditions for a healthy lawn without bare patches, weeds or burns.

What is the optimal cutting height for the grass in my garden?

The right cutting height is crucial for your lawn to grow healthily. You should adjust this not only to the season, but also to your lawn. There are clear differences between the individual types of lawn as to which cutting height is best for them.

A general rule of thumb is to mow your lawn to 5 to 8 cm. This is a good height for most types of grass and will be a good choice in all seasons.

If you want to give your lawn the best possible care, you should adjust the cutting height to the type of lawn. You can cut lawns that are used for everyday purposes to 3 to 5 cm once a week. If you have shade lawns in your garden, you should set the cutting height to around 5 to 6 cm.

The situation is different with ornamental lawns. These should generally be cut shorter: a height of 2 to 3 cm is optimal. Make sure to mow it regularly so that it forms a dense turf. In summer, however, it is advisable to leave ornamental lawns a few centimeters longer so that they do not burn in the sun.

There are two special cases. You should only mow young grass when it has grown to about 8 to 10 cm. The blades of grass are then strong enough to withstand the mowing and not be pulled out of the ground. You should not mow wet grass at all. Wait until the grass and the ground have completely dried out.

Before mowing, you should check the blades of your lawnmower. Are they still sharp? Only sharp blades cut your lawn perfectly and give you a good result. If your lawnmower blades are blunt, you will find a large selection of replacement blades for a wide range of mowers here.

How can I trim my lawn edges properly?

An important part of your lawn care is also cutting the lawn edges. This involves trimming all the blades of grass that grow over paths and flowerbeds. Clean edges ensure a particularly clean result and enhance your garden.

We recommend that you use a lawn trimmer to trim your lawn edges. These devices are specially designed to trim lawn edges. You don't have to bend down or use a lot of strength. A lawn trimmer trims the edges in your garden reliably and precisely.

The easiest way is to trim the lawn edges first and then mow. Combine trimming and mowing so that you always get a good result. You can buy suitable accessories for your lawn trimmer at RasenExpert.

What do I do with the clippings?

Garden owners who mow frequently often wonder what to do with their clippings. You can collect them in a grass catcher and then dispose of them or compost them. This is annoying and particularly tiring for larger lawns.

It is generally advisable not to leave grass clippings on the lawn. They can suffocate the lawn and lead to diseases. It is particularly important that you remove all the clippings from your lawn before winter. Over the winter, the grass could become moldy under the clippings. The risk of fungi and diseases also increases rapidly.

Mulching is an exception, however. This involves mowing your lawn only minimally and leaving the shredded clippings on the lawn. There, they rot within a very short time and provide nutrients to the soil. The mulch layer also offers protection from the weather. However, this only works if the mulch layer is really thin and can rot within a few days.

What should you consider when mowing a wild meadow?

You haven't mown your lawn for a few months? Does it now look more like a wild meadow? There are a few things to consider on the way to a well-kept lawn - you shouldn't just mow the lawn. This can weaken it and cause damage.

Instead, mow your lawn in smaller stages. As a rule of thumb, you can remember that lawns should be cut by a maximum of 1⁄3 of their length. This may mean that you have to mow several times over the next few weeks until your lawn finally reaches a good length of 5 to 8 cm.

If you haven't mown your lawn for a while, your lawnmower is facing a challenge. It has to use a lot of power to cut the long grass. Also make sure that the lawnmower blades are sharp. Only then will they provide a neat cut that doesn't damage your lawn.

In our range you will find a large selection of replacement blades for well-known brands. These include Honda, Husqvarna and Sabo. Find the right lawn mower blades for your mower now!

Tips and Tricks: How should I mow rolled turf?

If turf has been laid in your garden, then proper watering is essential. To ensure that the lawn grows well, you should provide it with enough water so that it does not dry out. This also has the effect of making the lawn grow relatively quickly. Freshly laid turf should therefore be mowed for the first time shortly after it has been laid.

You should make sure that the turf dries out first. Otherwise, your mower could leave marks on the turf of your freshly laid lawn. Before mowing, check the sharpness of the lawn mower blades and set them to a suitable height. You can either collect the clippings or use them for mulching.

Fertilizing the lawn: Can I mow immediately afterwards?

In order for your lawn to grow optimally, it needs fertilizer several times a year. This adds nutrients to the lawn and the soil that are essential for growth. However, there are special recommendations regarding fertilization that you should definitely adhere to.

Before you fertilize your lawn, you should mow it. This ensures that the fertilizer reaches the roots of the grass blades and its effect is lost there. If you fertilize long grass, the fertilizer will simply stick to the grass blades and will have no effect.

After you have mowed and fertilized your lawn, you should give it a break for about two weeks. During this phase, it can absorb the nutrients. Only then should you mow again. It is easy to determine the right time: look to see whether the fertilizer granules are still visible. If this is the case, then you should wait a few more days before mowing.

Mowing and scarifying the lawn on the same day – is that possible?

To ensure that your garden care is successful, the correct order of the individual tasks is crucial. First, you should mow your lawn and then fertilize it. After about two weeks, you can mow it again. You are probably now asking yourself when the right time to scarify is.

As a general rule, at least 14 days should pass between fertilizing and scarifying. You can then mow your lawn and scarify it on the same day. However, this is not a must: you can also wait a few days so as not to stress your lawn too much.

Is a robotic lawnmower better than a traditional lawnmower?

You should mow your lawn regularly: This is often easier said than done. Many garden owners are therefore thinking about switching from a traditional lawnmower to a robotic lawnmower. What are the respective advantages and disadvantages? Who would benefit from a robotic lawnmower? And who is a mower better suited for?

Robotic lawnmowers have the advantage that they take a lot of work off your hands. They drive themselves and mow your lawn at set intervals. They mulch your lawn automatically so you don't have to worry about the clippings. In addition, they are particularly quiet and can therefore also be used on Sundays and public holidays.

One disadvantage, however, is the price. Robotic lawnmowers are generally much more expensive than conventional mowers. They also need a boundary so that they know where to mow. Uneven surfaces and slopes are problematic for robotic lawnmowers. This also applies to grass that is too high, which robotic lawnmowers often cannot cope with.

Lawnmowers have the advantage that they are very flexible. You can mow whenever you want and avoid certain areas. In many cases they have a powerful drive and can cut even tall grass effortlessly. The purchase costs are manageable depending on the brand.

For many people, however, the physical effort is one of the biggest disadvantages of a mower. Especially in large gardens, you can easily spend an hour or even longer mowing the lawn. In addition, lawn mowers can be very loud. Cleaning the mower also takes a lot of time.

Basically, you should find the mower that suits you and your preferences. Both robotic lawnmowers and traditional lawnmowers have advantages and disadvantages that you should weigh up.

Conclusion: Sharp lawn mower blades are essential for a good cutting result

As you have learned in this article, there are a few things to consider when mowing the lawn. In addition to the correct cutting height and the right weather, the condition of your lawnmower blades is also crucial. They should be as sharp as possible in order to cut the grass and not tear it.

This will give you a clean cutting result and a healthy lawn. Take a look at our selection of replacement blades and only cut your lawn with sharp blades in the future.