Cutting long grass
Due to the recent extreme weather conditions with very wet and suddenly very hot weather grass growth has been rapid.
How you cut your grass now will affect your lawn for the rest of the season!
Do NOT be tempted to cut your long grass down in one cut. It weakens the roots and will quickly allow the spread of weeds within your lawn.
Ideally NEVER cut more than one third of the grass blade in one cut. However, as the grass is now growing rapidly, in order to have a reasonable lawn in a few weeks’ time, cut UPTO 50% of the blade off and leave the grass cuttings on the lawn to feed your grasses, which will minimise the shock. Leave for around one week and cut again, this time removing all the grass cuttings, but again remove absolutely no more than 50% of the blade.
Around another week should show a healthy lawn growing again and this time mow with a reasonably high level ensuring no more than one third of the blade is removed. If your mower has a roller on the back even better! The roller splits each grass blade and you will see a dramatic improvement when next mowed.
Weeds can of course be removed from lawns, ideally using a lawn weed killer which not only removes the top half of the weed but also the roots, but if you follow the above principals you will have far fewer weeds to remove!
You can of course engage professional help in reducing long grass and most will follow the above practice so please do not be shocked when they say you will require three of four visits to remedy the situation. If they are willing to carry out the work in one cut they may not be as professional as you thought!