Mowing the lawn
This is the most important maintenance task of the lawn as it brings out all its splendour. Mowing gets rid of most weeds and if regurlarly carried out it allows the tufts to thicken.
Note: For a clean cut keep the blades of your lawnmower sharpened. This will avoid tearing and yellowing of the lawn.
How to choose your lawnmower:
- The width of the blade depends on the surface to mow.
- The type of machine depends on the frequency of mowing (mower, mulcher, reaper).
- The degree of slope should be taken into account when considering the motor of the lawnmower.
- A thermic model is best when there are obstacles on the lawn (easier to use than a model with an electric wire).
You should generally favour:
- Electric lawnmowers for small surfaces which don't exceed 500 sq. metres.
- Thermic lawnmowers for surfaces between 500 sq. m. and 3,000 sq. m..
- Vehicular lawnmowers for large surfaces of over 3,000 sq. m. ( of over 1,000 sq. m. if you want maximum comfort while mowing).
At which height should you mow ?
- The height depends on the use of the lawn (the more people walk on it, the higher you should leave the grass. The grass will grow back quicker).
- An "ideal" height is between 4 and 5 cms..
- Never cut more than a third of a blade of grass (in Spring cut once a week).
Advice:
- Mow short in Spring.
- Cut a lawn in the shade higher in hot Summer weather.
- For the last mowing in Autumn, cut at about 6 or 7 cms. and pick up dead leaves.
Should cut grass be removed ?
Removing cut grass allows water and nutritif elements to penetrate the soil. It slows down yellowing of the lawn. On the other hand, clippings left on the lawn, far from turning into compost, tend to ferment and encourage the development of cryptogamic diseases.
Mulchers (or mulching lawnmowers) are a good alternative:
- They cut the grass into very fine particles which fall between the blades of grass without smothering them and by doing so allow better resistance to drought in Summer.
Note: Mulching demands more frequent mowing and scarification.