At the beginning of a new growing season, you should start to mow your lawn when it shows sign of growth.
In the UK we are experiencing very mild winters. Climate change is affecting plants, changing their growth patterns. Grasses start to grow when the soil warms. In the UK, our winters have become much warmer. Soil temperatures have rarely dropped cold enough to put grass into complete hibernation.
Grass will always benefit from mowing. It stimulates the plants to produce more leaves and sideways growth. This thickens the lawn and helps to fill in gaps. Less gaps means fewer weeds seeds germinating and fewer weeds.
Mowing stimulates grass to thicken
Light levels are very low during the winter. If you do pass a mower over the lawn make sure it is set at the very highest setting, just giving the lawn a very light trim. Grass needs its leaves to make food, so cutting it bowling-green-short in the dark months of winter will only damage your grass.
Running a mower over your lawn in winter can bring extra benefits. Mowing will remove any remaining leaves from the lawn. It will suck up seeds resting on the lawn and it gives you an opportunity to tidy up twigs and branches which may be squashing grass underneath.
Starting up your mower early in the season will also give you a chance to spot any problems with your machine. This gives you time to send it for a service before the machine is really needed in spring. You can check that the is blade is sharp and true and that the engine is running well. Check you may not have time to remedy once the growing season starts in earnest.
It is best to mow your lawn frequently and high. This will keep it looking tidy and healthy. Whether or not you should collect your grass clippings depends on how you mow it.
So, if the soil is not too wet, the grass is reasonably dry and there is no frost or snow on the lawn, give it a mow.
