The 69-year-old stated that he generally leaves grass mowing till mid-August
British horticulturalist Monty Don has defined why it is key to depart grass-cutting till after June 21 this month. Whereas it might be tempting to mow your gardens forward of summer season BBQs, the 69-year-old stated it is vital to permit grass to flourish for so long as attainable.
“Nothing needs to be lower in any respect till after the longest day on June 21,” Monty wrote in a weblog final 12 months. “This offers the foliage of the bulbs time to die again and feed subsequent 12 months’s bulb and subsequent flowering.
“The grass can then be lower if it has been scorching and dry, though generally I go away this as late as mid-August.” Though Monty’s recommendation was written in 2024, the longest day of 2025, generally referred to as the summer season solstice, additionally fell on June 21 (Saturday).
Within the UK, grasses usually develop probably the most throughout April and Could, amidst rising temperatures and moisture from rain showers. Extending this progress interval for so long as attainable could assist maximise its well being through the upcoming spring.
Monty normally crops spring bulbs and wildflowers alongside his grass, too, offering a helpful habitat for bugs and different types of wildlife. As soon as the grass is lower, he careworn that it is vital to gather any clippings and place them in a compost heap.
Leaving them on the bottom may encourage ‘lusher coarser grasses’ to develop, however this might be on the expense of any flowers. Monty’s ideas come after a 2019 examine from Plantlife unveiled that the majority gardeners lower their grass each two weeks, in keeping with the Categorical.
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has equally instructed that permitting grass to stay uncut till August encourages a richer number of crops, and it even helps a ‘No Mow Could’ initiative for this function.
Nonetheless, it additionally acknowledged that you need to take into account mowing habits on a case-by-case foundation. For example, if climate situations are unpredictable or grass progress is unexpectedly gradual, it might be clever to rethink.
The RHS has suggested: “In summer season: with a standard garden, mow as soon as every week on common, dropping to as soon as a fortnight, or longer, in periods of drought.
“Flower-rich lawns may be mown each 4 to 6 weeks. Lengthy-grassed lawns are greatest lower a couple of times over the summer season, normally not earlier than June.”
When mowing lengthy grass for the primary time in a 12 months, it is vital to set the mower to the very best blade setting. This helps keep away from clogging from grass clippings.
If the grass is especially tall, the RHS recommends strimming it first to cut back its top. You’ll want to accumulate any clippings earlier than utilizing the mower for the ultimate lower.
It additionally added: “When you can restart mowing in June, it’s even higher to depart the grass uncut till August to protect the newly created habitat and encourage a larger range of crops.”
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