Choosing a mower for the lawn you want
A lawn is somewhere to play, sit out and enjoy the garden.
The right mower depends on the finish you want. These notes help you match the way a mower cuts to your lawn, and then get the best from it through the year.
How the main types cut
- A cylinder mower cuts with a scissor-like action. It gives the finest cut and a striped finish, and can cut very low.
- A rotary mower has a blade that spins flat. The cut is less fine, but it copes with longer grass and uneven ground much better. It suits most home lawns.
- A hover mower is a rotary mower that floats on a cushion of air. It is light to handle and copes with fairly rough grass.
- A mulching mower chops the clippings finely and drops them back into the lawn. They return some nutrients to the soil and help it hold moisture.
Matching the mower to your lawn
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) suggests a cylinder mower for very fine turf, such as a lawn kept like a bowling green. For a well-used family lawn, a rotary or hover mower is usually ideal.
A hand-push mower suits a small lawn. It is quiet and needs no fuel or electricity. A corded electric mower is light and suits a small lawn near a socket. A petrol mower needs no power supply, though it brings fuel, noise and fumes.
On a really large lawn, a wider cut or a self-propelled mower saves time. Ride-on mowers are mainly for very large lawns.
How often and how high to cut
For a neat lawn, the RHS suggests mowing weekly or fortnightly from March to October. In summer that is about once a week, and less often in a drought.
Ordinary lawns do well at 13 to 25mm in summer and up to 40mm in spring and autumn. Take off no more than a third of the grass height at a time. Start the year on the highest setting.
In winter, mowing is usually not needed. If the grass is still growing in mild weather, cut it now and then on a high setting. Wait for a day when the ground is not soft, wet or frozen.
Getting stripes
Cylinder mowers give a striped finish, and so do rotary mowers with a rear roller. On a rectangular lawn, start along one straight edge and mow up and down, overlapping each stripe a little.
Empty the grass box often so clumps do not spoil the finish. Changing the direction now and then, with diagonal stripes, stops ruts forming.
A lawn with flowers in it
Some people like a lawn full of flowers and insects. Plantlife, the wildflower charity, runs No Mow May, when you leave the lawn uncut for the month. The RHS says leaving it until August is even better.
A flower-rich lawn can be cut every four to six weeks in summer, with the mower set higher.
Looking after the mower
Sharp, clean blades give the best cut. You can sharpen rotary blades yourself with the mower switched off and unplugged. Cylinder mowers are best taken to a professional. Give the mower a full clean and check before winter.
A few safety habits are worth keeping.
- Use an RCD with an electric mower, so it stops if the cable is cut.
- Store spare petrol safely and refuel with care.
- Check that the cut-out handle stops the mower when you let go.
- Wear sturdy shoes, and eye protection on rough or stony grass.