Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Mowing new lawn

New Gardener JamesNew Gardener James Posts: 6
in Problem solving
Hi all,

I had a new turf lawn laid about six weeks ago. I haven't mowed it at all yet. It's now reached a good length (not stupidly long, but maybe 10cm). What do I do to give it the best chance of coping with the winter? Do I *need* to mow it? Guess my options are:
- Leave it and not mow it for the first time until the spring, by which time it would be pretty long (not worried about it looking bad; only care about its health!)
- Mow it now, but it be quite short going into the winter?

What's best? Thanks.
«1

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    If you can alter your mower well enough, set it quite high James, and just take off about an inch or so. 2 or 3 cm in new money  ;)
    That will be a good length for over winter, and just removing al ittle helps to encourage the root system, as there's less top growth for the roots to support. It also means if you have a mild spell, it won't end up too long, especially if there's frost or lots of rain, and you can't really get onto it to cut again. It's best to avoid too much footfall on it over winter if you can  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • New Gardener JamesNew Gardener James Posts: 6
    Thanks Fairygirl. Mowed it as high as possible. One thing I’ve noticed is quite a lot of yellow grass in there - any ideas?

  • New Gardener JamesNew Gardener James Posts: 6
    (It looks yellower than those pics in real life!)
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    That looks pretty good to me for a 6-week old lawn!  I wouldn't worry about the odd bit of yellow at this time of year - you can feed it next spring and it'll green up nicely, I reckon.
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    edited November 2018
    That looks fine to me.  I don't think you have anything to worry about. 
    If you think it looks too pale/yellow after it's started growing next spring, give it a feed then (something gentle, not the combined feed & weed stuff - people tend to overdose it and get blackening of the grass).
    Oops, cross-post! At least we're saying the same thing :)
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    @JennyJ  :D
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • New Gardener JamesNew Gardener James Posts: 6
    Phew!

    I didn’t know you could overdo the seed - that’s useful to know.
  • Papi JoPapi Jo Posts: 4,254
    Not sure you can overdo the seeds, but you sure can overdose the feed & weed stuff (I never use any).
    The yellow tips of the blades on your grass may come either from mowing too early, when the grass was too tender OR from using a mower whose blade is not sharp enough. But I shouldn't worry now, your lawn looks quite OK, as others have said. Just take a rest, enjoy the winter and look forward to the Spring.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I lost count of the number of threads on here in spring saying "help, I put feed and weed on my lawn and it turned black" or similar.  I do sometimes use it but at something like half the recommended dose, and I prefer just feed and a tool similar to @Papi Jo 's for dealing with weeds.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    I use an old bread knife for cutting out the weeds I don't like (that's dandelions and docks, mainly).  Celandine, daisies, violets and the odd buttercup are welcome in my lawn so I let them be.   :)
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
Sign In or Register to comment.