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.

Cutting Long Grass

Dirty HarryDirty Harry Posts: 1,048
in Problem solving
I let a couple of sections of the back lawn grow long this year, let me mow a path up to the growhouse for a nice effect.

This is the first time I've done this and is how I want to keep it from now on but should I cut this back down for the winter and begin the process fresh next year or can it be left as-is without any drawbacks?

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    We have a similar situation … long grass and wildflower/weed seedheads with pathways mown through.

     I’m thinking of leaving it all until it warms up in spring then strimming … there’s lots of insects in there at the moment .., presumably some in chrysalis form for overwintering .., so cutting now would be detrimental?

    What are others doing?

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    I cut my long grass down yesterday, we were in danger of losing the cat in it.
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    I believe the advice is to cut long grass down now, especially if you are trying to grow wildflowers in it, leave it on the ground for a couple of days to allow the wildlife to disperse and the seeds to fall out, then gather it all up and put it in the council bin - not your compost bin. This is what I'm going to do.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    Cutting it now allows some of the wildflower seeds to germinate and over winter as seedlings - giving them a head start in spring before the grass gets going and becomes too shady for germinating.  Maybe cut most but leave some strips long for insects and such?  
    Utah, USA.
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    I leave part of my lawn as wild-flower meadow.  My mowing regime is JUly and October. I think the precise timing is not imporant, but others don't agree.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    I've started cutting mine but I tend to do small sections at a time to give creatures time to move on. I'd leave it later in the year but the weather/dog/kids will flatten it into thatch if I leave it too late.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    Mine is often too wet to mow and has to be left. Sometimes it gets done in October but one year it wasn't possible to do it until February. That worked surprisingly well. It was   dry and quite warm for Feb and everything had died right back and shriveled by then, so it was much easier to cut and less to dispose of. A good raking and it was ready to go for Spring!
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    That sounds much easier @Buttercupdays, I might well follow your example!
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    wild edges said:
    I've started cutting mine but I tend to do small sections at a time to give creatures time to move on. I'd leave it later in the year but the weather/dog/kids will flatten it into thatch if I leave it too late.
    I tread around systematically to move on small insects, frogs and the like.  Monty Don advised this, but it was all a bit curtailed.  Busy man!
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
Sign In or Register to comment.