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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think people mowing their lawn in FEBRUARY are bonkers?!

165 replies

earlyrisingcat · 25/02/2019 07:53

Just that really!

Went for a walk yesterday, and passed about 200 houses en route to the woodlands 20 minutes walk away. At LEAST 30 people have mowed their lawn, or were mowing it.

It's February! Confused

It may have been sunny and warmish, but it didn't top 14 degrees C where I am, the washing only half dried, the solar lamps have faded 80% by 6am, and it was ONE degree C last night.

The poor lawns were battered by a severe drought, and severe heat last Spring/summer, for 4 months, and now they're being shaved down to nothing in February, and being exposed to almost zero degrees at night! And...... it's FEBRUARY!

Has anyone on here mowed theirs yet? If so. WHY? Confused

If a deep, hard, frost sets in, in one or 2 weeks (which could well happen as it will still be early March!) it will damage it!

OP posts:
Birdsgottafly · 25/02/2019 08:12

My lawn needs doing but my Gardeners (two old fellas who work for beer money) don't start until March.

We are getting milder weather and have to adjust our Gardening to suit. I'm dreading another drought.

Original poster
earlyrisingcat · 25/02/2019 08:12

OP are you one of those people who turn heating on and off at set dates or do you do it when the weather dictates?

I turn on the heating if it's cold, even if it's May!

It doesn't matter if it's February because if the weather is mild things still grow. Grass doesn't give a shit about the months we have labelled on the calendar. Grin

But mowing the lawn in February risks damage as it can turn very cold. As I said, it was down to 1 degree C, last night.

Hopefully it doesn't and this is the start of Spring, because it's so nice. Smile

OP posts:
FudgeBrownie2019 · 25/02/2019 08:13

Our garden desperately needed doing this weekend regardless of the month. I didn't cut it too short, just in case the weather goes cold again, but it looks lovely now (and I can spot the poops from the dogs again more easily now it's short).

Original poster
earlyrisingcat · 25/02/2019 08:13

As I said, maybe I need to get out more, worrying about other peoples lawns LOL! Grin

Have a good day everyone. Work beckons groan...

OP posts:
Cookit · 25/02/2019 08:14

Yes, this weekend and last weekend. Looks much better for it. It’s been really warm.

Bluntness100 · 25/02/2019 08:14

Due to the excess leaves killing the lawn, we did ours at the beginning of JAN, namely to pick up the leaves, but also took the top off, it's fine, growing already. I'm not sure I see the issue.

It's nice you're worried about people's lawns though. That's not bonkers at all. 🤣

Newadventure · 25/02/2019 08:15

A few neighbours round my way were cutting theirs this weekend. If it was dry enough I would have done mine too as it's getting long and looking untidy but I don't like cutting it if it's all dewy.
I settled myself with some weeding and turning over the soil in the borders instead Grin
I'm itching to cut it mind you. As soon as its warm and dry enough I'll be out there with my mower.

Weirdlookingbricks · 25/02/2019 08:17

It's a short step from worrying about people cutting their lawns to culminating about other people's bin habits.
Take care OPWinkSmile

Weirdlookingbricks · 25/02/2019 08:17

Fulminating Angry

BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou · 25/02/2019 08:18

We did ours yesterday with a high blade. It was getting very long. If we let it grow too long before cutting it then the lawnmower can’t do it and we would have to shear it down by hand before going over with the mower (made that mistake ONCE). We did our gardening in T shirts yesterday it was WARM. Also I needed to find the hole for my washing line and that’s easier when the grass is a bit shorter A bit of frost won’t kill the grass.... never has before.

zingally · 25/02/2019 08:18

I haven't heard lawn mowers yet, but one of my neighbours was out power-washing his car at 6:15 last night, when it was actual darkness...! Why he hadn't done it in the hours of blazing sunshine we'd had all day... shrug.

CurlsandCurves · 25/02/2019 08:20

Someone on my Facebook feed posted last night ‘First barbecue of the season’

It’s actually probably one of the last of the current season, given that’s its still winter!

Judashascomeintosomemoney · 25/02/2019 08:20

There's always one Judas
Er, that’s enough of that thank you Grin
I haven’t cut my grass I’ll have you knowWink

Whisky2014 · 25/02/2019 08:21

Ours definitely needs cut. Yabu

crimsonlake · 25/02/2019 08:22

I think people go a little crazy when the see a bit of sun, yesterday I saw people and they seemed dressed for Summer. My lawn is starting to get a bit long, I am a bit lazy so wont be cutting it but more importantly I have daffodils, crocus's and snowdrops coming up .

JinglingHellsBells · 25/02/2019 08:23

@earlyyrisingcat
You are being silly :)

Lawns need cutting when they need cutting- nowt to do with the date.

It's been a mild winter- we had 1 day of snow in the SE and hardly any frost.

The lawn is already growing.

If you knew anything about lawns, you would know that a very LIGHT TRIM is the way to start the season, then apply moss killer and feed.

Mowing a lawn early does not prevent it drying out when it's a heatwave in July Confused

Leaving it until it's too long to cut with the average lawn mower so it's all chewed, is not the answer either.

Watch Gardeners' World a bit more, my dear :)

LoniceraJaponica · 25/02/2019 08:26

“Yes as soon as the sun comes out people have to wash their cars and hoover their lawns. Really people, can't you find pleasure in life in other ways?”

I washed mine yesterday Grin
It was absolutely minging though. I also tidied and spring cleaned the garage – a job that desperately needed doing. It is a much easier task with the sun shining in than when it is cold, wet and miserable.

Our lawn is far too damp to cut though, but I might just trim the edges.

KitKat1985 · 25/02/2019 08:27

We cut ours on Saturday as it was getting really long. It's been so mild here (South East) the past few weeks that my garden thinks it's spring. It looks much better for having been cut.

PhilomenaButterfly · 25/02/2019 08:29

We don't have a lawn, but it was 17° here yesterday and the DC were in shorts, regardless of the date.

ZigZagZombie · 25/02/2019 08:29

I get a bit twitchy when the grass is more than an inch long. Last summer was amazing because it was burnt to a fucking crisp and barely needed touching!

Emeraldshamrock · 25/02/2019 08:31

I am one of those bonkers people. I missed the last cut before winter, at 5 inches it was driving me made.
Mind you pushing the mower was like pushing a tank.

BlueSkiesLies · 25/02/2019 08:34

If it needs doing, it needs doing.

anonymousbird · 25/02/2019 08:34

We didn't mow ours, as we ran out of time, but in a week away, it's grown really long and looks a total mess! Loads of our plants are sprouting/growing much earlier than usual, so the weather/climate dictates what is needed, not the calendar.

Wouldn't put it on its lowest setting, just a high one to even it out.

toach · 25/02/2019 08:37

Frost doesn't kill short grass, it toughens it up. If you let it get too long it goes yellow and horrible when you cut it in the spring.

Several grateful blackbirds and a robin are very happy on my newly mown lawn this morning.

WontYouDance · 25/02/2019 08:38

I was so tempted to dig up my old flower bed at the weekend, it is full of builders rubble and clay and everything just died last year. But I left it because it’s february, I’m Scotland, and it will probably snow next week