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Gardening

Find tips and tricks to make your garden or allotment flourish on our Gardening forum.

First time mower

4 replies

PartialToACupOfMilo · 21/05/2011 22:52

We recently got rid of the terraced gravel in the garden and are now the owners of a sloped lawn, which has taken well and has been growing well. We agreed when we went for lawn that if dh got rid of the gravel, sorted the terracing and laid the lawn, I would mow it. I was fine with this as I was so desperate for a lawn for dd to play on (and for me to lie on with a good book). Anyway D day arrived and having bought a lawnmower, I mowed the lawn. It doesn't look good though :( In fact it loooks a bit patchy - some of it is longer than others and as the edges have a upright tiles rather than just lawn then flower bed, I couldn;t get right up to the edge and it's got a kind of frill around it. I tried to cut some of it with the kitchen scissors, but it looks awful (and took forever) so I'm going to get some shears - but is there a secret, better tool I should be using? Feel a bit of a failure in the mowing stakes to be honest. Lawn has been down for about a month and the grass was between 2 and 6 inches long - different in different areas.

Please advise me on what to do next! Smile

OP posts:
yomellamoHelly · 22/05/2011 18:26

I would get a strimmer to do the edges. (Was there with scissors once too!) Other than that can't really advise! Just go over it several times and not to rush the job? (Is what I do, but doesn't look perfect.) Think the first cut is meant to be to about 2 inches and then you gradually lower the blade on the mower to cut the grass shorter. You also up the frequency you cut the grass until you're doing it every week. Should think others will have better tips. You could go to a bookshop and read one of those lawn expert books to glean some top tips.

usualsuspect · 22/05/2011 18:29

yep.strimmer for the edges

I mow ..then rake ..then mow again

PartialToACupOfMilo · 23/05/2011 17:01

Thank you Smile

It's looking a bit better actually, it rained both Saturday night and then today during the daytime. I bought some shears to do the edges, but haven't used them yet - I think the garden's probably a tad small to justify a strimmer, though if I have to do this weekly I may get one anyway!

I like the mow, rake, mow idea. I mowed, then raked then gave up and came inside. Think I'll combine that with the lowering the blade idea and see where it gets me.

No way I'm getting a book on lawns - reading time is scarce in this house and I'm not wasting it on a book on grass Grin

OP posts:
Mspontipine · 27/05/2011 00:15

I wouldn't rake a new lawn - you may pull too much up - the roots won't be that strong or deep yet. I laughed at your comment

"No way I'm getting a book on lawns - reading time is scarce in this house and I'm not wasting it on a book on grass"

You should have seen me when my Lawn Expert arrived from Amazon - you'd have thought I'd got my mitts on an advanced copy of the latest Jilly Cooper!! Love lawns Blush

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