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Gardening

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Original poster

Lawns - first cut of the year

61 replies

Furries · 31/03/2023 02:03

Anyone else not done their first cut yet? It’s been so blooming wet, I’ve still not done mine.

It doesn’t look too bad, but it’s not as tidy as I’d like it to be. Though I still admire the resilience of grass. Last summer it looked like straw. I would never waste water on watering my lawn, it’s amazing how it bounces back.

OP posts:
LicoricePizza · 31/03/2023 03:11

Omg I was about to post exactly the same thing!! I’m going to be able to make hay out of mine by the time it’s dry enough to cut - it’s really long!

What to do though as only got an electric mower but can’t envisage being able to cut or it to dry out enough to cut for a while yet??
Was thinking of getting it cut by a gardener with a petrol mower just to get it down but loathe to spend the money.
If I had a petrol one I’d just bite the bullet - do you?

Summer2424 · 31/03/2023 03:54

We got our electric hedge cutter repaired yesterday. Can't wait to tidy up the garden and especially cut the grass but probably won't be this week as it's going to rain everyday 🌨

LicoricePizza · 31/03/2023 04:19

Update when you do @Furries & @Summer2424 🏡

Bathroomblank · 31/03/2023 05:16

Dh did ours bloody ages ago! I was quite surprised! I did the second cut 2 weeks ago. It needs doing again...

Wedoronron · 31/03/2023 05:18

I want to cut it in time to do No Mow May. We did this last year and it looked so lovely.

leafygarden · 31/03/2023 05:59

I started my yearly battle with creeping buttercup yesterday - (aaggghhhh) - which seems to invade every flowerbed.

Yes, the grass needs mowing also - but haven't tackled that yet....

chrispenrallt1 · 31/03/2023 06:08

Did my first cut on Saturday, didn’t look too bad

GooseberryCinnamonYogurt · 31/03/2023 06:11

I've done mine, first cut 3 weeks ago on the highest setting and a second cut last weekend. It's still so wet tho!

deplorabelle · 31/03/2023 06:49

LicoricePizza · 31/03/2023 03:11

Omg I was about to post exactly the same thing!! I’m going to be able to make hay out of mine by the time it’s dry enough to cut - it’s really long!

What to do though as only got an electric mower but can’t envisage being able to cut or it to dry out enough to cut for a while yet??
Was thinking of getting it cut by a gardener with a petrol mower just to get it down but loathe to spend the money.
If I had a petrol one I’d just bite the bullet - do you?

Petrol mowers are disgusting antisocial things. Our neighbour got himself one last year. It's loud enough to wake the dead and fills our garden with fumes when he uses it. When it stops you can hear the sound of neighbours shutting their window to keep the exhaust out of their indoor air.

We did no mow May (and June July August) and could easily get through it with the electric mower so you will be able to cut it once it dries. It's better for nature to leave the grass long anyway.

Howpo · 31/03/2023 06:53

Don't cut is very often now, much better for wildlife, i ve dandelions, violets all over it, great for the insects and pollinators.

Howpo · 31/03/2023 06:57

@deplorabelle 100%, can't stand the things, wherever you live there is always some dickhead and its always a man, who mows late in the evening 2x a week and ride on's should be banned and their owners deported.

People bang on about Woodburners but petrol ride on's are far more anti social.

MintJulia · 31/03/2023 07:01

I haven't yet. I've cleaned and sharped the mower but the grass is too wet.

If it gets any longer, I'll have to strim it first.

Walkinginthesand · 31/03/2023 07:04

Did my first cut Monday last, first day for ages the grass itself was dry. Surprisingly, despite all the rain, the ground wasn’t too sodden and wasn’t churned up after cutting.

Icequeen01 · 31/03/2023 07:15

DH did our first cut last weekend even though I told him I thought it was too wet. It does look ok and much neater but DH has put his back out doing it as it was such hard going due to it being so wet 🙄

Xrays · 31/03/2023 07:15

I really want to do ours but it’s just rained non stop where we are (norfolk).

Shivermytimber · 31/03/2023 07:18

It’s still too wet here but I’m hoping next weekend at the latest. It looks so messy.

MooseAndSquirrelLoveFlannel · 31/03/2023 07:51

We have torrential rain again today so no chance. We only have a small lawn so just need a decent dry day and it'll be done in no time.

In the meantime my 1yo cat thinks he's a tiger in the jungle and loves hiding in the grass ready to pounce on any unsuspecting bug that flys by.

EspeciallyDedicated · 31/03/2023 08:08

Haven't done it yet, even on dry days it hasn't really dried out as a lot of it is in shade most of the day still. Or damp from dew by the time we get home from work.

I'm torn on No Mow May. Obviously it's good for nature, but ours looked awful (normally in spring its covered in speedwell, dandelions etc and looks lovely). When we did it two years ago it looked awful, just long straggly grass, the cats hated it, and we got soggy ankles every time we had to go to our sheds on wet days - we have a stepping stone path and are up and down it all the time. It looked like an abandoned garden. We ended up cutting most of it and just leaving the part you couldn't see from the house, but you can see all of it now as we cut a very overgrown shrub back last year.

LicoricePizza · 31/03/2023 08:20

deplorabelle · 31/03/2023 06:49

Petrol mowers are disgusting antisocial things. Our neighbour got himself one last year. It's loud enough to wake the dead and fills our garden with fumes when he uses it. When it stops you can hear the sound of neighbours shutting their window to keep the exhaust out of their indoor air.

We did no mow May (and June July August) and could easily get through it with the electric mower so you will be able to cut it once it dries. It's better for nature to leave the grass long anyway.

Show quote history

I’m pretty new to lawns (& gardening) & v clueless so I didn’t know petrol mowers are so bad. Mine is in shade a lot & with so much rain is never getting a chance to dry out. Longer I leave it the harder it will be to dry out & be able to cut with an electric mower. Am happy to strim before cutting but as it grows ferociously thick in large patches I’m worried that it will never be dry enough to strim or cut without electrocuting myself! Any suggestions gratefully appreciated.

DustyLee123 · 31/03/2023 08:25

Mine’s had two cuts.

user1471505356 · 31/03/2023 08:41

I do what I call a comb over ,tidies the grass for a while ,takes off most of the wet and then may do a very gentle cut.

LicoricePizza · 31/03/2023 08:45

@user1471505356 do you mean a comb over with a rake?

Danikm151 · 31/03/2023 08:48

I managed to cut mine very quickly last Thursday because it was dry, then it rained an hour later. I just want my garden looking tidy but it keeps raining!

Nannyfannybanny · 31/03/2023 08:49

Depends where you live,we are se corner of the UK. It's the last job of the year. There is only a couple of winter months when it wasn't cut, otherwise it's pretty much all year. We had a hosepipe ban last year, have never watered the lawn,too big for that, about 100 ft long. We do have a wildflower/long grass area at the bottom around fruit trees, planted with perennials and annuals which is cut once in late autumn. Got an electric and push mower.

redspottedmug · 31/03/2023 08:53

We managed a blitz a few weeks ago when it was unexpectedly dry and sunny - cut the grass , started recutting the edges and trimmed the shrubs back.
The lawns are very very wet at the moment though so I can't see me doing another cuts for a few days at least.