How to Cut an Overgrown Lawn
When it comes to mowing your lawn, your grass has little concern about your schedule. It grows rain, hail or shine. Give it an inch and it will take a mile. And with our busy schedules, it’s surprising just how quickly a lawn can become overgrown. Tackling an overgrown lawn requires more than a tough approach. It may be tempting to hack it down to the ground. But, if you want your lawn to grow back thick and lush, then a gentle approach is required.
Choose the right time
Cutting overgrown grass is best performed when you have the weather on your side. For particularly overgrown lawns, you will most likely need to perform several mowing sessions over the course of a month.
Optimal weather conditions include days that are sunny and warm. By cutting your grass when it is dry, you reduce the chance of bacteria and diseases setting in.
Making the first cut, it is recommended to aim for approximately 50% of the current grass height. Taking off too much too quickly can cause your grass to suffer from shock. This can cause your lawn to die off due to the sudden reduction of available nutrients.
Making The First Cut
If your lawn has run wild and the grass is above the height of your knees, then you can cut it down to size using a line trimmer. A line trimmer, such as the Husqvarna 122C is ideal as it allows you to quickly and easily reduce the height of the grass by 50%. Trying to get a lawnmower over long grass can prevent the blades from spinning and lead to the motor overheating.
Long grass also prevents you from seeing the ground clearly. Many types of animals take refuge in such environments. From snakes and spiders to nesting birds, the last thing you want to do is run over the top of them with a lawn mower. If you have a lot of weeds and shrubs growing amongst your grass, then a brush cutter such as the Husqvarna 129R can help cut them down to size.
Once you have managed to cut the grass down to about 50% of its original height, allow it to recover and repair itself for a few days. Approximately 2 to 4 days after the first cut, take a grass trimmer and repeat the process. On the second cut, you will able to safely reduce the height of the grass to approximately 6 inches tall. Again, allow your lawn a few days to recuperate before moving on to the next step.
Time to Use a Lawn Mower
Approximately 8 days after making the first cut into your long grass, it will be ready to be finished with a lawn mower. Before starting to mow your lawn, it is recommended to adjust the mower height so that it reduces the height of the grass by a further third.
At this point, you would install an Husqvarna Automower® 305 to finish the trim and maintain it throughout the year, if you had one. For those without an Automower®, a more traditional lawn mower works just as well. When mowing the lawn, create an overlap of several inches with each pass. This will guarantee a uniform and even finish.
By now, the grass of your lawn will be approximately 4 inches tall. Repeat the process every 4 to 5 days until the grass is at the height you want it to be. Again, reduce the cutting height by 1/3 until you are satisfied with it. Each time you mow the lawn, aim to cut in a different direction to help encourage straight blades of grass. Once you have finished, give the lawn a good soaking and allow it to rest.
Preventing Your Lawn From Becoming Overgrown
Keeping on top of your lawn can be easier said than done. Many people find it difficult to set aside time in their busy schedules to take care of it. You have several options available to you. The first option is to manually mow your lawn every 10 to 14 days during the growing season. The second option is to use an Automower® that keeps your lawn at the perfect height every day.
The Husqvarna Automower® can run on a preset schedule to keep your lawn looking perfect all year round. If you often use your garden during the day-time, the Automower® is quiet enough to get to work at night. While inclement weather conditions can prevent you from cutting your lawn when it is raining, windy or extremely hot, the Husqvarna Automower® can get to work without any problems.
Not only are robotic lawn mowers great for the environment. But, they also improve the overall health of your lawn. Perimeter wires keep them out of your dahlias and in-built sensors make them safe to use. Even when children and pets are in the garden. The entire process of maintaining your lawn with a beautiful finish all year round is now a reality.
Top Tips For Perfect Lawn Health
Many people find that when they cut their overgrown grass down to size there are many bald patches that need to be filled in. These patches occur due to a lack of sunlight being able to reach the ground thus preventing young blades of grass from growing. You can fill in any of these bald spots with a generous covering of grass seed and water in.
During periods of drought or decreased rainfall, give your lawn a good soaking every 7 to 10 days. Many people simply give the surface a quick sprinkle of water. This water does not get absorbed but simply evaporates. Keeping your lawn well-watered can also prevent it from going to seed, which can give your lawn a prickly and unsightly look and feel.
For those who do not use an Automower®, fertilising the lawn once every couple of months can help keep it green and in good condition. As robotic lawn mowers clip the grass while it is still young and tender, the clippings can be mulched into the ground as the mower moves. This provides some much-needed nutrition to the root system and helps to keep your lawn green.
For difficult to reach areas that a lawn mower cannot fit down, using a line trimmer can help keep things in order. Line trimmers are also perfect for keeping the edges of your lawns and flower beds neat and tidy. Ultimately, to prevent your lawn from becoming overgrown regular maintenance is key.
