There are just so many things to get right when you are mowing your lawn. The good news is Australian lawns are adaptable and can often cope with lots of mowing styles, techniques and heights. Below are some ideas that may help you get your lawn mowing right.
- If you have a cool season grass, apart from having to water it a lot, always mow it on the higher settings. They do not like being mown short. If the lawn is in shade, mow it on the higher settings. Short lawns die more easily in shade.
- If it is a dry summer, do not mow the lawn short. Leave a little length on it as this will help it cope better with the dry.
- If your lawn becomes thatchy or spongy, drop the mower height in spring and scalp the lawn. When it rejuvenates, it will be less thatchy. Make sure you fertilise it well. This is good advice for Buffalo, Couch, Kikuyu and Zoysia, but do not do this to Fescue or Rye Grass.
- If you like your lawn short, then that is fine if it is a sunny area (not for shade). You will need to mow a little more regularly, and water a little more in summer. The rule of thumb here is to mow your lawn so you mow about a third of the leaf each time. Australians tend to like a short lawn, but remember this advice if you like to mow short.
- Scalping weakens a lawn, so try to avoid this where possible. To remove thatch, or if the weather has been wet, you may need to mow the lawn short and take far more than a third of the leaf and often even some of the thatch. This may make the lawn look untidy for a bit, but with adequate water it will come back. Always use a catcher when scalping a lawn.
- Using a mulching mower adds nutrients to the lawn and reduces water requirements, but only use a mulching mower when you mow the lawn by about a third in height. If you need to take more, collect the clippings, and your lawn will be hurt far less.
- Keep your blades sharp. Your lawn will always look nicer when mown with sharp blades; it will also reduce disease pressures.
- If you are buying a mower and you have Buffalo turf, choose the Honda Buffalo Mower. It is great for Buffalo; it has plenty of power and it works well on other lawns as well.
- Safety first! Wear the correct clothing when mowing. Make sure you wear a hat and sunscreen.
- Mow every 5-12 days in the hot months; mow every 3-6 weeks in the cold months depending on what type of turf you have. See turf varieties section for more detailed advice.
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Mowing height will vary: 2-5cm in sunny/lightly shaded situations, 5-7cm in heavier
shaded situations. See turf varieties section for more information.
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Advice provided by Todd Layt, Ozbreed Pty Ltd
