Knowing when to cut grass in winter isn't simply a question of everyone downing tools, or should I say lawnmowers, on a set date each year. It's a matter of playing it by ear and knowing the right conditions for mowing your lawn ideas.
A few years ago, we might have seen temperatures drop, and frost gathering on lawns by November, a sure sign that you'd soon be ready to stop cutting your grass.
However many of us in the UK are still experiencing mild temperatures later and later in the year, without there being the usual signs of when we'll be in the true throes of winter.
Thankfully lawn experts are here to share their tips on reading the weather and ensuring that you're mowing at the right time, in the right way to prevent any damage to your lawn over the harshest months.
Cutting grass in winter for optimum lawn health
There's not really a specific month when you should stop mowing a lawn in winter, but it's not a job that needs doing once the grass has stopped growing in the cooler temperatures.
Whilst this has traditionally been from late October or November onwards, there's no guarantee that temperatures will have dropped low enough by this point for you to stop your lawn care.
When to cut grass in winter
David Hedges-Gower, one of the UK's leading lawn experts, and Chairman of the Lawn Association offers his rule of (green) thumb: "If it doesn’t stop growing, then don’t stop mowing."
"In winter, grass grows at a slower rate due to the colder weather. As a result, it is not necessary to mow your lawn unless the weather is mild and the grass keeps growing," adds Nick Wood, horticulturalist of Gardening Express.
Therefore keeping an eye on weather forecasts rather than calendars is preferable. You should stop cutting your grass altogether if temperatures drop below 5°C. If you do need to continue cutting grass in winter, it should be done a little differently to the rest of the year, as I'll go on to explain.
How to cut grass in winter
If your grass is still growing in winter – and this is a distinct possibility in milder weather – take care when mowing but don't feel you have to avoid it altogether.
"The best way to mow your grass during winter is to raise the cutting blade a little higher than usual," says Nick Wood. "Start off by cutting the longest sections first and working towards shorter areas of grass.
"It's good autumn lawn care practice to remove the clippings from the surface to expose grass to what little sunlight there is and make sure to clear any debris before you begin mowing, like sticks or stones that could damage your mower blades.
"Finally, it is also important to sharpen lawnmower blades regularly for an even cut and to get healthier grass growth in spring," finishes Nick.
Both the best petrol lawnmowers and electric versions will come with a range of cutting blade height positions.
Length of grass in winter
"Mowing your grass too short can weaken the roots and make your lawn more susceptible to winter damage. On the other hand, if the grass is left too long, it may promote pests and diseases during wet weather," says lawn expert at Johnson's Lawn Seed Guy Jenkins.
"If the weather is mild, your grass will continue to grow, and you might find that you need to trim the grass but be sure not to cut more than one-third of the grass length at a time and consider raising the height of your mower for better results," says Guy.
Jason Wilkinson, Founder of Qwickhose suggests you aim for a length of around 2 to 2.5 inches (5 to 6 cm) to provide sufficient protection without causing any issues.
When not to mow grass in winter
"As the temperature drops, keep an eye on the weather forecast, and do not mow your lawn if frost or snow are predicted within the next one to two days. Mowing at this time can stunt the growth of the grass and can even cause long-term damage to the blades of grass as the lawn cannot recover," says Peter Chaloner MD of Cobra Lawnmowers.
Cutting wet grass is never advisable either as this will tear the grass rather than cut it cleanly.
Peter Chaloner is the Managing Director of Cobra, one of the UK's leading brands of garden machinery. He is a passionate enthusiast when it comes to lawn care and seasonal gardening tasks. He takes great pride in maintaining his own lawn and garden to perfection and is knowledgeable about various techniques and tools that can be used to achieve the best results.
FAQs
When should you first cut grass after winter?
Although March is often suggested as the best time to carry out the first lawn cut of the year, it is often a case of using your common sense. If the winter has been a mild one then you may well find you need to mow sooner than this.
This first mow after winter needs to be done with a little care. The RHS suggest choosing the highest blade setting on your mower "to avoid choking the mower with clippings."
They go on to say that should the grass have got really long, a quick strim and rake might be required before mowing. The best cordless strimmers are great for tackling hard-to-reach areas of grass that have begun to get too long.
It is also helpful to bear in mind that experts recommend keeping grass between 25mm and 50mm long and that you should avoid removing more than a third of the grass blade length at once.
For more advice on how to take care of your garden during cold weather, have a look at our expert tips for preparing a garden for winter.
EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier version of this article included a quote from a purported expert whose credentials we have not been able to verify. The quote has been removed. We regret this lapse in our verification process and have updated our internal protocols to reduce the risk of recurrence.
