How high should I mow my lawn

One of the most common mowing questions is 'how high should I cut my lawn'. In fact there is no one answer to this question as it can depend on may factors:

Quality of the lawn - If you are maintaining a luxury lawn you will want to mow it shorter than someone who is maintaining a general purpose lawn. A luxury lawn would contain a high proportion of bents and fescues, these grasses are very fine, produce a tight sward and tolerate close mowing. It should also be noted if you are going to mow you lawn short, it will require a lot more maintainance and work to keep it in tip top condition.

Weather conditions - As the weather can be very unpredictable, you have to adjust your height of cut accordingly. E.g During periods of drought the lawn will come under a lot more stress and the height of cut may have to be raised to help the lawn cope.

Wear and tear on the lawn - A lawn that receives a vast amount of wear and tear would suffer if it was mown very short, so the height would have to adjusted accordingly to help the lawn retain grass cover.

Soil type - Although the soil type would not have direct affect on the mowing height, soils of a sandy nature would suffer more in dry conditions. Lifting the height of the mower would help relieve some of stress on the grass caused by the adverse weather conditions.

Time of the year - Grass can be mown somewhat shorter during the summer moths where growth is stronger than in the winter months where growth is lacking.

Guide for lawn and grass cutting heights

Luxury lawns - During the summer months acceptable heights would vary from 10mm to 15mm raising it in the winter to 20mm.
Utility lawns - During the summer a height between 20mm - 25mm would be ideal, then during winter raise it to 30mm.

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Choosing the right mower for your lawn

As a lawn mower is the most widely used piece of equipment on the lawn it is very important that you choose the right type of mower to begin with. A good lawn mower that is correctly set up and maintained is essential to the health and appearance of the lawn.
The problem is nowadays there are many types of lawn mower to choose from it can become a bit confusing for the gardener to tell which is best type for their lawn. Lawn mowers can be walk behind or ride on, cylinder or rotary and powered by petrol, diesel or electric.

Types of lawn mower

There are two main types of lawn mower, these are cylinder and rotary mowers, each has advantages and disadvantages for different types and sizes of lawn.

• Cylinder lawn mower

  This type of lawn mower is the best option if you want a first rate luxury lawn as the quality of cut is so much better than that of a rotary lawn mower. They are available as both walk behind and ride on, however for most situations a pedestrian walk behind mower will be the preferred choice as ride on cylinder mowers can be very expensive.
  A cylinder mower has series of blades mounted onto a central spindle, these blades can number anywhere between 4 to 12, (more blades produces a better quality cut). It also consists of another fixed bottom blade running parallel to the surface of the lawn and the central spindle. As the spindle rotates, it traps the grass against the fixed bottom blade and it is cut with a scissor type action. This type of cutting action leaves a very professional finish on the lawn especially at low cutting heights. However with these mowers you have to mow the lawn on a regular basis as cylinder mowers do not cope well with overgrown lawns.
  A cylinder mower will generally have two rollers fitted, a large roller on the rear and a smaller roller at the front of the mower. The rear roller drives the mower and in certain cases drives the cutting cylinder. The front roller is where the height of cut is adjusted as it supports the mower. N. b. On some cylinder mowers the H.O.C is adjusted on the rear roller. It is the rollers on a lawn mower that produce the light green / dark green stripes on a lawn.
  Almost all cylinder mowers come with a grass box to remove the grass clippings. If you desire a high quality lawn it is very important that clippings are removed from the lawn. If clippings are left on the surface of the lawn they can increase the rate of thatch build up.
  A cylinder mower is more costly to purchase and maintain than a rotary mower.
  

• Rotary lawn mower

  A rotary lawn mower is the most common type of mower due to its ease of maintenance, cheaper purchase price and suitability to a wide range of lawns. If you want a general purpose utility lawn, a rotary mower would be the obvious choice.
  A rotary lawn mower cuts the grass using a single / multiple blades, these blades are mounted parallel to the lawn and rotate quickly cutting the grass with a slicing action. It is important that the blade / blades are kept sharp to prevent damage to both the lawn and the mower.
  A rotary lawn mower will not give as good a quality finish as a top end cylinder mower. However in recent years improvements have been made on rotary mowers and they can give a very acceptable finish for most gardeners and lawn care enthusiasts.
  This type of mower is ideal if you have a habit of letting the lawn get a little overgrown as they perform quite well in these situations, where lawn is a little longer.
  
  Some rotary mowers come with grass boxes to remove the grass clippings, and some have a rear roller fitted to give a nice striped appearance.
  
  Flymo hover mowers - Another type of very popular rotary mower is the Flymo. The cutting action is the same as other rotary mowers, the difference being is that there are no wheels as it rides on a cushion of air. When the engine is running, an 'impeller' produces a powerful jet of air causing the mower to float on the surface of the lawn. These mowers are very manoeuvrable and ideal for tight spaces, steep banks and uneven lawns.
  

How are lawn mowers powered

A lawn mower can be powered or driven by a different methods, these being petrol, diesel, electric, battery and hand, each has is own advantages and disadvantages.

• Hand powered mowers

  This type of lawn mower will always be a cylinder mower, it is simply pushed across the lawn under pedestrian power. Although they can be hard work, they are quiet in use, useful on small lawns with tight areas and of course have no running costs to speak of.
  

• Electric powered mowers

  Available in both rotary and cylinder mowers these mowers are generally cheaper than petrol and diesel powered mowers. The electric power source powers the cutting blade, this means the mower still has to be manually pushed across the lawn. The big disadvantage with this type of lawn mowers is the cable, which has to be kept out of the way and will only stretch so far. A good choice for small lawns where manoeuvrability is not a problem.
  

• Petrol & diesel powered mowers

  Many pedestrian cylinder and rotary mowers run on petrol, although more costly than the others, this is the most preferred and easiest method of powering a mower. This method is suitable for most types of lawn. Larger ride on mowers can be both petrol or diesel powered, these ride on mowers will generally be rotary mowers and are ideal for large areas. Ride on cylinder mowers are available but are very expensive and are predominantly used in the professional turf care industry.

Which type of lawn mower is best for my lawn

Using the information above and the chart below will enable you to make the correct choice of lawn mower.

	Push Cylinder	Electric Cylinder	Petrol Cylinder	Electric Rotary	Petrol Rotary	Ride-on Mower
Small lawn
Large lawn
Luxury lawn
Utility lawn
Bumpy lawn
Awkward
Quiet
Inexpensive

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Tips for overseeding a lawn

Over seeding new grass seed into an existing lawn is always going to prove very difficult task. This is because the new seedlings will have to compete with the established grasses and they will need all the help they can get to ensure they not only germinate, but establish successfully too.

However there are a few factors to take into consideration, and these can ultimately determine how successful your overseeding regime will be.

• Soil Compaction - Any soil or rootzone that suffers from extreme compaction will have a detrimental effect on any over seeding program. A compacted soil is a very poor environment for new seedlings to establish. Even established grasses struggle to grow on a compacted soil so what chance are new seedlings going to have? virtually none! A compacted soil will be devoid of oxygen, this will in turn lead to poor drainage, poor drought resistance, excessive thatch build, all to the detriment of your over seeding program. 

• An Excessive Thatch Layer - Thatch is the accumulation of organic matter that builds up between the grass sward and the soil. Although a little thatch is beneficial to the lawn, too much will see your over seeding program suffer. The ideal sowing depth for grass seed is usually just below the thatch layer with the seed just coming into contact with the soil. This is difficult to achieve if your lawn has an excessive layer thatch. If the grass seed is sown with in the thatch layer, it may well germinate but it will have a difficult time establishing successfully.

• The Temperature of the Soil - One of the most important factors that will have a major influence on the success of your over seeding program is the soil temperature. This is one of the key reasons many people prefer the late summer over the spring for over seeding. This is because the soil is warmer in late summer which will aid grass seed germination and establishment. That said, there is no problem with over seeding during the spring, however the results maybe inconsistent and in some cases disappointing. In recent years we have experienced cold springs with overnight frosts, which havent been great for over seeding, often yielding very poor results.

• Irrigation and watering - The amount of water the lawn receives following overseeding will also play a part in the germination of the seed. All new seed requires water to establish successfully. However getting the balance right is important, apply just enough to maintain adequate soil moisture.

• Mechanical operations prior to over seeding - Carrying out key lawn maintenance tasks such as aeration or scarification and raking prior to overseeding will be very beneficial in helping the seed to germinate and establish successfully. These operations help open up the surface of the lawn creating a seed bed where the seed comes into contact with the rootzone.  This will help promote both good germination and establishment of the seed.

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Anthracnose lawn disease

Anthracnose is caused by the fungus Colletotrichum graminicola. It can attack most species of grass on the lawn butannual meadow grass (Poa annua) is very susceptible (hence the previous name of this disease was 'Basal rot of Poa annua'). Antracnose is a stress disease attacking grasses that are under stress due to environmental factors.

Identification of anthracnose

Anthracnose usually appears on the lawn during the late summer and can persist well into winter, even into the following spring. Be vigilant and look for annual meadow grass plants that are starting to turn yellow, with the youngest leaf turning an orange to red colour on infected plants. As the severity of this disease increases the patches can grow to 150mm in diameter and the base of the infected area turns black.

Causes of anthracnose

As we previously mentioned anthracnose is a stress disease so pay attention to keeping the lawn in a healthy condition with good lawn care practices.

• Ensure the lawn receives adequate nutrition, (however it is important not to over apply nitrogen during the late summer and autumn as it may lead to problems with fusarium patch disease).
  
• Soil compaction can also influence anthracnose.
  
• Prolonged leaf wetness will encourage anthracnose to spread.
  
• Hot and dry conditions leading to drought stress, will encourage anthracnose.
  

How to prevent and cure anthracnose

To put it simply pay attention to remedying the causes of anthracnose

• Ensure the lawn receives adequate nutrition to keep the grass in healthy condition.
  
• Relive compaction with aeration, in the form of slitting, spiking or even hollowtining.
  
• As anthracnose predominantly attacks annual meadow grass reduce the amount of this grass in the lawn by encouraging disease resistant grasses with good lawn care management practices.
  
• Raising the height of cut on the mower will also help reduce the stress levels of the grass and help combat the spread of anthracnose.
  
• Reduce the time that the leaf surface remains wet by removing early morning dews.
  

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Moles in the lawn

There are few lawn and turf problems that cause as much damage to the lawn, and frustration to the gardener as moles. These creatures can cause widespread damage to all types of lawn. Moles create runs (tunnels) in the soil beneath the surface of the lawn, as the runs are built the excess soil is pushed onto the surface of the lawn. These tunnels can often cover a large area and affect the whole lawn.

Moles are carnivorous creatures, their diet includes insects, grubs with their main food source being earthworms. Moles are solitary creatures and can measure up to 20cm in length with soft velvety coloured fur that is grey to black in colour. Moles have very powerful front limbs that act as shovels as the burrow underground, they have a very keen sense of smell, they have good hearing but their eyesight is very poor.

Prevent & control moles

Preventing moles is easier said than done. To discourage these creatures you will need to remove the food source, unfortunately removing the worms and other invertebrates can prove nigh impossible and isn't really necessary on a garden lawn.

May people have tried to discourage moles with a variety of techniques. These include placing moth balls or tipping cooking oil, or disinfectant into the runs. There are other methods but unless the moles are completely removed they will most likely return.

Trapping moles (there are many types of trap available) can prove very successful, however many people are unhappy about harming these creatures. However trapping moles is a skilled job and quite often a professional has to be employed for this method to be successful.

The other method is to place phosphine gas tablets in the mole runs. These tablets are only available to lawn care specialists with the relevant application licence. Even if these gas tablets are used there are strict legal guidelines that have to be followed.

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Worms and worm cast problems on lawns

Worms are in many cases the gardeners friend as they provide a valuable contribution to the health of the lawn. Worms keep the soil aerated and breakdown the organic matter helping control the thatch layer. In fact a large population of worms points to a healthy soil.

However, despite these benefits worms are often seen as a problem on lawns and other areas of turf as they produce casts. This is especially true if the root zone or soil has a high clay content.  It this is the case then problems caused by worm casting may actually outweigh the benefits.

On a clay soil the worm casts tend to smear on the surface and can actually muddy conditions On lawns with a lighter root zone worm casting will be less of a problem as the worm casts are more easily dispersed.

There are many different species of worms, of which only 3 species actually produce casts.

Worms are a major problem on lawns during mild spells in the autumn and winter months when the soil becomes wetter thus encouraging worm activity close to the surface of the lawn. During colder, frosty weather the worms head deeper into the soil and are less problematic.

Problems caused by worms and wormcasting include:

• Wormcasts create muddy conditions.
  
• Encourages moles (worms are the food source of moles).
  
• Weed and weed grass invasion ( wormcasts create an ideal seedbed for weeds).
  
• If casting is very severe the levels of the lawn may be affected.
  

What causes worms in lawns

As with most problems in lawn care, worms favour particular conditions to be present within the soil. These soil conditions include:

• Wet soil and mild temperatures - Worm are predominantly a nuisance on lawns during wet mild spells of weather during the autumn and winter months. These conditions bring worm activity closer to the surface of the lawn where casts are deposited.
  
• Soil type - Although worms may be present in all types of soil conditions, they are more of a problem in soils with a high clay and high thatch (organic matter) content.
  
• The correct soil pH. Worms prefer soils with a high pH.
  
• High organic matter content. A soil with a high percentage of organic matter (thatch) will have a greater population of worms as this is there food source.
  

Preventing worms and wormcasts on the lawn

Without the use of chemicals (used by turf care professionals) to prevent worm and wormcasts problems on lawns, most amateur lawn enthusiasts are limited to cultural control methods. However it is important to understand that even with a good cultural worm control program you may still be met with limited success.
These cultural methods include:

• Reducing the organic matter content - As worms feed on organic matter it makes sense to reduce their food supply. operations such as scarifying and hollowtining will help reduce the organic matter (thatch) content. Boxing off clippings when mowing the lawn will prevent organic matter build up. Remove any leaves from the surface of the lawn during periods of leaf fall in the autumn months.
  
• Reduce the pH of the soil - Worms favour a soil with a high pH therefore only apply materials (fertiliser, top dressings etc) with a low pH. Over a period of time this will gradually reduce the pH and hopefully reduce the worm population in the lawn.
  

Chemical control of worms in the lawn

As mentioned earlier, even with good cultural practices to remove worms success can be limited and you may be left disappointed with the results. In the sports turf industry chemicals are used to control worms. However products such a chlordane which were used many years ago with great success are no longer available.


The only chemical currently available for worm control is a product called carbendazim which is widely used in the turf care industry. Carbendazim is actually a fungicide used to control fusarium and other lawn and turf diseases, however carbendazim also has worm suppressant properties. N. B. carbendazim (unlike previously banned chemicals) does not kill the worms, it acts more of an irritant and the worms simply go deeper into the soil.

Although this product is not available for amateur gardeners, professional lawn care companies of which there are many, can apply this chemical. Therefore if you feel that your worm problem warrants chemical treatment you may want to enlist the services of one of these lawn care specialist. However like many chemicals used in lawn care, they should only be used as a last resort.

Should I control worms

In most cases worms are best being left alone as they are good for the soil. The majority of casting will take place during the winter months when there will be little activity on the lawn anyway. If there are is any worm casting they can be brushed off the lawn with a besom (a brush that looks like a witches broom) or similar tool or implement during drier periods in the winter.

However, other gardeners may spend a lot of time and take great pride in their lawn and due to soil conditions worms may be causing the lawn to deteriorate somewhat. In this case someone may feel that worm control is justified.

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Take-all Patch Disease

Fortunately for gardeners Take all patch is not a very common lawn disease, as it can bequite devastating. The disease is very common on new sand based golf green constructions, where the root zone is still relatively sterile and has not had time to build up a population of micro organisms.

The disease is usually most active between June and December and primarily attacks bent grass. Until recently there have been no effective chemical treatments for this disease.

Take-all patch is often triggered by a sudden rise in the soil pH, especially following an application of lime. In professional turf care it has long been one of the most destructive diseases on golf and bowling greens, and until recently there has been no chemical control cure.

Identification of take-all patch

Take-all patch initially shows signs of activity during mid summer in June or July (however in some cases it can be earlier in the season). The disease appears as saucer shaped depressions of dead or dying bent grass. As the disease progresses these patches will join together, as they form large irregular patches on the lawn.

Causes of take-all patch

• Bent grass is particularly susceptible to Take all patch disease.
• New sand based constructions are particularly susceptible especially if the root zone was sterilised.
• Excessive thatch or organic matter build up will encourage take-all patch disease.
• Poor surface drainage will encourage the disease, as take-all patch spreads in the moisture.
• The use of alkaline materials such as fertiliser, top dressing and lime on the lawn.

Prevention and control of take-all patch

As turf fungicide use is restricted to professionals and contractors with the relevant qualifications, cultural prevention and damage limitation of take-all patch disease are the only options for amateur gardeners.

• Avoid applying materials and top dressings that contain a high content of lime (high pH).
• Applications of materials that acidify the surface such as iron sulphate, lawn sand and sulphate of ammonia etc may help minimise the damage caused by this disease.
• Control the build up of thatch with regular scarifying and aeration.
• Encourage a dry lawn surface dry by improving the drainage with aeration such as spiking.
• If the lawn becomes infected, overseed the infected areas with grass species such as fescue, that are resistant to take-all patch disease.
• Maintaining good turf health and vigour with a balanced fertiliser program will help prevent lawn disease.

Chemical control of Take all Patch disease

Until recently there was no fungicides available for the control of this disease. Presently there are fungicides on the market that will control Take all patch. However use is restricted to turf professionals such as golf greenkeepers and lawn care specialists with the relevant pesticide application qualifications.

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Red Thread Lawn Disease

Unlike many other lawn and turf diseases red hhread (Laetisaria fuciformis) is not limited to closely mown luxury lawns. It can infect all types of lawns and turf. However in almost all cases it is not as serious as some other lawn diseases and the turf will regain health with good management practices.


Although it can be a problematic at various times of the year, it is predominantly seen during the summer and autumn months. Although many species of grass can suffer from red thread,  fescue and rye grass are particularly susceptible to this lawn disease.

Identification of red thread

It is important to be vigilant and look out for irregular patches of pale brown or bleached leaves. Fescue and ryegrass and are particulary susceptible to Red thread. Initially these patches are 20-30mm in diameter, later increasing to 350mm across, as the disease takes hold. During periods of moist and damp weather conditions, red needle like strands or threads can be seen on the leaves of the infected plants.

Causes of Red Thread

Red thread can occur at any time of the year, it is particularly troublesome in the summer and autumn, during warm moist conditions on lawns suffering from the following symptoms:

• Soil compaction due to lack or an absence of  lawn aeration.
• Areas of the lawn that suffer from shade are prone to an attack from this disease.
• A deficiency of nitrogen is a contributory factor to an outbreak of Red Thread. (however, do not apply large amounts of nitrogen too late in the season as this can cause Fusarium patch disease).

Prevention and cure of Red Thread

• Pay attention to maintaining adequate turf nutrition, particularly nitrogen levels, (however high levels of nitrogen should not be applied too late in the summer as it could lead to Fusarium patch disease.
• If Red thread is a perennial problem over seed with a different species of grass. Alternatively choose fescue and rye grass cultivar's that are resistant to this disease.
• Box off grass clippings when mowing the lawn. Remove early morning dews to help keep the grass leaves dry.
• Relieving soil compaction to improve the surface drainage on the lawn by aeration will help reduce red thread.
• If possible prune tree branches back and remove vegetation to improve air flow and increase the amount of sun light. These actions will help keep the surface drier and reduce the risk of Red Thread.

Chemical control of Red Thread

As this disease rarely kills the grass in all but a few severe cases, chemical control using fungicides is very seldom needed. However effective fungicides are really only available for turf professionals such as golf green keepers and groundsmen. For amateur gardeners the choice is very limited.

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Fusarium patch disease

Fusarium patch disease is the most common and one of the most damaging lawn and turf diseases. It predominantly occurs in the autumn and winter months between October & March, however it can strike at any time of the year especially if the conditions are favourable for fusarium.

The disease is less of a problem on general purpose lawns, fusarium patch disease attacks closely mown luxury lawns that contains a high percentage of annual meadow grass, this grass species being very susceptible to attack. The disease is a widespread problem on closely mown sports turf such as golf and bowling greens.

Identify fusarium patch disease

Fusarium patch disease initially appears on the lawn or in areas of turf as small patches that measure up to 50mm in diameter. The leaves turn an orangy - brown colour and are mushy. Sometimes during early mornig dews, white cobweb like fungal threads can be seen on the infected areas.

As the disease quickly spreads the patches increase in size into larger patches that measure up to 300mm in diameter. As the severity of the attack increases, these patches can join together causing widespread damage to the lawn.

Conditions that favour fusarium patch disease

• Fusarium patch disease is most active during the cool and damp weather conditions typically associated with the autumn and winter months.
• Excess levels of nitrogen caused by late season applications of high nitrogen feeds will encourage fusarium patch disease.
• Areas of turf and lawns that suffer from shade lack sunlight and air movement, encourage fusarium patch disease.
• An excessive layer of thatch or organic matter build up encourages water retentive turf which in turn encourages fusarium.
• Surface alkalinity (high pH) caused by applications of lime or other materials with a high pH leaves the grass susceptible to this disease
• A lawn that contains a high percentage of annual meadow grass will always be at risk from an attack of fusarium, as this grass species is very susceptible.

Prevention and control of fusarium patch disease

• Fungicides are available for turf care professionals such as golf green keepers. Unfortunately for amateur gardeners the use of fungicides is severely limited and in many cases not allowed, therefore preventing fusarium patch is all the more important.
• Excess nitrogen is a contributing factor in many diseases including Fusarium patch disease. Avoid applying fertilisers with a high nitrogen content to late in the growing season.
• Apply an autumn / winter fertiliser at the end of the growing season with a high potash content. Potash is an important element for the grass plant during this period as it helps harden the plants against disease.
• Where possible prune back vegetation to allow more air and light into the garden. This will help keep the leaf of the grass dry which is important in preventing this disease from spreading.
• Regular mechanical operations like aeration and scarification are important to help control the thatch layer, thus helping in the fight against fusarium patch disease.
• Applications of sulphate of iron based products will help lower the surface pH therefore discouraging fusarium.
• Encourage grasses that are able to tolerate the disease as the expense of annual meadow grass.

A proper lawn maintenance program will be geared towards encouraging bent and fescues at the expense of annual meadow grass. Annual meadow grass is very prone to fusarium patch, whilst bents and fescues are more tolerant to the disease Gear your lawn maintenance program to promote healthier sward helping it withstand disease and many other turf care problems. In the world of professional turf care fungicides are used to control fusarium. However amateur gardeners don't have access to these products, this makes the cultural preventative measures all the more important. Fungicides can only be applied by turf professions with the relevant spraying certificates.

Chemical control of fusarium patch disease

Turf professionals  such as golf greenkeepers and groundsmen have a big advantage over the amateur gardener, as they have access to a range of turf fungicides in their fight against disease. Many people prefer to spray a preventative application when the conditions are conducive to an outbreak of fusarium patch disease.

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Lawn Disease

A lawn disease or turf disease is often defined as anything that has a negative effect on the grass plant. Lawn Disease, the majority of which are caused by fungi can attack all types of lawns and turf areas. Different diseases attack luxury lawns and other will attack utility lawns depending on the environmental factors and types of grass in the lawn.

For a lawn disease to become active 3 factors must be present.

• Environmental factors - Grasses can become stressed by different climatic & maintenance conditions leaving them susceptible to lawn disease. It may be too cold, too dry or too wet, however these conditions are out of our control. Other factors such as mowing heights, drainage, turf nutrition and irrigation needs can be controlled by us and can play a big part in a successful prevention plan.
  
  
• The soil pathogens -Pathogens are the fungi or bacteria that cause lawn and turf disease. Many of these pathogens are already present in the organic matter, becoming active if favourable conditions occur to cause an outbreak of disease. Pathogens can also spread from outside agencies such as other lawns, playing-fields, parks amongst others.
  
  
• The grass species -Different species of grass are susceptible to different diseases. e.g. Annual meadow grass suffers from fusarium, and anthracnose, bents suffer from take-all patch, fescues from red thread etc.
  

This lawn disease section covers the most common diseases found on lawns and turf throughout the UK. These include:

• Fusarium Patch 
• Red Thread
• Take-all Patch 
• Anthracnose
• Dollar Spot
• Fairy Rings
• Slime Mould

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