How often should you mow your lawn? Top tips for healthy grass

How often should you mow your lawn? It's a question that's particularly pertinent as we head into spring – the time when you need to dust off your lawnmower for the first cut.

The answer is: how often you take our your lawn mower depends on the time of year. Once spring arrives and you can start mowing your lawn again – usually in late March or early April – you will need to adjust how often you mow your lawn according to both the month and the weather.

In spring, Andrew Gaumond, horticulturist at Petal Republic, advises 'a light trim to begin with (typically no more than 40% of the total average height of the grass blades in your garden).' But, as the weeks go and summer arrives, this will need to be adjusted carefully. 

So how regularly do you need to cut grass to keep it healthy and to make your lawn greener and thicker? We have a comprehensive seasonal guide below.

How often should you mow your lawn in spring?

'After the first cut, as we head into the last weeks of April and May, it's generally prudent to mow at least once every two weeks to achieve a healthy, well-maintained lawn,' says Andrew.

'Much like pruning plants, consistent mowing cycles will also help encourage new and stronger growth to emerge so it's worthwhile sticking to a regular schedule if possible,' he continues. 

How often should you mow your lawn in summer?

'For those looking for a very tightly cut lawn, you can increase mowing cycles to as often as every two or three days during the peak growing season over summer, but just be cautious to approach the ever shorter cutting blades gradually over a four to six week period so the grass has a chance to adapt. 

'Cutting the grass too short, too quickly is a common cause of poor lawn health which may result in patchy discoloration in places.'

Doing so will mean you will then need to find ways to cure patchy grass.

How often should you mow your lawn in fall?

Growth is typically less vigorous during the fall months so you'll typically only need to mow your lawn every 10 to 14 days (or more).

'It's best not to cut too short during this time of year as the grass is unlikely to rebound with the same vitality it showed in spring and summer,' advises Andrew.

How often should you mow your lawn in winter?

'During winter you may want to mow once every four to six weeks (on a high setting) to keep everything looking trim and tidy but you need to be careful with cutting during particularly cold snaps, where ground frost is present or the ground is very wet as you can easily damage the grass.'

He adds: 'Leaving the grass be and focusing on clearing up fallen debris during the peak winter months is often a better course of action.'

Can you mow your lawn too often?

Within reason, you cannot mow your lawn too often, provided your lawn mower blades are in good condition. 

'Sharp, clean, cutting blades on your lawnmower are essential. Dull blades covered in years of dried on and compacted grass cuttings have a habit of pulling individual blades of grass from the ground as opposed to cutting cleanly through,' advises Petal Republic's Andrew Gaumond.

When shouldn't you mow a lawn?

You should avoid mowing a lawn in drought or wet weather. 

'It's generally far easier to achieve a clean, even, and consistent cut when you're working with dry or marginally damp grass as opposed to grass that's completely saturated by recent rains. Rain causes a bond between the individual blades resulting in grass clumping together which is difficult to cut evenly,' advises Andrew Gaumond of Petal Republic. 

'It's also worth avoiding cutting the lawn during periods of drought, intense heat, or even extreme cold as the blades can be particularly susceptible to damage when cut during harsh environmental conditions.'