Monty Don urges you to cut your grass as short as possible before the end of August – for an important reason
The garden expert is encouraging us to cut our grass right away – to enjoy benefits in the future
Horticultural master and BBC's Gardener's World presenter Monty Don has maintained our gardens across the calendar, but his recent grass-cutting tip is a must for gardeners this August.
While Monty may have previously warned against lawn cutting, he confesses that this month is the best time to cut your grass as short as possible. If you haven't already acted – Monty urges you to cut now – to reap future benefits.
'All long grass can be cut and collected and subsequently kept mown short. This transforms meadows as well as being an essential part of encouraging wildflowers,' Monty explains while sharing his expert garden ideas in his blog.
But what do you need to remember before cutting your grass – and what will it mean for your future garden? Here, Monty reveals what you need to know.
'August is a good month to cut a flowering meadow as short as possible. The aim is to expose areas of bare soil so that fallen flower seeds can make contact and germinate,' Monty explains.
He notes that long grass areas with bulbs could remain untouched throughout the start of August 'to allow flowers to set seed and bulb foliage to die back.' However, now, in the latter part of the month, you are safe to cut all areas of your garden.
So, what equipment do you need for the job? Monty explains that you may need to hire a 'powerful cutter or [use] a strimmer – although a scythe does the job as well as anything.'
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After cutting, Monty recommends raking up the produce to put onto the compost heap and encourages you to thoroughly dampen it with a hose, unless it is a very small amount'.
'It is important to remove all cut grass as otherwise, it feeds the soil as it decomposes, and this will encourage lush regrowth at the expense of the wildflowers and bulbs,' Monty adds. 'However, as long as the grass cuttings are collected, it may be kept mown short right up until winter.'
If you haven't already taken up Monty's advice, then this weekend is the perfect time to follow in his footsteps.
Megan is the Head of Celebrity Style News at Homes & Gardens. She first joined Future Plc as a News Writer across their interiors titles, including Livingetc and Real Homes, before becoming H&G's News Editor in April 2022. She now leads the Celebrity/ News team. Before joining Future, Megan worked as a News Explainer at The Telegraph, following her MA in International Journalism at the University of Leeds. During her BA in English Literature and Creative Writing, she gained writing experience in the US while studying in New York. Megan also focused on travel writing during her time living in Paris, where she produced content for a French travel site. She currently lives in London with her antique typewriter and an expansive collection of houseplants.
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