First cut of the year

dave 27

Hi all, just wondering when is the best time to start cutting the grass? I understand it's probably a bit early but is there usually a time of the year that people usually start?

Bedouin79

dave 27 wrote: »

Hi all, just wondering when is the best time to start cutting the grass? I understand it's probably a bit early but is there usually a time of the year that people usually start?

I’m itching to start.. but can’t rely on the Irish weather

Reckless Abandonment

I cut mine today. But I give it a trim probably 1 a month over the winter. If the ground is firm enough to walk on I'll cut it, even its a bit wet

wheres me jumpa

Reckless Abandonment wrote: »

I cut mine today. But I give it a trim probably 1 a month over the winter. If the ground is firm enough to walk on I'll cut it, even its a bit wet

I was tempted today and then a light shower came so left the mower in the shed! The next week looks reasonably dry except Tuesday I think, so I'll probably do it next weekend. Can't wait!

amen

Cut it last Tuesday.

Harry Palmr

Next weekend is moving day! But I'll only do it a few times between now and mid March to knock it into some sort of shape and then leave it for the "yellow season" until sometime in May.

Round paddy's day was the norm for me unless there was a warm winter and lots of growth.

ratracer

At this time of the year, would the grass need to be cut before applying Zero or other type moss killer?

Darc19

Weather looking great for next weekend, warmish, dry and sunny from Friday.

I'll wait until Sunday afternoon and allow maximum drying time before 1st cut of the year.

Weather looks warm and dry next weekend. I still just give it the lightest of trims to tidy it in case we do get frost.

Wanderer78

Have ta fecken fix the mower first

Dempo1

dave 27 wrote: »

Hi all, just wondering when is the best time to start cutting the grass? I understand it's probably a bit early but is there usually a time of the year that people usually start?

Did my first cut yesterday, essentially waiting for a decent dry spell (today should be good also), I generally have mower quite high off lawn and don't use box for first few cuts. Important to start when reasonably dry and mower high of lawn, basically a light hair cut approach or you'll rip lawn to shreds.

In mid March, I lower mower and use box in advance of yearly moss and weed treatment.

Obviously check mower, oil etc and I sharpen blades also

secman

On heavy clay and at the moment the ground is saturated, so no chance until it dries out a bit. Made the mistake last year and left track marks in it.

Eldudeson

I cut mine yesterday (Sunday). The nice weather was too good to pass up.

I did leave it too long at the end of last season (solenoid went on the mower and only fixed it Saturday) so it's been just a bit too long over winter and annoying me!!

wheres me jumpa

Gonna chance it today, lots of rain overnight and through tomorrow, Wednesday not looking great either.

Outkast_IRE

ratracer wrote: »

At this time of the year, would the grass need to be cut before applying Zero or other type moss killer?

Its too early for moss killers, Usually its start of april for them , and yes you give it a cut just before you use it.

Bedouin79

First cut done with the push mower, absolutely knackered from it. Mulched the lot looks and smells fantastic. Robot going out midweek, spring definitely in the air today.

Doctors room ghost

Bedouin79 wrote: »

First cut done with the push mower, absolutely knackered from it. Mulched the lot looks and smells fantastic. Robot going out midweek, spring definitely in the air today.

Myself and my daughter saw 2 people knocking grass today.cutting fever must be catching

Gorteen

First cut at highest level on ride-on mower. There were some uneven patches of growth that were driving me mad to look at over the winter. Looks much more uniform now.

So much moss, it isn't funny!!!!

Zardoz

Cut the lawns today, just a light trim.
Spraying iron sulphate at the start of Dec and again at the start of Feb on bad areas has paid dividends, grass is nice and green and not much moss.
Its great stuff to keep the moss in check.

SCOOP 64

Walking on my grass seems far too damp still, would like to cut but will leave it for now.

Cushtie

Got it cut on Sat afternoon. I think I have more moss than grass at this stage. Must tackle it this year.

Outkast_IRE

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

Walking on my grass seems far too damp still, would like to cut but will leave it for now.

Yeah same here, even after a bright day its still damp and i know it wont cut well.

I’ve mine cut twice already, first time in mid Feb was at the highest setting to top it off and the week after was at the next lower level.

billyhead

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

Yeah same here, even after a bright day its still damp and i know it wont cut well.

Your better off waiting until April.

looksee

I have a neighbour with a ride on who cuts grass for most people round here. He turned up today and did the first cut, looks great.

Outkast_IRE

Had to bite the bullet and give it a high cut yesterday as it was getting out of hand . Will wait till month end before putting moss killer and feed on it

Xander10

I've done 2 high cuts, just to keep it tidy.

Last autumn was the first year I applied a moss treatment at that time of year(as opposed to spring/summer) and I can really see the benefit of it now with a nice green lawn.

a chuisle

First cut of the year yesterday. Love the grassy smell and it looks great. Wish I could go to the hairdressers too lol

dave 27

I was tempted today to do the first cut but with the weather bad for the rest of the week I'll wait until I've a couple of sunny days, last thing I want is to cut it, have it start to grow and then can't grow it cos of it being too wet

Harry Palmr

Finally got the lawns done. Highest setting, looks like tomorrow is the last opportunity before the weather breaks.

GreeBo

Got a nice double cut in today, third of the year, dropped down two heights from max, good growth the last two weeks.

DJIMI TRARORE

Cut it Tuesday evening gone by, just levelled it off really, more moss than grass unfortunately. Would it be a good time to put on iron sulfate?

GreeBo

Depends on where you are, it's still pretty cold in many places.

DJIMI TRARORE

GreeBo wrote:

Depends on where you are, it's still pretty cold in many places.

Midlands, still pretty cold, mid April or so?

Zardoz

DJIMI TRARORE wrote: »

Would it be a good time to put on iron sulfate?

Ideal

GreeBo

DJIMI TRARORE wrote: »

Midlands, still pretty cold, mid April or so?

I'd certainly wait until temps are up and your grass is growing, if you kill the moss before your grass is actively growing you are just inviting weeds as replacements.

dfbemt

Small suburban garden, got 2nd cut on the front grass yesterday, didn't go near the back garden this time.

Still cutting on the highest setting.

Apart from the few cuts, I don't do anything else to the grass until the start of April. Then we're into aerate, scarify, feed and overseed about a month later if needed.

legend99

dfbemt wrote: »

Small suburban garden, got 2nd cut on the front grass yesterday, didn't go near the back garden this time.

Still cutting on the highest setting.

Apart from the few cuts, I don't do anything else to the grass until the start of April. Then we're into aerate, scarify, feed and overseed about a month later if needed.

Do you wait until into May to overseed? Mind me asking roughly where you are? I'm in Cork and I had thought end March would be okay to overseed. Although the Met Eireann soil temp report has Cork down around 5 degrees so definitely too cold at the moment I think - needs to be able 10 at least I read?

fryup

have yet to cut mine...lazy i hear you say....well it is cold out

Boscoirl

Gave my grass the its 2nd cut this year on Monday after putting off all weekend, shamed the neighbor into doing his( normally its the other way round) and he was out till 9pm doing it

Last year tried to let it grow wild, just keeping the edges( 2 mower widths) cut with the view of letting it turn to a wild garden mainly out of laziness, its a large area in front our house outside the garden wall that technically we dont own

NIMAN

Got my 1st cut done maybe 10 days ago and was going to top it again the other day, but with the cold snap that was coming, decided to leave it.

GreeBo

You lazy so and so's!
I've at least 5 cuts done AND a double pass with the verticutter and scarifier!

Though the cold has ground everything to a halt.

Bedouin79

GreeBo wrote: »

You lazy so and so's!
I've at least 5 cuts done AND a double pass with the verticutter and scarifier!

Though the cold has ground everything to a halt.

Excuse my ignorance what’s a verticutter

GreeBo

Bedouin79 wrote: »

Excuse my ignorance what’s a verticutter

It cuts the grass with multiple vertical blades, helping to thicken it up and also aerates the soil while breaking up the thatch.

fryup

its an aerator then

fryup

fryup wrote: »

its an aerator then

No, an aerator pulls plugs of soil/thatch grass from the lawn to allow air in. Leaving these plugs on the lawn to be picked up.

A scarifier rips out moss thatch and grass from the lawn. Usually about 8 blades. Leaving lots of material be collected. Fairly harsh on the lawn.

A verti cutter has a lot more blades than a scarifier that should not touch the soil. Rather the blades cut sideways facing grass shoots to let the grass stand tall and fill out. Think golf green or bowling lawn.

Zardoz

GreeBo wrote: »

You lazy so and so's!
I've at least 5 cuts done AND a double pass with the verticutter and scarifier!

Though the cold has ground everything to a halt.

Thinking of scarifying today, do you think I should wait for warmer weather ?

GreeBo

Zardoz wrote: »

Thinking of scarifying today, do you think I should wait for warmer weather ?

The grass will recover faster in warmer weather, but the date it recovers will be the same, if you know what I mean!

e.g.
You could do it now and it would take a month to recover or you could do it in 2 weeks and it would take 2 weeks to recover.

Personally I would do it now (in fact I did it at the weekend as I have a multiyear thatch battle on my hands and dont want to go down the route of starting from scratch)

Your only issue might be that its too dry, I havent had proper rain in over a week.

Zardoz

GreeBo wrote: »

The grass will recover faster in warmer weather, but the date it recovers will be the same, if you know what I mean!

e.g.
You could do it now and it would take a month to recover or you could do it in 2 weeks and it would take 2 weeks to recover.

Personally I would do it now (in fact I did it at the weekend as I have a multiyear thatch battle on my hands and dont want to go down the route of starting from scratch)

Your only issue might be that its too dry, I havent had proper rain in over a week.

Thanks.

Had a good few showers today so grass isn't too dry.

I aggravated my back recently so will have to put the scarifying back till the weekend, its very demanding on the back.

I wont go too hard at it as its alot better than it was this time last year.

ednwireland

not done my 1st cut yet bees need something to eat in this cold weather