Anyone mowing?

BullBauld

Nice dry(ish) spell at the moment and promised that way for a week or two. Although cold.

Anyone mow yet this year, is it best hold off until it's milder or no odds. Thanks.

looksee

Someone comes and does most of mine with a ride-on, we do the fiddly bits. It was cut last week and the clippings mulched, looks good.

wench

I mowed mine 2 weeks ago at the end of the last dry spell.

Looked a little rough initially, but a nice bit of fresh growth coming on now.

brokenbad

First mow of the year done 2 weeks ago - decent growth since and will mow again tomorrow weather permitting.

The Continental Op

There was a thread recently in After Hours of all places on the same subject some claiming a neighbour was mad to be out mowing but there's a lot of us at it.

Thinking myself of doing a third cut this year.

mulbot

Cut last week, new grass coming through now

Wanderer78

first cut done, and some reseeding to, the chainsaw is out now, so everything, including myself, isnt safe!

MacDanger

Will leave it until the daffodil leaves start to die (end of March?) then mow it down low and not again until Sept / Oct

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120284398#Comment_120284398

NO ;-) Most Daffodil leaves don't start to die off until June.

MacDanger

Perfect, will relax for another few weeks so 😂

looksee

Yes that's the only problem with daffs, they look scruffy for so long. They are worth it though. I have made a gesture towards civilising mine by putting in a border of heather and some hydrangeas a bit further back that will be 'transparent' while the daffs are in flower, then cover a good area and distract from the straggly leaves. That's the theory anyway.

Haven’t started yet, waiting for this next cold snap to pass in case of frost.

beertons

I went out and mowed yesterday.

Jim_Hodge

Did a very high cut two weeks ago and will do it again tomorrow if its dry enough.

celticbhoy27

For last 5 or so years I don't stop mowing. Obviously during winter months I've cut it less but have cut it at least once every month. Does the garden zero harm and looks well all year round

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120288037#Comment_120288037

In Ireland the problem is always going to be finding dry enough periods to cut during the winter.

Saying I'm cutting the grass in the winter is often the wrong terminology. Most of the time I'm just topping off. Summer cuts can produce 15 or more bags of grass from a rid on but winter if the weather allows can produce "cuts" that produce 1 or two bags full of grass.

For anyone not getting it the reason for cutting AYR (all year round) is it avoids much of the issue with a typical wet Irish spring when the grass is growing but you can't get on it. If you've kept it well cut during the winter it doesn't take off as quickly in the spring and you don't have all the extra growth from the winter the adds to the problem.

joujoujou

I'm planning first cut next weekend, if weather stays dry. My land is swampy, don't want my ride-on to be stuck in there.

Lewis_Benson

Cut a small section outside the back door yesterday.

Will cut the remaining lawn with the ride on today if it stays dry.

sligopaul

Robo out a week after doing a cut with push mower

Jim_Hodge

Did it all this morning. A bit damp but it was badly needed. Still a very high cut though.

scarepanda

Both robots were sent out Saturday on high after a bit of sorting out of the wires. The next door neighbour did his today with a pushmower.

billyhead

I'll hold off until around Easter or end of March.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120295292#Comment_120295292

I'd need a scythe by Easter.

Lewis_Benson

Got out and did the whole place today.

Was starting to get thick, cut on no.4, probably a bit tight but it needed it.

bmc58

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058285716/anyone-mowing

Cut my grass front and back two weeks ago and it looks like I never cut it.Grass growing too good already.Needs another cut now.

bmc58

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120295292#Comment_120295292

You'll need a Combine by then.Get out and cut it now.

billyhead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120295407#Comment_120295407

I was led to believe you should wait until Spring proper i.e. after the last frosts.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120295446#Comment_120295446

You can do a high cut any time

secman

I've cut my lawns 3 times this year, first time was late January, used the setting no 4. Have cut it twice in February, on setting no 3. It needs a good scarifying, huge amount of thatch. I'm planning on scarifying it twice. Did it once the last time and it clearly wasn't enough. Will also need to tackle the creeping buttercup which is already visible. Plenty of work to do be done

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120295446#Comment_120295446

The only part of that is almost correct is the frost bit. You can cut anytime of the year but its advisable not to cut the same day that there will be frost or to cut grass that is frosted.

Manta400r

Done my 1st cut yesterday on the highest setting on both mowers. Huge growth over the last couple of weeks (I was away)

Noticing a few bad patches of thinning grass and moss intrusion even though I applied sulphate of iron before I left.

Will scarify with my towed rake/dethatcher and overseed in a few weeks after a good low cut. Then fertilise also.

On the subject of fertiliser is anyone having trouble getting 7-6-17? My local glanbia don't have it still and aren't sure if they'll be getting 50kg bags at all!

looksee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120295509#Comment_120295509

I sprayed (roundup) some rampant buttercup a few weeks ago in an area where I didn't mind about the grass. The grass died, the buttercup just laughed at me. Back to digging I think.

The Continental Op

Dichophar is quite cheap (20 -25 euro a litre) and does a good job on buttercups. I pick up a litre every year or so in Tom Currans.

For buttercups in flower beds I use a small builders trowel with a notch cut in the end and use it to undercut the roots just below the bottom of the rosette. A lot less effort than digging provided you don't mind working on your knees.

Edit> Two weeks at this time of year is a bit short for glyphosate (Roundup) to do much. Grass is always the first to show signs of being hit. One reason I like selective "hormone" weedkillers like Dichophar is the way the distorted growth with a couple of days (often hours in the summer) shows you whats been hit and of course what you've missed.

bmc58

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120295446#Comment_120295446

Our climate is changing and the old way of thinking ie gone.And its very hard to kill grass by mowing it.Cut away now,we're afret having a few grand dry days so conditions are perfect for a cut.

bmc58

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120297225#Comment_120297225

Bloody moss is everywhere thanks to our cold damp winters.

ttnov77

No, but them I don’t have any lawn as all back garden is planted and front lawn replaced with wildflower meadow :D

Bedouin79

3 cuts since January with the push mower. 1 more to do and the robot shall be unleashed.

looksee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120297439#Comment_120297439

Thanks for that suggestion, I will give it a go in a month or two. I wasn't really expecting the roundup to do much in early January, but the buttercups were growing with such enthusiasm that it seemed worth a try/ I was exasperated looking at them.

bored_newbie

First mow today at the highest setting. Like others, I’ve some mossy patches, the first time I’ve had it in this garden.

Im not planning to do anything about it for now, I’ll do a few more mows at the higher setting and hopefully the grass will overtake it when the real growing starts.

joujoujou

First mow last friday at second lowest setting. Ride-on's basket emptied 7 times, on 5.000 sq m land.

There were more dry leaves than grass, I'd say. :-)

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120315511#Comment_120315511

Second lowest setting?? You're either very brave or foolhardy. 😀

joujoujou

There was hardly any grass growth since last cut in October. Like I said, even @ 2nd lowest setting collected more leaves than grass. :-P

jaffa20

Plenty of moss for me over winter as north east facing garden so no mowing. I'm gonna start moss treatment soon and then scarify. Dunno why I bother though, should just live with it.

Manta400r

What fertiliser do you guys use when over seeding after scarifying? Was thinking 7 6 17 myself along with the new seed but proving hard to get locally!

NIMAN

Did my 1st cut of the year 2 days ago, simply due to the long dry spell and I reckoned my grass was as dry as it was gonna get (I have some wet sections in my gardens).

Just as well I did it, as it rained plenty overnight. Grass doesn't look that bad for this time of year, all considered.

I have some moss around, and have Mo Bactor to put down, but the instructions say not to put it down until air temp is 12c or above, do I held off.

deisedude

Hand scarifiers and aerators in Lidl at the moment for €29.99 each. Could be a good cost effective solution for those with small gardens.

Got them today. Will report back on how I get on

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120316675#Comment_120316675

I scarify about once every 10 years- so reckon it's about time this year :D - Yeah "live with it" tends to be my motto and just keep it short and neat.

Mowed today as grass very dry, quite long and won't have a chance again for another 2 weeks or so- I know not ideal considering the weather and low temperatures next week but needs must - its not like its an award winning lawn.

Indestructable

Absolutely tormented with moss this year. What's best for getting rid in a large enough area? Have used mobacter before with ok results.

Zardoz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120298614#Comment_120298614

Yeah its pretty much futile to defeat it.

I scarified heavily last October and sprayed alot of Iron sulphate on the lawn and the moss is as bad as ever now.

Think I am wasting my time

bmc58

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120320654#Comment_120320654

Scarified some area and put lots of moss killer down but seems to have made little difference to my grass too.But one thing I discovered is that Lidl washing (€3.50 a box)powder is some moss killer.I had a lot of moss outside our back door on a small concrete area (which got almost no sun) and sprinkled a box of the powder on it and within a couple of weeks the moss had turned brown and died.I scraped it off and it hasn't returned.But I don't think I would chance the washing powder on my grass.

Zardoz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120322121#Comment_120322121

You cant use washing powder on grass, it will kill it.

Milling salt is cheaper than washing powder, thats what I use on my drive.

Iron sulphate is the best for grass, its very cheap to buy especially for large areas.