First cut of the year

Harry Palmr · 07-03-2021 7:39pm

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

GreeBo · 07-03-2021 7:42pm

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 · 07-03-2021 7:55pm

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 · 07-03-2021 8:10pm

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

DJIMI TRARORE · 07-03-2021 9:31pm

GreeBo wrote:

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

Midlands, still pretty cold, mid April or so?

Zardoz · 07-03-2021 11:12pm

DJIMI TRARORE wrote: »

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

Ideal

GreeBo · 08-03-2021 9:36am

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 · 08-03-2021 10:13pm

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 · 09-03-2021 12:23pm

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 · 07-04-2021 11:52am

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

Dohvolle · 07-04-2021 12:18pm

The cold spell definitely slowed down growth....Based on last week, I thought I would have to cut it twice before the weekend.

Boscoirl · 07-04-2021 12:31pm

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 · 07-04-2021 12:41pm

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 · 07-04-2021 2:32pm

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 · 07-04-2021 8:20pm

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 · 08-04-2021 2:36pm

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 · 08-04-2021 5:17pm

its an aerator then

Anaki r2d2 · 09-04-2021 7:52pm

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 · 11-04-2021 2:34pm

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 · 12-04-2021 9:45am

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 · 12-04-2021 2:50pm

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 · 12-04-2021 2:53pm

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

Dohvolle · 12-04-2021 3:33pm

ednwireland wrote: »

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

If you cut it short now, the daisys and dandelions will thrive, giving them plenty of food.
Bees cant eat hayseed.

GreeBo · 12-04-2021 3:48pm

Zardoz wrote: »

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.

I'd 100% recommend getting an electric machine for this, I think mine was maybe €100 delivered from Germany, doing it manually on any size lawn is just painful.

this is an identical rebrand of mine from here for €160
https://www.craigmoreonline.ie/draper-97922-230v-lawn-aerator-scarifier-380mm?gclid=Cj0KCQjw38-DBhDpARIsADJ3kjlLw8uafZsWjAy6oRyj9zd8broVIOLnnGQ7gTojfC1LlV8Z-CtQAl4aAr3lEALw_wcB

Zardoz · 12-04-2021 5:27pm

GreeBo wrote: »

I'd 100% recommend getting an electric machine for this, I think mine was maybe €100 delivered from Germany, doing it manually on any size lawn is just painful.

I have an electric one like that, bought it in Aldi.
Fine job it is, bag is useless though so I don't use it.

fryup · 12-04-2021 8:32pm

will an electric scarifier help with a moss laden lawn (2 tennis court size) or should i hire a petrol one for the day?

GreeBo · 13-04-2021 8:54am

Zardoz wrote: »

I have an electric one like that, bought it in Aldi.
Fine job it is, bag is useless though so I don't use it.

Ah yeah, forget about the bags, I never use it, have 2 bungy cords keeping the back flap slightly open and then just rake and bag afterwards. I've toyed with using a blower but it literally takes hours.
I also recommend going over with the mower after you have cleaned up, it will pick up loads more.

GreeBo · 13-04-2021 8:56am

fryup wrote: »

will an electric scarifier help with a moss laden lawn (2 tennis court size) or should i hire a petrol one for the day?

It will but you will have bushels of stuff to dispose of. Have to considered mobacter or similar to handle the moss? If you don't have a thatch problem then it will be an easier route and better for the lawn.

You'll buy an electric for the price of renting a petrol, though petrol are obviously handier as not tied to a cord.

fryup · 14-04-2021 8:43am

doing my first cut today, wish me luck

[Deleted User] · 14-04-2021 8:54am

fryup wrote: »

doing my first cut today, wish me luck

Thoughts & prayers

First cut of the year

Comments