How to mow a lawn

Mowing is the key to a healthy lawn – each cut encourages the grass to grow more thickly, creating a luxuriant look. It also blocks out weeds and makes the grass more hard-wearing. Cutting the grass can take up quite a lot of time in the growing season, so it's worth making sure you're doing it properly.

If you're a beginner, you might feel intimidated by the level of expertise required to mow your lawn to a good finish. However, it's not hard at all and, once you've got the hang of it, you'll be mowing like a professional in no time.

Bear in mind that mowing frequency, cutting heights and lawn mower maintenance are all important factors in keeping your lawn looking good.

How to mow a lawn

What you'll need:

• Lawn mower with collection bag
• Edging shears for trimming lawn edges

1. Mow on dry days

Mow only when the grass and the soil beneath it is dry. Mowing when the ground is sodden can lead to compaction, the mower will smear and rut the soil, and wet grass clippings will clump and smother the lawn below.

2. Remove any obstacles on the lawn

Move furniture such as deckchairs, and other items such as goal posts, and check for large stones or other objects that could damage the blades of the mower.

3. Adjust the cutting height

Aim to reduce the height of your lawn by only one third each time you mow – any more would decrease the health and vigour of the grass, so adjust the cutting height of the mower accordingly. Most lawn grass is best kept at 2.5cm-4cm tall. In patches that get more wear and are heavily used, leave it a little longer, say 4cm-5cm. In shade, you could leave it still longer, at 7cm-8cm.

4. Start mowing the edge of the lawn

By starting around the edge you can clearly see how much of the rest of the lawn needs mowing, which will help you mow to a neat finish. Then mow up and down in straight lines, overlapping each line slightly, so you don't miss bits.

5. Empty the clippings bag

Empty the clippings bag regularly to prevent a build up of material around the mower blades. You can compost them, mixing them thoroughly with brown material for the best compost results. Alternatively, deposit them in small piles around the garden, such as at the back of borders (this is a great way to help earthworms).

6. Trim the edges

Overgrown lawn edges can look unsightly and make a well-cared for garden look untidy. For a professional finish, re-cut the edges of your lawn each spring using a half moon tool and trim overhanging grass after mowing. Read our guide to cutting neat lawn edges.

Lawn-mowing tips

Cut fortnightly in early spring: the grass needs cutting less frequently in early spring as it is grows more slowly. Cutting it fortnightly is fine until the weather warms up in late spring.

Adjust the cutting height to suit the weather and season: raise the height of the blade a little at the start and end of the season. If it's hot and dry, raise the blade to let the grass grow longer. The extra moisture held in the longer foliage helps keep the grass green and shades the soil.

Cut weekly in late spring and summer: if you mow less frequently, you'll break the 'one third' rule, as you'll have to cut off more than one third of the grass's height to keep it looking neat. You may need to mow twice weekly when growth rates peak in late spring.

Change mowing direction: change your mowing direction around once a month to catch stray blades of grass and prevent compaction caused by wheel ruts.

Avoid newly sown areas: avoid mowing newly sown patches of lawn until the grass is 4cm tall, then cut them along with the rest of the lawn. Find out how to sow a lawn from seed.

Be creative: mowing the lawn is an opportunity to be creative, where you can experiment with different heights and stripes. For a traditional striped finish, choose a mower fitted with a roller. You could leave an area unmowed – a natural look that's great for wildlife. Or consider mowing less often to allow wildflowers to bloom between mowings.

Consider a ride on mower: if you have a large lawn and want to limit the time you spend mowing, it might be worth investing in a ride-on mower. Which type you opt for will depend on the size of your garden, the type of terrain to be mowed and, of course, your budget. Check our ride-on mowers buyer's guide.

Get your mower serviced regularly: get your mower serviced at the start of every growing season to ensure a clean, quality cut. Chipped or blunt blades will bruise the grass and can cause straw-coloured dieback at the tips. Watch our video guide to maintaining a petrol mower. Clean out your mower regularly to avoid a build-up of clippings.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to mow a lawn?

This depends on how big the lawn is. Typically, for an average-sized garden, mowing the lawn takes around 45 minutes. Any longer than that and you may consider investing in a ride-on mower.

How often should I mow my lawn?

Mow your lawn fortnightly in early spring and autumn, when the grass is growing more slowly, and weekly in the summer months. With climate change making winters milder, you may need to cut in winter, too.

Do you strim or mow first?

If you mow your lawn regularly, maintaining a blade height of 2.5cm-4cm, you won't need to strim before mowing. If you have long grass it's best to strim first, but only after thoroughly checking for hedgehogs and other wildlife. Here's how to mow long grass.