Let’s face it, it doesn’t take long for grass to become overgrown.
We go on holiday for a couple of weeks or just have a few more pressing matters and leave the laborious chore of mowing it on the back burner for a while. And boom. Before you even know it, those blades of grass are soaring up into the sky as if they were trees.
We’ve all been there.
Putting off this monotonous task only means more work for you in the long run, so if you can try and keep on top of your lawn, it is best to do so. But that’s all well and good being said, but what do you actually do once it’s already in that overgrown jungle-like state?
You keep reading this article! We’re going to go over each and every step that you’ll need to take to ensure that your lawn gets back to looking luscious and lovely again. So, stick around and follow these handy tips and tricks.
Keep Your Expectations Low
Maybe low is the wrong word, perhaps realistic would be a better one. Either way, you need to keep in mind that if you don’t want to completely ruin your lawn, you’re not going to be able to immediately get it back to looking pristine and perfect in one quick fix.
It’ll take a little patience on your part. The lawn will need to recover and will likely take a little time to get back to that golf-course-perfect appearance.
Get Your Gear Ready
Next, you’ll need to consider the gear that you’ll need, and we’re not just talking about your mower. While short lawn maintenance may allow for a shorts and T-shirt kind of dress code, the same can not be said for long and tall lawns.
This is because there can be all sorts lurking in long lawns, from wildlife to sticks to a variety of trash, you don’t really know what you’ll come up against.
That is why you’ll want to ensure you’re wearing protective gear: goggles, ear protection, appropriate footwear, and covering clothing.
Only Take To The Lawn In The Sunshine
This advice goes out to owners of long and short lawns alike. But it is especially important for those with long overgrown gardens. You simply do not want to try and mow wet grass. It’s an incredibly messy affair that will hurt both your garden and your mower.
The wet sludgy grass will often clog the engine of your mower and leaves clumps of grass scattered across the lawn. Not only this, but the mower has the potential to rip the grass out from the root when wet rather than just shaving off the taller blades.
And if that wasn’t enough, mowing on a wet surface can also encourage ruts to be made in the lawn. All in all, mowing wet grass can completely ruin both your lawn and your mower, so try and be patient and wait for a bright sunshine day.
Also, wait till all the morning due has evaporated.
Start With A String Trimmer
String trimmers, weed whackers, whipper snippers…whatever you call them, use them. If you have really long grass, often your mower won’t be up for the job all by itself.
You’ll likely not be able to get a close cut with just the mower alone and it may end up with you stalling your mower, or even worse, breaking it.
String trimmers work really well to help level out your grass to a mowable height and this will put less strain on your mower.
Not only this, but it will also work really well for getting rid of thicker overgrown weeds or bushes. If you come against particularly strong varieties you can always swap your string trimmer for a chainsaw.
Take It Slow With The Mow
When it comes to finally mowing your lawn, it can be really tempting to just blitz the entire area in one go to get another job checked off the list. However, this is not a good way to go about things.
You’ll want to stick to the one-third rule. Which is exactly as it sounds – don’t mow more than a third of your grass at a time. This will ensure that both your lawn and your mower survive the grueling process.
Once you’ve mowed an area of your lawn, ideally, you’ll leave it at least 3-4 days before you set to mowing again.
Using this method, you’ll shorten the lawn little by little, and though it will take a little longer it will ensure that your lawn continues to grow in a healthy manner in the future.
Mowing the entire lawn down to its desired length in one go will not encourage healthy grass growth further down the line and can severely damage the lawn.
If your lawn is particularly long, it may be worth considering removing the debris after each mow. You can always keep the debris to use in your garden too!
The Finishing Touches
Once you’ve taken the time to get the lawn to the desired height, you’ll want to complete your neat and tidy garden look with a few final finishing touches. For example, you may want to go over the areas along the sidewalk or driveway by trimming them.
You may also want to use a leaf blower or a similar apparatus to disperse the clippings or clumps of grass that have been left behind from the mower. This will just make things look a little cleaner and sharper.
Look After Your Mower
Your mower has been good to you during this difficult time, so be good to it. And essentially, what we’re saying is to give it a little TLC after a job well done.
Sharpen the blades that have likely now become dull, and clean your mower to get rid of any clumpy grass that is stuck under the mower deck.
Maintaining your mower ensures that it will work optimally the next time you come to cut your lawn.
Enjoy A Job Well Done
And just like that, you’ve transformed your garden from a jungle to a pristine carpet of grass. The extra time and care that you’ve put into transformation also ensures that as your grass continues to grow it will do so in a healthy manner.
Just try to keep on top of cutting it now if you can. But congratulations and well done! You’ve checked another job off your checklist and you have done so perfectly too.
Final Thoughts
And there you have it, you now know how to cut your long grass without damaging your lawn. As you’ve learned from this article, it’s not a quick-fix process and will take several attempts to finally get it down to the perfect height.
However, as long as you take your time, have a little patience, don’t mow wet grass, and take it one-third at a time, you’ll achieve your desired goals.
So, what are you waiting for? Start the necessary steps to a perfect lawn today!
Frequently Asked Questions
What Type Of Mower Should You Use?
Realistically, whatever mower you have at home should be able to do the job perfectly fine. So, if you’re on a lower budget you don’t really need to stress about going out and buying a top-of-the-range mower.
With that being said, though, we would advise where possible to try not to use a corded electric mower as it can be hard to navigate and manage a long power cord through a thick and dense lawn.
The more powerful the mower the better, but you can still use a mower lacking some oomph, you may just need to mow in smaller sections.
When Is The Best Time Of Year To Mow Your Lawn?
It is usually recommended that you cut your lawn during the season of active growth. For example, you won’t want to cut cool-season grass during the summer or vice versa.
This advice helps to protect your lawn and ensures that it recovers as quickly as possible and will help you achieve your desired results ASAP.
When Is The Best Time Of Day To Mow Your Lawn?
Usually, early morning is the optimal time to mow your lawn. As long as your neighbors don’t mind. Somewhere between 8 am-10 am is a good option since it will keep both you and your mower from overheating.
It also means that your grass has a few hours of recovery before the hottest time of the day.
Just keep dew in mind. You want to ensure that the grass has had some time to dry off before you begin mowing as we’ve learned in this article that wet grass and mowing definitely do not mix.