It’s not just a little bit too long: this grass is very long! In fact, it’s the kind of grass that’s up to your knees as you’re walking through it. Now, if this was a feed paddock on your farm or a picture of the African savannah, that’d be ok. But it’s not: this is meant to be your garden!
The burning question is, how on earth do you bring this unruly mess back into some resemblance of order? What can you do if your grass is simply too high to mow?
Don’t throw up your hands in despair! There are ways and means to restore even the most overgrown mess to a beautiful lawn that you can be proud of!
#1: First Chop
Without a doubt, the first chop is going to be the hardest. Prepare yourself: this’ll be a workout! Tackle the job with a whipper snipper (sometimes called a line cutter), a sickle or a scythe and systematically work away at the grass, bringing it down to a ‘mowable’ height. Rake up and remove all the cut grass. If your grass is really long, it may be bent over – this will mean a bit more effort, but there’s nothing to do but keep going over it until you’ve brought it all back into some sort of order!
Many people nowadays balk at the idea of using a scythe, however, they do a very neat job (albeit they are no tool for a novice!). Alternatively, sickles are available from many garden tool suppliers (or you might find one in Grandpa’s shed) and are also a traditional tool for cutting long grass.
#2 Rest and Revive
You probably feel like you need a week to recover after your efforts on that first chop! Well so does your lawn! Give your grass a good soaking and let it recoup – remember, that first chop was tough on you, but it was tougher on your lawn!
#3 Second Cut
Time to get out the mower and have another go! Set the cutting deck to its highest setting and give your lawn a trim in a conventional manner. Don’t be disheartened if it still looks ghastly when you’re done – this is a ‘work in progress’ and it’ll improve dramatically in the coming weeks.
#4 Dedication and TLC
Over the next few weeks, keep mowing your lawns, lowering the cutting deck a little each time until you have brought the grass down to a good, tidy height. Try to abide by the 1/3 rule (only remove 1/3 of the length of the blade of grass each time you mow). Depending on the length of time your lawn has been neglected, and the type of grass you have, you may need to give it a little extra TLC: scarifying, weed-removal and fertilizing will all help to restore a beautiful, lush turf. Fill in any holes and plant seed or lay turf in bare patches. If needed, spray for lawn grubs or other pests which may have been wreaking havoc.
You can reasonably expect that it’ll take a few months for your lawn to look it’s best. Keep positive, keep working on it and you’ll soon have a lawn that you’ll be proud of!
The team at Greener Lawns is here to help you every step of the way. Call us on 1800 473 363 for more tips on lawn care.