Gardening Expert Reveals Major Lawn Mowing Mistake
Gardening expert Jonny Hincks, a self-confessed gardening geek with nearly two million social media followers, has highlighted a widespread error people make when maintaining their lawns. Hincks, who started his Instagram page while working as a firefighter and has since authored a gardening book, believes lawns are a quintessential British tradition, often admiring them at manor houses.
The Critical Error in Lawn Care
During an appearance on Tom Allen's Pottering About podcast, Hincks discussed lawn mowing frequency, advising to cut grass once a week or as often as possible for busy individuals. However, he pinpointed a significant mistake: mowing the lawn too short. Hincks explained that cutting grass too low leads to dryness and insufficient leaf growth for recovery.
I always have my lawn quite high, and that's the best time to get the lines in there, he said, noting that many gardeners struggle to achieve those coveted vertical stripes. He emphasized, Don't go too short, don't go too short, to maintain a healthy, stripe-ready lawn.
How to Achieve Perfect Lawn Stripes
For home horticulturalists aiming for striped lawns, Hincks recommends using a cylinder or rotary mower. The grass must be well-cared for before mowing. To create stripes, follow these steps:
- Mow the lawn in one direction at a width of two mowers.
- Mow in the opposite direction, again at a width of two mowers.
- Repeat this process until the desired stripes appear.
Fellow gardening expert Alan Titchmarsh supports this approach, stating on his YouTube channel that stripes result from a rotary mower with a heavy rear roller. He describes how darker stripes form where grass bends toward you and paler ones where it lies away.
Additional Lawn Maintenance Tips
Beyond mowing, Hincks advocates for pulling weeds manually to keep gardens pristine. Titchmarsh adds his simple routine: raking moss in spring, which provides nesting material for birds, and applying lawn food. The Royal Horticultural Society suggests April tasks like defining lawn edges with a half-moon edging iron to prevent grass creep and repairing bumps or hollows by adjusting soil under the turf.
By avoiding the common pitfall of cutting grass too short and following expert advice, gardeners can cultivate lush, striped lawns that enhance their outdoor spaces.
