Spring has sprung early, as seems to be all too common these days and there is already plenty of growth and great drifts of snowdrops are giving way to the yolk-yellow daffodils here in Lincolnshire.
Getting your garden neatened up and set for the year is essential. For most people that means the lawn above all. Here are a few tips that you should genuinely consider before cutting your lawn for the first time in the spring. According to a recent survey the average date in the UK for the first lawn cut of the year is the 18th March. Check out the top-tips below and then - go mow!
- ONE: Have a pre-cut check of the area that you are going to mow. Autumn falls and winter winds will likely have blown debris into the long grass; sticks (some surprisingly large) will be hiding in the growth. It also pays to make sure there are no stones either as this will clearly damage your blade.
- TWO: Check your blade; make sure it is sharp and rust free, otherwise you will compromise the quality of the cut.
- THREE: Check your mower over in general. Tighten up bolts and check you manual for any maintenance Ideally you will have drained your machine of fuel and oil for storage over the winter which prevents general deterioration from the fuel in the fuel tank and pipes. Check the oil level is nice and high being sure to use SAE30 oil on ParkerBrand mowers.
- FOUR: Even though you might be tempted, on the first cut don't go right down to the shortest possible cut - cut no more than a third! You can then gradually increase the cut until you've got it to the preferred length. Why? Cut too short early in the year, your grass will not photosynthesise well and the roots will suffer, leaving your unhealthy and looking pretty bad!
- FIVE: try to leave a swathe of your lawn to grown to it's natural length. This greatly benefits a multitude of insect life including butterflies. Loss of habitat is a problem for many of our humble yet vitally important insect species. You could even spread some native wildflower seeds that will give you a natural look and help pollinators including the embattled Bee.
- SIX: With the grass that you have cut you have a couple of options: you can add it your compost with plenty of leaf litter, about one third grass to two thirds leaf litter, will break down quickly due to the correct carbon to nitrogen ratio - optimum stuff.
Spares
If you do have a ParkerBrand mower, and you find you blade has seen some heavy service and could do with being replaced you'll be please to know that we do support our machine and a wide variety of spares are certainly available.
