Little-known lawn mower trick will give you 'thick and healthy' grass by summer

25 February 2024 , 08:00

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Little-known lawn mower trick will give you 'thick and healthy' grass by summer

When it comes to cutting the grass, many homeowners will do anything to avoid the tedious task - but one garden expert has warned about the common lawn mower mistakes.

Research has shown that Brits spend a staggering 15-hours mowing their lawn every year, equivalent to one hour every fortnight. But their strenuous efforts could be going to waste, says gardening guru Bo Petterson.

Taking to TikTok, under the username @ dadadvicefrombo, Bo shared his four top tips for securing a "dad quality lawn". Kicking off the video, he explained that your dedication to lawn mowing "really matters".

Bo continued: "In the spring, you need to mow a couple of times a week and you need to cut it short. That teaches your grass that it can’t go up so it has to go out, giving you a thicker lawn.

Garden expert shares simple lawn mower hack for vibrant green grass (stock photo) (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

"In the summertime, you don’t have to cut it as often but you want to leave it longer because it provides shade for the roots from the hot sun." His next step involves changing the direction that you mow every time you cut the grass.

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"This can include vertical, horizontal, cross pattern, wavey, it doesn’t matter. If you don’t do that your lawn will learn to grow sideways like a combover," he said. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has supported this advice, adding that the technique prevents ruts from forming in the lawn.

The gardener went on to explain that if your grass suffers from ripped ends, this suggests that your lawn mower blades are dull. "You need to sharpen them or change your blades," he said.

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It is advised that you change or sharpen your blades around once a year. Bo added: "Inspect your grass every few months to look for ripped cuts, that will tell you it’s time." Finally, the expert urges homeowners to use grass cuttings as mulch, adding: "The trick is you have to mow often and it helps if you really love your mower."

Impressed followers flocked to the comments to share their reaction to the gardening guidance, as one person penned: "I didn’t know about changing the pattern!" Another quipped: "Realising I’ve never mowed a yard correctly in my life."

A third confessed: "I wish I saw this years ago! I’ve always struggled with my lawn, I’m going to use all these tips." While are another added: "I didn’t know that about cutting short in spring. Love learning new grass tips!!"

The father-of-six started making content to raise funds to find a cure for his daughter’s brain injury, following a soccer game accident. Emily was left feeling physically and mentally unwell following the devastating event, and has had seven experimental treatments in recent years.

Freya Hodgson