The garden should be seen as an extension of our home - —a place to relax, unwind, and connect with nature beyond the four walls of our living space. A well-maintained lawn will improve/enhance the overall appearance of your garden.

Regular lawnmower maintenance is crucial for achieving a healthy and vibrant lawn, with the right lawnmower, maintaining your garden becomes a breeze. Keep reading our helpful guide on how to look after your lawnmower and get the perfect cut for your grass.

Lawn Mower Maintenance & Perfect Lawn Guide

Having a lush, green, and healthy lawn doesn't happen by chance. It requires a little love and care, but the rewards are worth the effort. With some attention, you can enjoy a beautiful outdoor space all summer long. You'll learn how to keep your mower running smoothly and make your lawn look like a masterpiece with our helpful ideas & advice.

A neglected mower means a neglected lawn, here's why maintenance matters. Keeping your lawn and garden equipment in top condition makes cutting the grass much easier. Torn, dull or blunt blades won't cut grass cleanly, leaving it looking ragged and uneven. Additionally, they also force the mower engine to work harder, leading to potential damage.

Choosing the Right Mower for Your Lawn

To ensure a smooth and efficient mowing experience, consider these key factors when selecting your new lawnmower.

Lawn Size

Compact Spaces: For small gardens, a lightweight and manoeuvrable option is ideal. We recommend the Flymo Hovervac 250 for smaller gardens. It's well suited for lawns with slopes and awkward shapes and it also vacuums up the grass as you cut.

Medium-Sized Gardens: Finding the right balance between power and manoeuvrability is key. A quality walk behind petrol or electric lawnmower would work well in this space. Both the Pro Lawn 46cm Self Propelled petrol lawnmower and the Hyundai Battery Powered Lawnmower are great fits for mid sized spaces.

Large Gardens: For larger gardens, you need a powerful mower that can handle the workload. Complete with a Honda engine and a 65 litre grass bag, the 56cm Pro Lawn Petrol Lawnmower is ideal. For busy households where time is limited, a robotic lawnmower is a good option. The Flymo EasiLife Go 250 gives you the perfect lawn with zero effort. Simply set a schedule and let it work its magic!

User Convenience

Starting mechanisms are an important consideration when choosing the right mower for your lawn. Electric or self-propelled lawnmowers require less physical effort compared to pull-cord starts, especially for larger mowers.

Look for features like adjustable handlebars, soft grip & quick-release handles, and a large-capacity grass bag to help you make the right and comfortable choice for you.

Step-by-Step Guide to Mower Maintenance

It's no secret that if we care for our lawnmower, then they will keep our lawns tidy for much longer. A quick cleaning after each cut goes a long way in protecting your mower and extending its lifespan.

Grass clippings and moisture left on the mower can trap moisture and accelerate rust. A few minutes of wiping down the lawnmowers removes these culprits, preventing rust from taking hold. Always ensure the lawnmower is completely turned off and unplugged before attempting to clean it in any way.

Built-up grass clipping can also hinder airflow to the engine, impacting performance and could lead to overheating. Regular cleaning keeps the engine compartment free of debris and allows you to inspect the blade for damage, ensuring the perfect cut for your lawn.

Setting a schedule for routine maintenance checks is essential. Regularly checking key components like blade sharpness, oil levels, and filters helps keep your mower working at its best. Sharp blades ensure a clean cut, which is crucial for lawn health. Regular oil checks and filter replacements prevent engine wear and tear.

Achieving the Perfect Lawn Cut

Mowing the grass might seem like a simple chore, but mastering the technique can make all the difference. The right cutting height, mowing pattern and frequency are the secrets to a healthy and luscious lawn.

Cutting Height: Finding The Sweet Spot

A proper cutting height encourages thicker growth, promotes deeper root development and helps shade the soil, reducing moisture loss and weed germination. A good rule of thumb is to remove no more than one-third of the grass blade height in a single mowing session. This prevents scalping, which weakens the grass and makes it susceptible to disease and pests.

Mowing Patterns: More Than Just Lines

Consistently mowing in the same direction can compact the soil and create uneven growth. Vary your pattern by mowing in alternating directions each time. This helps distribute weight evenly and encourages healthier growth.

For a visually appealing striped effect, mow in straight lines alternating directions and make sharp turns at the end of each pass. This technique will give a manicured style to your garden.

Frequency: Mowing Like a Master Gardener

Mow often, mow short (but not too short!). Frequent mowing with shorter cuts promotes thicker, denser grass and discourages weeds. However, avoid scalping by following the one-third rule mentioned earlier. Pay attention to how your grass responds. If it appears stressed or uneven, adjust your mowing frequency or height accordingly.

Enhancing Lawn Health: Aeration, Watering, and Fertilisation

Beyond mowing, several other practices play a vital role in maintaining a healthy lawn. Aeration helps to reduce soil compaction, allowing air, water, and nutrients to reach the grass roots more effectively. Watering your lawn adequately ensures that the grass remains hydrated, promoting robust growth and resilience. Regular fertilisation provides essential nutrients that the soil may lack, enhancing the lawn's overall health and appearance.

Advanced Lawn Care Tips

Having a healthy, green lawn is great, but what if you want to take it to the next level? Here are some advanced lawn care tips to transform your yard from ordinary to extraordinary, along with some essential garden tool care advice.

Waking Up the Soil

Early spring is the perfect time to prepare your lawn for optimal growth. Before fertilizing, conduct a soil test (ideally done every 3 years) to determine your soil's nutrient needs. Aerating your lawn in early spring, especially if it experiences heavy traffic, is crucial. Aeration loosens compacted soil, allowing air, water, and nutrients to penetrate deeper, promoting healthier root growth.

Feeding for Growth

Once you have your soil test results, choose a fertiliser formulated for your specific grass type and apply it accordingly. Consider organic fertilisers if you prefer a more natural approach. These options may take longer to show results, but they can be beneficial for long-term soil health.

Seeding Strategies

April is a prime time for overseeing bare patches or areas with thin grass. Using quality lawn seed ensures robust growth and fills in sparse areas, giving your lawn a lush and uniform appearance. Follow our helpful how-to video below and have your lawn looking its best.

Eco-Friendly Lawn Maintenance

Having a lush lawn doesn't have to come at the expense of harming the environment. By embracing sustainable practices like organic fertilisation and efficient water usage, you can achieve a healthy green space and do your bit for the planet.

Feeding the Soil Naturally

Compost is a haven for beneficial microbes that break down organic matter and create a natural fertiliser for your lawn. Regularly adding compost feeds the soil, promoting healthy root growth and a more vibrant lawn. Animal manure, like composted cow manure, is another excellent source of organic nutrients. Apply it according to instructions to avoid burning your grass.

Efficient Water Usage

To conserve water and promote deeper root growth, water deeply and infrequently rather than shallowly every day. This makes your lawn more drought-resistant over time. Watering early in the morning minimises water loss through evaporation during the day. Embracing rainwater harvesting by installing a rain barrel helps collect free rainwater for watering your lawn, reducing reliance on tap water, and supporting eco-friendly gardening practices.

For cleaning mowers and other equipment, consider the benefits of using the Karcher K4 Power Control Home Pressure Washer. This versatile tool not only efficiently cleans dirt and debris from mowers but also ensures your gardening equipment remains in top condition for optimal performance. This free resource reduces reliance on tap water, contributing to eco-friendly gardening. Peter O'Mahony recently built a rainwater harvesting system with water butts. Watch how he did it here!

So, there you have it! From picking the perfect mower to achieving that picture-perfect lawn, we've covered everything you need to keep your grass happy and your mower purring. Remember, a healthy lawn and a well-maintained mower go hand in hand.

Want more tips on how to keep your lawn looking its best? Visit our comprehensive guide to garden hand tools and storing your gardening equipment. Learn from the experts at Woodies.ie