In the UK growing season (roughly April to September), most lawns need cutting weekly. Over autumn and early spring, fortnightly is usually enough. In winter, when grass growth slows right down, mowing mostly stops altogether.
The right frequency depends more on growth rate than the calendar. A mild, wet spring can mean grass needs cutting weekly by April; a dry summer can slow growth right down even in July. The general rule is: never remove more than about a third of the grass blade length in one cut. Cutting too much off in one go stresses the lawn and can leave it patchy or more vulnerable to weeds.
Letting a lawn go too long between cuts causes its own problems — long grass shades out the base of the sward, encourages moss and weeds, and makes the eventual cut harder on the lawn (and the mower). If a lawn has been left for several weeks, it often needs a first cut at a higher blade height, then a second, lower cut a few days later, rather than scalping it back to normal length in one go.
A regular round takes the guesswork out of it — the mower turns up on a schedule that suits the season, rather than you trying to judge it yourself. Preston and Lancashire's mild but wet climate means growth can pick up quickly after a rainy spell, which is exactly why a scheduled round tends to suit gardens in this area better than trying to judge it yourself.
GreenFix provides lawn mowing across Preston and Lancashire. From £20 (per cut, guide price only).
