Lawn mowing and edging

For many UK homeowners, keeping up with the "little and often" approach required by our temperate climate can be a challenge. Professional gardeners bring commercial-grade equipment and horticultural expertise to ensure your lawn remains a lush, functional space throughout the growing season.

What Does the Work Involve?

• Site Assessment: Checking for hazards such as stones, hidden drainage covers, pet waste, or debris that could damage machinery.
• Mowing: Cutting the grass to a height suited to the season and grass type (typically 2.5cm to 5cm) using professional rotary or cylinder mowers.
• Strimming: Trimming grass in hard-to-reach areas around fence posts, trees, garden furniture, and wall bases.
• Edging: Creating clean, sharp lines along borders, paths, and driveways using a half-moon edger or a vertical power trimmer.
• Debris Clearing: Blowing or sweeping clippings off patios, decking, and driveways to leave the property tidy.
• Health Check: Identifying issues such as moss build-up, leatherjacket infestations, or fungal diseases that may require separate treatment.

Typical Costs

Prices are influenced primarily by the size of the lawn and the complexity of the edges. A simple rectangular lawn is significantly cheaper to maintain than a garden with multiple curved beds, steep slopes, or numerous obstacles that require intensive strimming.

Pro Tip: Most gardeners offer a discounted rate for "contract" bookings, such as fortnightly visits throughout the growing season (March to October).

How Long Does It Take?

• Small Urban Lawn (up to 50m²): 30 to 45 minutes, including basic edging and blowing.
• Medium Suburban Lawn (50m² – 200m²): 1 to 1.5 hours depending on the number of borders.
• Large Garden or Paddock (200m²+): 2 to 4 hours; may require a ride-on mower for efficiency.
• First Cut of the Season: Add 50% to the standard time to account for slower mowing and heavier clippings.

DIY or Professional?

Mowing is the most common DIY garden task, but achieving a professional finish requires high-end equipment and significant time. Professional mowers have sharper blades and better suction, which results in a cleaner cut that prevents the grass tips from turning brown.

If your gardener applies professional-grade weedkillers or fertilisers, they should ideally hold a PA1/PA6 pesticide certificate. For standard mowing and edging, no specific licenses are required, though a Waste Carrier Licence is mandatory if they remove your green waste.

Choosing the Right Tradesperson

• Check Equipment: Ask if they use professional petrol or high-end cordless mowers, as these provide a better finish than budget domestic models.
• Insurance: Ensure they have Public Liability Insurance (minimum £1 million) to cover damage to your property or windows from flying debris.
• Waste Policy: Confirm if they include green waste removal or if they expect to use your local authority brown bin.
• Red Flags: Be wary of "gardeners" who turn up with blunt blades or those who suggest cutting the grass extremely short (scalping) to "save time" between visits.

Questions to ask:

• Do you offer a mulching service or do you always collect clippings?
• Are you able to create striped patterns using a rear-roller mower?
• What is your policy if the weather is too wet to mow on our scheduled day?
• Do you provide your own fuel and consumables?

UK Regulations

• Waste Duty of Care: If a gardener takes green waste away, they must be a registered Waste Carrier with the Environment Agency.
• Noise Ordinances: Most local councils prohibit the use of noisy power tools before 8:00 am on weekdays and 9:00 am on weekends.
• Wildlife Protection: Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, gardeners must avoid disturbing nesting birds if they are also trimming hedges adjacent to the lawn.

Common Problems

• Scalping: Cutting the grass too short, which weakens the roots and allows moss and weeds to flourish in the bare patches.
• Blunt Blades: Tearing the grass rather than cutting it, leading to a white or silvery sheen on the lawn and increased disease risk.
• Mowing Wet Grass: This leads to soil compaction and "clumping," which can smother the turf and create an uneven finish.
• Ignoring Pet Waste: This is a health hazard for the gardener and can damage mower blades or foul the underside of the deck.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should my lawn be mowed in the UK?

During the peak growing season (May to August), once a week is ideal. In early spring and autumn, once every fortnight is usually sufficient to keep it tidy without stressing the grass.

Can you mow the lawn when the grass is wet?

It is best avoided. Mowing wet grass results in an uneven cut, clumping of clippings, and can smear the soil, leading to compaction and poor drainage over time.

Should I leave the clippings on the lawn?

"Grasscycling" (mulching) can return nutrients to the soil, but it should only be done if you mow frequently and the clippings are very short. If the grass is long, clippings should be removed to prevent thatch build-up.

Why do I have brown tips on my grass after mowing?

This is usually caused by blunt mower blades tearing the grass instead of slicing it. It can also happen if you cut more than one-third of the grass blade height at once.

Do gardeners work through the winter?

Most lawn mowing stops in late October or November when the frost begins. However, many gardeners offer winter maintenance such as leaf clearance, edging repair, and machinery servicing during the dormant months.