CARE AND MAINTENANCE FOR A HEALTHY LAWN Cutting The method and frequency of maintenance work will depend on the grass type, on the desired lawn quality, the species and variety of grass, the supply of water and nutrients, the growth rhythm, the area and characteristics of the space and the availability of machines and equipment. One of the most time-consuming jobs in lawn maintenance is mowing. On resilient grass areas, mowing is essential for the regeneration and tillering of the grasses. Landscape grass that is not subject to much wear and tear and which doesn’t have many requirements with regard to turf thickness, evenness and colour placed on it will survive with mowing once or twice a year. The illustration below shows grass species ordered according to decreasing mowing resilience: Agrostis stolonifera Agrostis capillaris Poa annua/supina Agrostis canina Poa pratensis Lolium perenne Festuca rubra Phleum bertolonii Festuca ovina Festuca arundinacea Poa trivialis The start and end of vegetation as well as the growth cycle differ depending on climate and weather conditions. In the upper Rhine valley, grass plants can start to grow already in February, whereas a distinct greening is sometimes seen first at the beginning of May in higher areas. In practice, these correlations indicate the need for a higher mowing frequency in May to June and a lower one in the autumn months. From September, the intervals between individual mows can be extended significantly. Just like the frequency, the mowing height also depends on the type of grass, the species composition, season, weather and especially on the use. Golfing greens have to be cut extremely short to allow the golf ball to roll with no resistance and in the desired direction when putting. Sports grass should have a high degree of rebound elasticity. A short cut will ensure that the grass doesn’t become soft. On the other hand, grass is vulnerable to wear and tear when cut short, so a compromise in the mowing height has to be found between the needs of the growing plant and the requirements on the part of the user. Mowing height and growth height in lawns The cutting quality is first and foremost determined by the lawnmower. For fine lawns, a cylinder mower with at least 6 blades and a high rotation speed should be used. The blades must be sharp and adjusted and/or lapped where necessary. On home lawns, rotary mowers are often used. The cut is not as sharp as it would be with a cylinder mower and the ends of the blades of grass may look somewhat tattered rather than cleanly cut. The working breadth and area capacity of a rotary mower are smaller than with a cylinder mower. Bar mowers, drum mowers and flail mowers are not suitable for home lawns and definitely not for ornamental lawns. They are frequently used on landscape grass, road embankments and other extensively maintained grass areas due to their robustness. In spring, the lawn mower will be set high so that the first cut will be a mere a trimming of the grass-blade tips. Thereafter, the blades of the mower can be set incrementally lower until the normal cutting height is reached. In periods of dry weather or areas of drought, the mowing height can be a little higher. A higher cut for sports grass is only possible during the seasonal breaks or when used for less intensive sports. Required mowing heights of different lawns Lawn type Mowing height mm Growth height mm Golfing green 4–7 8–12 'Fairways' ornamental lawn 10–15 20–30 Hockey field 20–30 40–60 Football pitch 30–50 60–100 Car park grass 50–60 100–120 Landscape lawns 60–80 - More information on care and lawn diseases can also be found in our knowledge portal: www.kiepenkerl.de/rund-um-den-rasen SERVICE 64
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