The last cut
of the year.
The clocks have gone back and the light is fading fast. Most lawns in the UK are due their last mow of the year around now, and it is worth getting it right. This one sets the grass up for winter.
Raise the blade. The final cut should leave the grass a little longer than usual, around five centimetres. Longer grass holds up better through frost and wet weather. It is more resilient against disease and less likely to thin out over winter. The tight, close-cropped look can wait until April.
If the lawn is covered in fallen leaves, clear them before you mow. A thick mat of wet leaves left sitting on the grass will smother it. The grass underneath goes yellow, thins out, and moss moves in to fill the gaps. Rake them up or run the mower over them on a high setting to chop them into the surface, where they break down and feed the soil instead of suffocating it.
Once the last cut is done, stay off the lawn when it is waterlogged or frozen. Both will damage the grass. Compacted, saturated soil squeezes out air and wrecks the root structure. Frost leaves bruised, blackened patches that take weeks to recover. If you need to cross the garden through winter, use a path.
Then leave it alone. The grass is dormant, and it does not need your attention. The first cut of the new year can wait until March or even April, when growth picks up and the soil has dried out enough to take your weight without harm.

























