But what about re-wilding your own backyard? We have all become accustomed to mown and manicured lawns. But this isn’t the only way to maintain your yard.
If you want to allow wildflowers and insects that are integral to our ecosystems to thrive, then letting grass grow long is a great idea.
But, if you have children or pets who want to play on the grass, this might not be a practical option. If you have the space, it’s a good idea to divide up the lawn.
Or you can have a border of wildflowers. With a cut lawn in the center. This will allow you to help sustain local ecosystems. Without leaving your yard run wild.
How long should you let grass grow before cutting?
The lawn is best cut when it is around 3 inches tall. If you are growing the lawn from seeds, then you will likely have to wait around 2 months before it is ready to be cut.
But this also depends on your personal preference. If you like to have longer grass in your yard, then you can leave it to grow.
You will likely need to cut it at some point. Especially if you want to be able to sit on or walk across the lawn. But, as mentioned above, long grass and the other flowers and plants that grow with it, are great for the environment.
It’s also best to wait for grass to dry before cutting it. Especially if you’re using an electric lawn mower.
Otherwise, you will risk an electric shock. And the grass won’t be as easy to cut as it is when dry.
Is it OK to let grass go to seed?
If you leave your grass to grow for a really long time, then there is a risk that it will go to seed. This can have a number of damaging effects on your lawn.
These include allowing invasive weeds to grow, the grass becoming weak, and new grass will struggle to grow.
Some weeds are fine to grow in your yard. This is because what counts as a “weed” is subjective. As a weed is essentially any plant that is in the way.
And that you don’t want to be where it is. So it is absolutely fine to allow some weeds to grow.
But, there are some weeds that are invasive. And they will continue to grow without allowing other plants space. This includes grass.
They will eventually overrun your yard. And other plants, flowers, vegetables, and grass will not be able to thrive. So, it’s still important to keep an eye on your lawn. And keep it maintained and healthy.
Allowing grass to go to seed essentially means allowing it to continue growing and flowering. This can be lovely.
But it can also weaken the grass itself. This is because some of the energy used to grow the grass will be diverted to growing the flowers.
Which requires a lot more energy than grass. So, as with weeds, it’s important to maintain a lawn. But, this doesn’t mean that it has to be perfectly neat and manicured.
Is tall grass dangerous?
Very tall grass can be dangerous and damaging. This is especially true if you have small children. They won’t be able to navigate the area well.
As the long grass can be hiding other plants that might be dangerous. Or cause them, or even you, to trip. Mowing a lawn is sometimes a sensible option for safety reasons.
Tall grass can also be hiding certain creatures that you wouldn’t want near your house. Or even in your yard.
Tall grass is also very difficult to mow. So, if you are debating whether to allow your lawn to grow long, but aren’t sure if you will like it afterward, it’s best to keep it at a lower level.
Allowing your lawn to grow doesn’t mean that you have to let it go wild. It can still be maintained for aesthetic and safety reasons.
Is it healthy to let grass grow?
It is. But only to an extent. Allowing grass to grow is great for supporting the local ecosystem. But it’s best to still mow it regularly.
Just not as often as you normally would. If you want to help the local environment, but don’t want a completely wild yard, then you can simply mow your lawn less often.
When should you not cut your grass?
It’s best to avoid cutting grass when it is wet. This is either after rainfall or in the early morning when it is covered in dew. Water will make the grass difficult to cut.
And it will likely become clumpy and like mulch. This can clog up your lawn mower. And also make it more difficult to clean up if your mower doesn’t have a collection bin.
When it is wet, grass also flattens and mats down more easily. This will be an issue when the wheels of a lawn mower go over the grass.
The wheels will cause the wet grass to flatten, and the water will cause it to stay flat.
This means that you won’t be able to cut these sections of grass.
As the blades will be too high to reach them. Then, when the grass dries, it will be over varying lengths and look very messy.
What happens if you never cut grass?
While mowing more irregularly is a good idea. It’s best not to leave it completely. The grass will eventually grow so tall that it will knit and clump over the turf.
This will stop sunlight from reaching it. And it will also stop sunlight from reaching the other blades of grass and flowers below. This will stunt the growth of the grass.
So, it’s best to keep mowing to a minimum. But not stop doing it entirely.
