Quick answer: how to cut an overgrown lawn
- Walk it first. Pick up stones, toys, wire and anything else hiding in there, and check the long grass for hedgehogs, frogs and nesting birds before any machine goes near it.
- Strim it down in stages. If it's too long for the mower, strim or brushcut it down to a manageable height and rake off every bit of the cut grass.
- Mow on the highest setting. Collect the clippings and empty the box often so you don't leave clumps sitting on the lawn.
- Never take more than a third off at once. Drop the mower a notch each time over the next few cuts until it's back to a normal height.
- Then fix the damage. Once it's back, scarify and aerate to pull out the dead thatch and moss, and reseed any bare patches. Autumn is the best time for that, spring is the next best.
Too much to tackle yourself? Send us a photo through our free quote page and you'll get a fixed price in writing.
When a lawn has been left for a few months, the instinct is to set the mower to its lowest setting and take it all off. That's how lawns die. Grass stores its energy in the leaf, and if you remove most of it in one cut, the plant is shocked, browns off and leaves room for moss and weeds.
The one-third rule
The general rule, recommended by the RHS and most lawn professionals, is never to remove more than a third of the grass height in a single cut. On a badly overgrown lawn that means bringing it down in stages.
Saving Overgrown Lawns in Llanelli
How we do it
- Strim or brushcut it down to a manageable height first, raking off all the cut grass so it doesn't smother what's underneath.
- First mow on a high setting. Just tidy it, don't try to make it look finished.
- Bring it down over a few visits, a little lower each time, until it's at a normal height.
- Then think about feed, moss and thatch. Overgrown lawns are often full of dead material. A scarify and aerate in autumn or spring makes a huge difference.
Saving Overgrown Lawns in Burry Port
Coastal lawns round Burry Port and Pembrey often sit on sandier soil that dries out fast. In hot, dry spells, keep the mower higher, because longer grass shades its own roots.
Keeping it that way
Once it's back, a fortnightly cut through the growing season keeps it easy. Our lawn mowing rounds cover Kidwelly, Llanelli, Burry Port and Carmarthen, and most lawns are £35 a cut.
When mowing isn't enough
Sometimes you get it down and find there's more moss and weeds than grass left. If that's you, a full lawn renovation (weed kill, scalp, scarify, top dress and reseed) is £7.80 per m² with a £400 minimum, and there's a calculator on that page so you can price it up yourself.
And if the lawn is hiding brambles, nettles or small trees, it's a garden clearance first and a lawn job after.
Overgrown lawn FAQs
Should I cut an overgrown lawn all in one go?
No. Taking most of the grass off in one cut shocks it, browns it off and lets moss and weeds in. The RHS advice is never to take off more than a third of the height in one cut, so bring an overgrown lawn down over a few cuts, a little lower each time.
What's the best way to cut really long grass?
Strim or brushcut it down first, rake off all the cut grass, then mow with the blades on the highest setting and collect the clippings. Pushing a mower straight into long grass just clogs it up.
Should I check for wildlife before strimming?
Yes. Hedgehogs, frogs and toads hide in long grass, and birds can nest low down in it. Walk the area first and part the grass in any thick spots before you strim. The British Hedgehog Preservation Society asks everyone to check before strimming.
When should I scarify or feed an overgrown lawn?
Once it's back to a normal height, not before. Scarifying, aerating and top dressing are best done in September or October, and bare patches can be reseeded in spring or autumn. If you feed in autumn, use a feed made for autumn. See our scarifying and aeration page.
How much does it cost to have an overgrown lawn cut?
Once a lawn is under control, most lawns are £35 a cut on our mowing rounds. A really overgrown lawn takes more time on the first visit, so we price it from a photo and give you a fixed price in writing. As a real example, a new home in Pontyberem with waist high grass and bamboo from next door was £300 for half a day, with the owner keeping the waste.
Is it a lawn job or a garden clearance?
If it's just long grass, it's a strim and a few cuts. If there are brambles, nettles, bindweed or small trees growing through it, it's a garden clearance first and the lawn after. Send us a photo and we'll tell you which.
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