How to Mow the Lawn Professionally: Tips & Advice

Tired of your lawn or garden looking unruly and messy, even when you mow the lawn? We understand that lawn mowing isn’t the most exciting task, but with plenty of practice and the right tools and equipment, it can be a breeze.

At HSS Hire, we have a wide range of specialist lawn care equipment for hire - giving you a speedier and more professional job, alongside flexible hiring periods so you don’t have to worry about long-term storage.

If you want to get your garden and lawn back under control, these straightforward lawn mowing tips will help.

Mow the lawn like a professional: Tips and tricks you need to know

In this guide, we’ll provide some top tips on how to professionally mow your lawn. From using garden rollers and turf cutters to rotary lawn mowers and strimmers for a quality finish, we will lay out all the garden tools and equipment you need to assist you in mowing your entire lawn. 

Not yet got the right tools? Not a problem. All the specialist garden equipment we recommend in our mowing tips can be hired for a low cost from the HSS Hire website. 

Hire a specialist lawn mower

If you’re wondering why your lawn mowing skills aren’t as good as they once were or why cutting the grass is taking longer than it should, it could be time to get a new lawn mower.

We understand that lawnmowers are not super cheap items and may not be a huge priority compared to household equipment, so that is why hiring a quality rotary lawn mower from HSS is a wise option. 

For a professional finish, the rotary petrol lawn mower provides regular mowing for large areas with vast clumps of grass. A rotary mower is fantastic for restoring overgrown grass lawns thanks to its adjustable cutting deck.

If you want a well-manicured lawn, hiring professional or modern mowers is not only a cheaper option, but means you don’t have to worry about dealing with your old one breaking down on you. 

Which type of lawn mower should you go for?

We recommended petrol lawn mowers for large outdoor spaces - but for smaller lawns and gardens, an electric lawn mower could be a better option depending on the price you pay.

A lawn aerator ensures healthy growth, which makes mowing your lawn easier

Mowing your lawn is one thing, but getting healthy grass to grow in the first place is another. While we’re here to provide tips for professionally mowing your lawn, not including advice on how to enrich your soil seems counterproductive to getting your garden in better shape.

Using a lawn aerator helps you to increase drainage and alleviates compaction so that water and air can reach the grassroots. By doing so, you allow air and nutrients to infiltrate the soil which, in turn, promotes the healthy growth of grass on your lawn. You can hire a hollow powered lawn aerator from us to encourage a healthier lawn in your garden.

Lawn aeration isn’t always essential, but it can be worth doing it in time for spring or summer when you’ll be mowing your lawn more frequently. Healthy grass is always going to look better than poor-quality grass, regardless of how or how often you mow the lawn.

Set your lawnmower to the correct height for the perfect cut

One of the best lawn mowing tips we can give you is to set your mower to the right grass cutting height.

Keep in mind that slightly longer grass is typically a lot healthier than grass that is cut too short in length. This length also looks better. The only perk of very short grass is that it will take longer to grow back, meaning you won’t have to mow the lawn as often. 

As a general rule of thumb, when cutting grass at any one time, you should only ever remove about one-third (⅓) of the grass height. Experts have said that a mower blade height of 3 to 3.5 inches or 7.6 to 8.9 cm is the best mowing height for the most professional-looking lawn. If your lawn has some patches, however, it could be best to leave it a little longer (4 to 5 inches could do the job for patchy grass). 

A summary of the lawn mower heights depending on your lawn:

• Ideal height: 3 to 3.5 inches (7.6 - 8.9 cm) in height 
• For patchy grass: 4 to 5 inches
• Cut no more than ⅓ of the grass height at any one time

Adjust blade height based on the weather

Sticking to the topic of height, it could be best to select your mower height depending on the weather or season. For example, in winter, it’s a great idea to go short. Set the cutting deck to around 2 inches and make your lawn very short providing a professional finish and some additional benefits. 

Increasing the height of the mower blade slightly before and just after the warm seasons is another good tip when mowing your lawn. This gives it time to grow right for the sunnier seasons and is great for the roots when sunlight is less regular.

If the weather is hot and dry, try making the blade height higher to allow the grass to grow longer. When more moisture is absorbed in the thicker grass and foliage, this provides shade for the soil, which keeps the grass healthier and greener. You might even want to scarify your lawn before or after the season - you can hire a lawn scarifier today to help remove dead moss and grass cuttings from your stunning lawn.

A breakdown of mowing your lawn in different seasons:

• Winter - Cut it short and not as frequently (around 2 inches on the cutting deck)
• Spring - Keep mowing more regularly and keep it longer than 3 inches
• Summer - Keep the height around 3 to 3.5 inches in summer
• Autumn - Keep it relatively short

Don't mow on wet days

It may sound obvious, but a dry lawn is far easier and better to mow than a wet lawn. You won't experience any problems with your lawn when cutting wet grass, but there is a chance that the mower’s wheels will leave noticeable grooves in the lawn, which you won’t really notice with dry grass.

Avoiding wet grass is one of the most simple rules when it comes to mowing the lawn. Another thing that could happen when you cut a wet lawn is wet grass clippings clustering up and covering the rest of your lawn. Cutting the grass means grass clippings will be left - it’s common knowledge. But wet blades of grass can be a nightmare - they can ruin your patio and paving by leaving smears or streaks of colour. 

If you’re thinking of mowing your lawn by hiring HSS ground care equipment for just a day, make sure you check the weather forecast and ensure you are mowing the lawn on a dry day without spells of rain. Plus, who wants to stand out mowing the lawn when it's pouring it down? 

A ride-on mower is a time saver for larger gardens

If you want to go all out and mow the lawn professionally, you should definitely hire a ride-on rotary flail cylinder mower for the best results. It could be worthwhile hiring a ride-on lawn mower if you have a large lawn, field, or other outdoor space that takes a lot of effort to get around. 

It can become tedious and time-consuming to push a small mower around for hours, so a ride-on mower can help with that. The rotary flail cylinder mower is perfect for mowing denser and heavier spaces that your average lawn mower generally would not be able to handle. 

We would suggest investing in some eye protection and ear defenders for your future lawn mowing duties - this protective equipment is especially important when operating powerful pieces of equipment like a ride-on mower. 

We also strongly advise that you read up and educate yourself on how to properly use a ride-on mower. Don’t worry too much about the operation as we can help you out with setup here at HSS, simply give us a call or check out our online DIY resources. 

Trim your lawn edges

If you want your lawn to look extra tidy, you’re going to have to trim the edges for a professional finish. While your lawn might have been freshly mowed, overgrown edges can turn a well-mowed lawn into one that looks unruly and less cared for. By simply trimming the lawn edges, you will accomplish a tidier appearance.

Before spring rolls around, or just before the warmer period kicks in, we suggest trimming the edge of your lawn. You could trim overgrown edges with mechanical grass shears or a half moon tool to tidy up any imperfections your lawn may have. You could even use a grass trimmer to really take care of your lawn and create the most professional and neat appearance. 

Straight lines look professional

You might think the opposite, but straight lines actually look very professional and stunning when your lawn has been mowed right. Lawn stripes are also far easier to do than you might think. 

It’s simple to do on flat lawns, but gardens with uneven patches or more unusually shaped lawn areas may not be as suitable.

How often should I mow the lawn?

When it comes to mowing your lawn, you might also be wondering how often you should mow it. Well, that can depend on what time of the year it is and more. Depending on where you live, factors like heat and rainfall can affect how often you cut the grass.

Here are some general how often to mow your lawn:

• In spring and autumn: Growth is good in these seasons so mow around every 7 to 10 days or at least once a fortnight.
• In summer: Mow your lawn every week if you have a normal lawn and mower. In dry summers, mow your lawn at least every fortnight (2 weeks).
• In winter: Mowing your lawn is not as necessary so cutting it very short before winter and leaving it until spring is wise.

Can I hire a lawnmower?

Yes, you can hire a lawn mower and other specialist garden and ground care equipment from HSS Hire. For projects big and small, we have a wide range of specialist tools to choose from, with flexible hiring lengths to suit your needs.

If you’re not keen on splashing the cash to purchase a new lawn mower - it’ll likely only be sitting in your shed for half the year anyways during the wet months - then you should consider hiring a lawn mower from us.

With our lawn care equipment, get the neat finish you're dreaming of

Planning a garden renovation project but unsure what equipment you’ll need? HSS Hire has got you covered. You can hire all the lawn mowing equipment you need for a professional finish - but at a low cost, without the hassle.

For more ambitious renovation projects, we have specialist equipment for hire - such as turf cutters, diggers, shredders, and more - so you can get everything you need from one place.

For more information or to get started with us today, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us and we'd be happy to help.

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