MOWING the lawn can be time-consuming, and it can often feel like it's one of those jobs that seems to constantly need doing.

But there are ways to combat a quick-growing green, in order to save yourself some time and energy, while still maintaining a healthy lawn.

Sutton Manor Nursery William Mitchel says: "A healthy lawn is crucial, especially in the fast-approaching summer months.

"Your lawn truly is the focal point of your garden and therefore keeping it healthy and looking good is vital."

Here, William and Tom Hilton – director of hydroponic specialists, National Greenhouse – share their top tips that will keep your lawn lovely and luscious, without having to constantly get the lawn mower out…

Short back (yard) and sides

In a similar way to hair, the more you give your grass a trim, the more it will grow – and keeping it slightly longer will mean you don't have to mow it as often.

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William says: "A good way of slowing down the growth of your grass is by leaving your grass slightly longer when mowing.

"Cutting a smaller amount of grass will cause less trauma to the grass plant, and will therefore mean it does not have to repair itself as quickly."

Tom adds: “The common lawn-mowing rule is to never cut more than a third off the grass blade."

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Neat edges

Invited your friends and family over for a barbecue, only to realise the lawn is starting to resemble more of a jungle instead of a Wimbledon-worthy green?

We've all been there, but you don't need to panic – there are ways you can make it look instantly neater with minimum effort.

William says: "If you have not got the time to mow your lawn then a strimmer could be the answer to all your problems.

"Simply strimming around the edges of your grass will help to neaten it up and give the illusion of a perfectly mowed lawn."

Tom adds: “To keep the lawn looking lovely and neat, without jumping straight to the lawnmower, you can also work on your flower beds, and the border.

"Brighten up your garden by planting a variety of flowers and outdoor garden plants to surround the lawn and filter out the soil so it has a healthy base.”

Avoid over-watering

It's important your grass is hydrated accordingly, but if you're finding it's growing at an alarming rate, you could be watering it too much.

Tom says: “You should cut down on watering the lawn as doing this too frequently can accelerate growth, which means more mowing for you to do.

"And when the warmer seasons arrive, by avoiding overwatering and fertilising, you can help the lawn go into a more dormant state during periods of drier weather."

William agrees, adding: "Watering your grass too often will speed up the growth and therefore need more maintenance to keep looking healthy."

Cut down on fertilizers

Reducing your use of fertilizers can also be helpful – but it's important to get the balance right.

William says: "Although using lawn fertilizer helps to give your grass that beautiful, full look it will also speed up the growth of the grass plant.

"This will again mean that more upkeep is needed to keep it looking healthy and intact."

Slow and steady

Additionally, you could also consider planting slow-growing grass, with growth inhibitors.

Tom says: "You can pick up plant-growth inhibitors from many hardware shops.

"They work by slowing down the growth process by half due to the chemical make-up."

Blooming benefits

If, even with the aid of these hacks, you sometimes wonder if the effort is worth it, just remember the benefits of maintaining a healthy lawn are numerous.

Tom adds: “Aside from the obvious of being aesthetically pleasing, a healthy lawn gives a range of benefits.

"One being a perfect oxygen emitter.

"With a well-kept lawn, you can experience better air quality in your own back garden as it soaks in common air pollutants and carbon dioxide.

"A healthy lawn can also help with a healthy mind and lifestyle with it being a great way to experience ecotherapy.

"With our own green space to relax, nurture, and do some wildlife-watching, our stress levels can be significantly reduced.

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"It also doesn’t harm the house value, either and can help increase house price if your garden is well-looked-after."

Something to think about next time you're cursing having to mow the lawn!

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