DIY GUIDE · GARDEN & OUTDOOR · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to mow a lawn yourself
An hour a week in the growing season. €85–€500 for a mower you keep.
Heights through the year, the one-third rule, the pattern, edges, clippings and the mower.
- Every step, start to finish
- Checked October 2026 — sources at the end
- Honest about when to call a pro
FIRST, THE HONEST ANSWER
Do it yourself, or get a gardener?
Do it yourself if…
- The lawn is a size you can walk behind a mower in an hour or so
- It is reasonably level, or the slopes are gentle enough to stand on comfortably
- You can mow every week or so through the growing months
- You have somewhere dry to keep the mower
Get a pro if…
- The lawn has steep banks you cannot stand on safely with a mower
- It is so large that a walk-behind mower would take half a day
- You cannot keep up a weekly cut through May to August
- The grass is knee-high and needs a strimmer or a brushcutter before any mower goes near it
Safety first
- Walk the lawn and pick up stones, toys, dog bones and sticks before every cut; a rotary blade throws them hard enough to break a window or an eye.
- With a corded mower, use an RCD-protected socket, test it with its button, and keep the cable behind you, flipped to the side you have already cut. Safe Electric recommends testing an RCD with its button twice a year.
- Never lift, tilt or clear a mower with the blade turning; stop the engine, wait for the blade to stop, and pull the plug, the battery or the spark plug lead before you put a hand underneath.
- Mow across a slope, not up and down it, with a walk-behind mower, and never pull a mower backwards towards your feet.
- Wear sturdy closed shoes and long trousers, and ear protection with a petrol mower; on a long cut, take breaks; the HSA warns that hand-held power tools cause hand-arm vibration, which with regular, long exposure is linked to vibration white finger.
- Keep children and pets indoors while the mower is running.
| MATERIAL | COVERAGE | FOR THIS JOB |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel and engine oil, petrol mowers | Fresh fuel and the oil grade in the manual | A can of fuel lasts a month or two |
| Replacement blade or strimmer line | Matched to your model | One spare blade per season |
| Garden waste bags | For clippings that will not fit the brown bin | Depends on the lawn and the season |
How short to cut this week
36 m² of wall → 24 L for 2 coats. Buy about 24 L.
Cut no more than a third of the grass height at once: new height = current height × 2 ÷ 3. If the grass is 9 cm tall, cut to 6 cm this week, then lower the blade a notch the following week if you want it shorter.
If the grass has grown long, take it down over two or three cuts a few days apart rather than all at once.
A rotary mower has one horizontal blade that spins and cuts by impact. It copes with longer and slightly damp grass and suits most Irish lawns. A cylinder mower cuts like scissors with a reel of blades against a fixed bar, gives the finest finish on a short, level, well-kept lawn, and struggles with anything longer.
A corded mower is light and cheap but the cable needs managing all the way round. Cordless mowers suit small and medium lawns; check one battery will cover yours. Petrol is for big lawns, long grass and slopes, and needs fuel, oil and a yearly service.
A wider deck covers the lawn in fewer passes but is heavier and harder to turn in tight corners. For a small back garden, a narrow deck is easier to steer and store.
A grass box keeps the lawn clean. A mulching mower chops clippings finely and leaves them to feed the lawn, which works well if you cut often. Side-discharge is for rough grass only.
A robot mower cuts a little every day and keeps a lawn even, but needs a boundary wire or a mapped boundary, a level lawn and a charging point. It still needs edges trimming by hand.
THE PART THAT DECIDES THE FINISH
Before you mow — by the lawn you have
The mower is the same, but the cut depends on the season and the state of the grass. Find yours.
The first cut of spring
Grass has started growing after the winter.
- Wait until the grass is actively growing and the ground is firm, not soft and wet
- Set the mower to its highest setting for the first cut
- Take off only the tips; this is a tidy-up, not a trim
- Lower the height gradually over the next few weeks
A lawn in full summer growth
May to August, when it grows fastest.
- Cut weekly, or twice a week in a fast-growing spell
- Keep the height a little higher than you think
- Raise the height further in a dry spell so the grass holds more water
- Check the blade halfway through the summer and sharpen it
An overgrown lawn
Left for weeks, or a new house with a jungle out the back.
- Strim or brushcut very long grass down first, to around ankle height
- Rake off the cut material before the mower goes on
- Mow on the highest setting, then lower it over several cuts a few days apart
- Expect it to look yellow for a week or two as the base of the grass sees light again
A shady, damp or mossy lawn
Under trees, on north-facing ground, or on heavy clay.
- Cut higher than in the sunny parts; the grass needs leaf to make food
- Never mow when the grass is wet; it tears and clogs the deck
- Collect the clippings so they do not mat on the surface
- Treat the moss separately rather than trying to cut it out
New turf or a newly sown lawn
Laid or sown in the last few weeks.
- Wait until the turf has rooted and will not lift when you tug a corner
- Make the first cut with the blade at its highest setting
- Take only the tips off for the first few cuts
- Avoid tight turns on new turf; the edges lift
THE JOB
The steps, in order
Check the lawn and the weather
5 minStart with the checks above for your lawn. Mow when the grass is dry: wet grass clumps, clogs the deck and tears instead of cutting. A dry afternoon after the dew has burned off is ideal. Walk the whole lawn and pick up anything the blade could throw or hit, including stones at the edges of beds and paths.
- Press your hand onto the grass: if it comes up wet, wait
- Do not cut on frozen grass; it bruises and browns
- Look for hidden sprinkler heads, edging pegs or cables
Mistake to avoid: Mowing wet grass to get it done, and leaving clumps that yellow the lawn and a clogged mower.
Set the cutting height
5 minSet the height using the one-third rule and the season. Higher in spring and autumn, a little lower at the peak of summer, higher again in a drought or in shade. On most mowers, you lift a lever on each wheel or one central lever; set all four to the same notch. Run your hand down the grass to judge its current height before you choose.
- When in doubt, cut higher; you can always lower it next week
- Scalping, cutting to bare soil, is the commonest damage
- Note your usual setting on a piece of tape on the handle
Mistake to avoid: Dropping straight to the lowest setting to save a cut, and scalping the bumps.
Start the mower and cut the edges of the lawn first
5–10 minStart on firm, level grass, never on gravel or paving. With a petrol mower, put your foot on the deck to steady it, keep your feet well clear, and pull the cord. Then cut two passes right round the outside of the lawn. This gives you room to turn at the ends of each stripe without leaving ragged corners or turning on the beds.
- Keep the wheels on the lawn, not on the bed edge
- Lift the front slightly to turn rather than pivoting on the blade
- Start a corded mower next to the socket and work away from it
Mistake to avoid: Starting a petrol mower on gravel and firing stones across the garden.
Mow in straight, overlapping lines
20–40 minMow up and down the lawn in straight lines, overlapping each pass by a few centimetres so no strip is missed. Walk at a steady pace and let the mower do the cutting; pushing fast in long grass leaves tufts. At the end of each line, turn on the outer strips you cut first. Change direction each week, up and down one week and across the next, so the grass does not lean one way.
- Line the front wheel up with the edge of the last stripe as a guide
- Empty the grass box before it is full; a full box stops collecting and leaves trails
- Slow down in long or thick grass
Mistake to avoid: Missing strips by not overlapping, then crossing the whole lawn again to find them.
Mow slopes across, not up and down
10 minOn a slope, mow across the face with a walk-behind mower, keeping your feet on the uphill side. Do not mow up and down, where the mower can roll back on you. If a bank is too steep to stand on comfortably with the mower level, leave it for a strimmer, or plant it with something that does not need mowing.
- Take shorter passes on a slope and rest more often
- Keep both hands on the handle all the way across
- Avoid mowing a slope when the grass is damp
Mistake to avoid: Mowing a steep bank up and down and losing your footing with the mower above you.
Trim the edges
10–20 minWith the mower off, cut the long grass along the lawn edge with edging shears, holding them with the blades vertical and walking along the edge. Use a strimmer, tilted so the line is vertical, if you have a long edge. Once or twice a year, recut the edge itself with a half-moon edging iron against a plank or a string line, cutting straight down and lifting out the strip.
- Clean edges make an average lawn look well kept
- Wear eye protection with a strimmer; it throws grit
- Do not strim against tree trunks; it strips the bark
Mistake to avoid: Strimming the edge flat and cutting a ragged, scalped line into the lawn.
Deal with the clippings
5–10 minEmpty the grass box into the brown bin or onto the compost heap, mixed with drier material. On a mulching mower, leave the fine clippings to fall back into the lawn, which feeds it, but only if you cut often enough that they are short. Rake up any clumps that the mower left, because a clump left lying kills the grass under it within days.
- Mix grass clippings into the compost in thin layers so they do not go slimy
- Use a thin layer of clippings as a mulch on veg beds
- Do not compost the first clippings after a weedkiller treatment
Mistake to avoid: Dumping all the clippings in one deep pile on the compost heap, where they rot into a smelly slurry.
Clean the mower
10 minWith the mower off and unplugged, or the spark plug lead pulled, brush the grass off the deck, the wheels and the vents. Tip a petrol mower with the air filter and carburettor side up, never down, to scrape the underside. Wipe the blade and check it for nicks. Store the mower dry, under cover.
- Clean while the grass is still soft; dried clippings set like concrete
- Never hose the motor of an electric mower
- Check the blade bolt is tight
Mistake to avoid: Tipping a petrol mower the wrong way and flooding the air filter with oil.
Keep the blade sharp and the mower serviced
30 minCheck the blade every month or so. A blunt blade tears grass and the tips go brown a day or two later. Have it sharpened or replace it halfway through the summer. Once a year, ideally in winter, service the mower: on a petrol model check the spark plug, oil level and air filter, and on any mower check the height adjusters and the cable. Do the blade check twice a year at least, in late spring and midsummer.
- A spare blade lets you swap rather than wait for sharpening
- Grind a blade only at its original angle
- Drain or use up petrol before the mower is stored for winter
Mistake to avoid: Mowing all summer with a blunt blade and blaming the brown tips on the weather.
The mistakes that show
- Cutting too low and scalping the high spots to bare soil
- Mowing wet grass and leaving clumps that kill the lawn underneath
- Letting the grass grow long, then cutting it all off at once
- Mowing all summer with a blunt blade
Stop here and get a gardener
- The lawn has banks too steep to stand on with a mower
- It is so overgrown that a brushcutter is needed before any mower
- You cannot keep to a weekly cut through the summer
- The mower has an engine or electrical fault; repairs belong in a service shop
| WHAT YOU SEE | WHY, AND THE FIX |
|---|---|
| Brown tips a day after mowing | A blunt blade tearing the grass. Sharpen or replace the blade. |
| Yellow or bare patches on bumps | Scalping: the blade is too low for the uneven lawn. Raise the height and top-dress the hollows over time. |
| Lines of uncut grass | Not overlapping passes, or a full grass box. Overlap by a few centimetres and empty the box sooner. |
| Clumps of clippings left behind | Mowing wet or long grass. Rake them up the same day and mow when it is drier, more often. |
| Grass yellow after a big cut | Too much taken off at once. Water if dry, feed lightly, and follow the one-third rule from now on. |
| Mower keeps cutting out in long grass | Too much grass at once for the motor. Raise the deck, slow down, and empty the box more often. |
| Wavy or rippled finish | The mower was pushed too fast, or the blade is loose or bent. Slow down, check the blade bolt with the power off, and replace a bent blade; never straighten one. |
| Stripes look patchy | The lawn was mown in the same direction every week. Alternate the direction each cut. |
| RCD trips when the mower starts | A damaged cable or a fault in the mower. Stop using it and have it checked; do not bypass the RCD. |
WHAT YOU SAVE
What it costs to do it yourself
| Lawn mower | €84.95–€499.99 |
|---|---|
| Edging shears or a grass trimmer | €24.99–€99.99 |
| Lawn edging iron | €29.99 |
| Leaf rake | €24.99 |
| Total, first time | €165–€655 |
| DIY total | €85–€500 |
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
Almost everything is bought once. A weekly visit from a gardener costs more in one season than a decent mower, which is why this is one of the jobs most worth doing yourself.
RATHER NOT?
Lawn mowing contractors near you, with prices shown
The ones who cover your area, nearest first, with one score from every review. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
mywaste.ie lists grass clippings as brown bin material and as suitable for home composting. Mix them with drier material such as shredded cardboard or leaves so the heap does not go slimy.
A lawn cut weekly needs feeding in spring and early autumn. In a long dry spell, raise the cut and let the grass go a little long rather than watering, which a hosepipe ban may not allow.
In autumn raise the height for the final cuts; grass stores more energy for winter when it is a little longer. Stop when growth stops.
An electric or battery mower is electrical waste: bring it to a WEEE drop-off point or a civic amenity site. Never put it in the general bin.
Mowing a lawn: questions people ask
Higher than most people think. Take no more than a third off at a time, keep it longer in spring, autumn, shade and dry spells, and only a little shorter at the peak of summer.
Every week or so from May to August, every week or two in spring and autumn, and rarely in winter. Little and often gives a thicker lawn.
When the grass is actively growing and the ground is firm, usually in March or April. Use the highest setting and take only the tips off.
Only if they are very short and you cut often, as with a mulching mower. Otherwise collect them, because clumps smother the grass.
Better not. Wet grass tears, clumps and clogs the mower, and soft ground ruts. Wait for a dry spell.
The Locufy Irish price guide puts lawn mowing at €25–€70 per visit, typically €40. A regular weekly arrangement is usually cheaper per visit than a one-off cut.
MORE GUIDES
More DIY guides
Sources — checked October 2026
- Husqvarna — spring lawn care: when to make the first cut
- Husqvarna — summer lawn care: cutting height in dry spells, blades, mulching
- Husqvarna — autumn lawn care: the final cut
- Westland — servicing your lawn mower
- Westland — spring lawn care
- HSA — control of vibration at work toolkit
- Safe Electric — home safety: RCDs and testing
- mywaste.ie — grass clippings
- mywaste.ie — electrical gardening tools
- Woodie's — price check: lawnmowers
- Woodie's — price check: grass trimmers
- Woodie's — price check: shears
- Woodie's — price check: edging irons
- Woodie's — price check: rakes