Treat your lawn to the first mow of spring this weekend

The daffodils are out and blossom is blooming, both sure fire signs that spring has sprung and its time to get out in the garden - and one of the first jobs is to mow the lawn. This weekend looks set to be dry, so there isn't a better time to give your lawn its first cut of the year.

Jim Kirkwood, garden tools expert from Worx, shares his top tips for getting the best out of your first season's mow:

"The first mow of the year is really important as it removes any dead grass tips left over from the winter and stimulates growth to help your lawn grow greener and more thickly."

Pre-mow preparation
"Before powering up your mower, rake your lawn thoroughly to rid your lawn of any leaves and to help aerate your lawn. Aerating your lawns allows the circulation of oxygen in to the soil which encourages root growth at the beginning of the season."

How mow can you go
"Adjust the height of your mower so you only take off the top third of the grass blade. Cutting your lawn too short can damage the grass and expose it to disease and unexpected weather like spring frosts and heavy dews. In early spring the average lawn should be around about 3cm long, you can then take it down to around 2.5cm in summer."

Evening mowing
"Mowing in the evening actually puts less strain on your lawn than a day-time trim and never mow when it's wet or covered in dew. Look out for mowers with 'Mute' technology or low noise options - some even have functions to make them inaudible from 10 meters, so there's no need to risk annoying your neighbours while tackling your lawn!"

Conditioning your lawn
"Opt for a mower with a mulching function. The grass clippings will be continually cut in the mowers drum until they are very fine creating a mulch, this then falls back on to the lawn, enriching it so it grows thicker."