Cutting height and re-seeding for a particular mix

[houser85]

Hi All,

I moved into my first house last year and have been trying to make my lawn as good as possible. I think the sod used wasn't ideal so I'd like to make the best of it. Some areas need reseeding in autumn due to leatherjacket beetles last year and tall fescue weeds growing so I have some questions.

My grass is apparently made from the following mix:

30% dwarf amenity rye 20% smooth stalked meadow 30% slender creeping red fescue 20% chewings fescue

1) what is the ideal cutting height for a mix like this? I just cut at

6cm because I'm unsure.

2) when I reseed, should I try to match the original mix or use it as an opportunity to put down some better seed? If I bought something with a similar but not identical mix, would that be a problem?

Info:

-Bristol area of the UK.

-Happy to dedicate up to 6 hours per week to lawn care.

-Happy to spend money on good seeds etc

-anything else you may want to know to help?

Thanks for the help guys

[trader4]

That height should be fine. When in doubt, it's always better to err on the side of higher. If you're just going to reseed some spots that didn't take, you should use the same or similar mix. If you use something different, then you can wind up with obvious differences, visible, where one area has a different color, texture, grows faster, etc.

[The Lawn Store]

It seems to me that you have chosen a good general purpose seed mixture which should perform well and create a good quality lawn.

I would say you are mowing a bit too high and would recommend a height of 3-4 cm once established. The key to a healthy lawn is regular mowing, at least once or twice per week and remember to make sure your blade is sharp!

[Moe DeLoughan]

In cool, damp climates, close mowing works just fine. It provides a more manicured/finished look. It keeps the turf drier, which reduces the risk of fungal diseases, but it does tend to encourage weed seeds to sprout and grow.

Here in the midwestern US, we generally mow short in cool damp weather and tall in hot or dry weather.