Newly laid wildflower lawn

If you are going to cut your meadow, it is best done twice a year at the following times:

•Once in autumn (late August to September)
•Once in early spring (late March to early April)
The cuttings must be removed. This will make sure that the wildflowers can grow. It will also prevent thistles, docks, brambles and scrub from taking over.

The autumn cut gives the meadow plants the best chance to flower and set seed. However, traditional hay meadows can be cut in late July. Farmers may also want to cut at this time to provide hay for farm animals. The spring cut knocks back thistles and vigorous grasses that may have taken hold over the winter.

Cutting is flexible, allowing a great deal of control over the timing, area and height of the cut. However, cutting a whole meadow in one go can take away all the food needed by insects. So leave some areas uncut for them. The best way to do this is to cut the edges of your grassland in rotation. Leave a different side uncut each year. A four metre margin is ideal.

Cutting can be carried out with a variety of tools. This will depend on the size of your meadow and what is available to you. On a small meadow, in medium to long grass, hand sythes or a power strimmer can be used. On a larger area long grass can be cut for hay using a power sythe or a tractor drawn grass cutter.

If you have a pet pony or have access to cows, goats or sheep, you could graze your meadow. The best time to graze is usually in the early spring and late autumn, as with cutting. But - always get advice about timing.

If your meadow is invaded by 'weeds' such as docks and thistles, then animals can be kept on over the summer to knock them back. However this is harmful to insects and should only be done every few years.

The effects of grazing are complex. There are a number of things to consider.

•Cattle, goats and other bigger animals are more likely to erode the soil than smaller ones such as sheep.
 
•Sheep, goats and other smaller animals need better fencing to keep them in.
 
•The more animals there are in a field, the less choosy they are about what they eat. So large numbers can control brambles and vigorous grasses. But beware - they can cause erosion.
 
•Animal dung can change the plants growing in a meadow. Dung patches may become colonised by unwanted nettles and thistles.
 
•Animals will need to be properly cared for and need plenty of water.
 
Seek professional advice about the number and type of grazing animals to use.

Lawn Care:
 Jobs to do
 Equipment
 Mowing
 When do I cut my grass?
 Top dressing
 Feeding
 Watering
 Trimming
 Raking and brushing
 Aerating 
 Liming and Rolling

Lawn Problems:
 Pests
 Diseases
 Weeds
 Brown patches
 Repairs