June 20, 2022 - Turf Matters

If you mowed in May – that’s ok: If you didn’t follow the no-mow May advice don’t be alarmed. One of Britain’s foremost lawn experts confirms that regular mowing is good for both the lawn and the environment.

Richard Salmon (photographed below), the founder of ProLawnCareUK, is adamant that simply adjusting the mower and using it more frequently is good for both nature and the grass.

If you mowed in May – that’s ok

“We have 20 million plus domestic lawns in the UK. The vast majority are in inner city and urban areas where they are a vital green lung. Anything we can do to keep them healthy is good for nature and humans, and regular mowing is key to this,” says Richard.

“I have no idea how many people continued to mow in May but they were doing no harm at all to the environment and really benefitting their lawns,” he added.

“Some wildlife feeding on lawns eat insects or seed, others prefer worms and other invertebrates. Regular mowing will still allow clover and other flowering weeds to prosper but leave the grass longer and don’t scalp it. Weekly mowing encourages the grass to tiller or thicken out. This produces a greater green leaf area per m2 which, in turn, absorbs more Co2 during photosynthesis, keeping lawns green and releasing more oxygen to atmosphere. The more dense the lawn the better for all food sources.”

“Not cutting the grass and simply leaving it to nature is not good for lawns or wildlife. Leaving it is of value only to seed eating birds, although it takes several months of growth for the seeds to mature and, in any case, seed can be supplemented at the bird table. As the uncut grass grows it discolours, significantly reducing photosynthesis which, in turn, results in less oxygen being produced.”

Richard promotes more regular cutting but not too short. He also supports, where possible, instead of not mowing your lawn, why not dedicate an area for wildlife that benefits the insects and wildlife for 12 months of the year rather than a vain effort for 1 month ? Try leaving a small area of the garden to sow a wild flower mix which is bee friendly and can be left all year to provide a more valuable haven for a greater variety of fauna.

Richard Salmon has spent his entire career involved in lawncare and is one of the country’s leading authorities on the subject. He is also a leading expert on the environmental value of grassland and is on record as confirming that: “Lawns lock-in carbon from the atmosphere, much like trees, and play a vital role in cleaning and cooling our environment.”

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Toro launches new robotic mower: Toro is bringing new innovation to the residential garden care category with the launch of a robotic mower that offers cutting-edge, easy to deploy technology and never-before-seen features.

With more than a century of delivering innovative solutions for the outdoor environment, Toro’s new robotic, battery-powered mower represents the latest in smart, connected technology for homeowners and their gardens.

Toro launches new robotic mower

“Our commitment to alternative power, smart connected, and autonomous technologies will enable people to create an amazing space for their families and do more of what they love for generations to come,” said Peter Moeller, Vice President & General Manager, International Division at The Toro Company.

The new robotic mower, available to consumers in selected European markets in the first half of next year, is a culmination of years of research and development. Featuring industry-leading capabilities, such as the industry’s first vision-based localisation system and wire-free navigation, the setup is easy and tailored to each garden without a pricey and failure-prone underground boundary wire installation. This proprietary vision system uses multiple cameras to map and localise in the garden enabling the mower to navigate tight spaces and move around structures such as trees and landscaping. It is also capable of crossing surfaces, such as driveways and sidewalks, to maintain all areas of the property.

Another exciting feature is the dedicated smartphone app which allows users to customise their mowing schedule — whether it’s around work, sleep, or travel. The app can also recommend an ideal mowing schedule based on weather forecasts and patterns. In addition, the mower has third-party safety certification, theft-proof features, slope-friendly cutting abilities, and quiet functionality.

To give homeowners a lawn care system that works as effectively as possible, the robotic mower offers unmatched efficiency through its patented Smart Zones^TM pattern mowing system that can be controlled through custom settings in the app. Through this system, the mower will automatically keep the lawn at a consistent, owner-selected height by cutting the smallest amount of grass each day for optimal lawn health.

Addressing the growing demand for easy-to-use autonomous mowers that offer flexibility and can handle complex gardens, the category is expected to grow significantly in the next 10 years in Europe as the technology develops to deliver accuracy and efficiency.

The new mower will join Toro’s many other powerful and energy efficient garden care tools, including its 60V Flex-Force Power System™, a full lineup of cordless products with one interchangeable battery, as well as its new Revolution Series of battery-powered commercial lawn care equipment. Toro’s autonomous technology is expanding to other outdoor environments, such as golf courses, where field testing of the GeoLink Solutions Autonomous Fairway Mower is underway.

The new autonomous mower, available in red or charcoal gray, will be available for purchase in selected European markets from the first half of next year. Learn more at smartyard.toro.com.