Winter mowing height for ryegrass: how high should I go?
I’m still mowing my RSR lawn at 30mm a mate’s been telling me I should raise the height up in a few more weeks as we head in to winter. Is this actually something people do and if so why? What height are you all cutting at over winter?
Longer grass blades mean more leaf area, which keeps the plant photosynthesising through shorter winter days and gives it better energy reserves during slow-growth periods. It also protects the crown (the growing point sitting at the soil surface) from frost. I find disease pressure increases significantly when mowing shorter in cold conditions and anywhere stressed or in shade just thins out too much.
I'll be mowing my rye at 40 to 60mm through winter. If you're at 30mm now, don't jump straight up to that. Raise it in stages over a few cuts, going up 10mm at a time. The 1/3 rule applies when cutting.
You'll also be mowing a lot less frequently. Once growth slows right down in June and July, you might only be going over it every 2 to 4 weeks,