Lawn mowing in Caterham

Regular grass cutting for Caterham lawns, set to how the chalk and clay behave each week.

Lawn mowing in Caterham means mowing on a slope more often than not. The town sits in a dry valley cut into the North Downs, so plenty of gardens have a bank, a terrace or a lawn that tilts towards the road. We cut with rear-roller Hayter mowers, which lay a proper striped finish and hold a gradient better than a four-wheeled machine.

Edges are trimmed every time and the clippings leave with us. We’re based in Horley, about eight miles south, and Caterham lawns are fitted into a regular round. So if you’ve typed grass cutting service near me from a CR3 postcode, we’re closer than you’d think.

Why Caterham lawns brown off so fast on the slopes

On the steeper ground the soil is often shallow and lime-rich, sitting straight on chalk. It drains brilliantly in winter. Then in a dry July it gives up its moisture in days, and a lawn cut short goes the colour of straw. Through dry spells we raise the cutting height and leave more leaf to shade the roots. It looks a little less crisp for a few weeks. But it comes back green when the rain does, and a scalped lawn on a south-facing bank often doesn’t recover until autumn.

Lawn mowing on the clay-capped tops

Much of the high ground isn’t bare chalk at all. It’s capped with clay and gravel, and those lawns behave quite differently: soft and slow to dry in spring, then hard as a pavement by August. We won’t cut them when they’re soaked, because wheels on wet clay compact it and the blades tear the grass instead of slicing it. If a visit lands on a wet day we move it to the next dry one and let you know. Most Caterham lawns are happy with a weekly cut in May and June and fortnightly either side.

Lawn Mowing in Caterham: your questions

Anything else, just ring. You’ll speak to the people who do the work.

What do lawn mowing prices depend on?

Size, slope, access and how often you want us. A steep bank takes longer than a flat lawn of the same area, and regular cuts work out better value per visit than one-offs. Once we’ve seen it, we’ll give you a fixed price.

Do your lawn mowing services carry on through winter?

Not usually. Growth tails off around October and we stop when it does. We never mow frozen or frosted grass, and the more exposed lawns up on the Hill can hold a frost for longer.

Can you mow a steep bank?

Usually, yes. Gentle slopes go under the roller mower, and banks too steep for that are cut with a strimmer instead. Mention any banks when you ring so we turn up with the right kit.