Grass Cutting
We, as part of the Partnership Agreement, are responsible for the grass cutting of all public grassed areas other than the grassed areas within former Council Housing estates which Homes for Northumberland now manage.
The grassed areas are maintained to a high standard to enable residents and visitors to use the roads and pavements safely. We aim to cut the grass between 24 – 36 times during the period between 1 March and 31 October and on an as and when basis when required outside of this time period.
Frequently asked questions:
Why are the cuttings not removed after the grass has been cut?
The cuttings after mowing are not collected as this would need extra staff at a cost. Although at the beginning of the grass cutting period there seems excessive amounts, this decreases considerably as all areas are cut regularly the grass does not grow very long, so leaving the cuttings doesn’t usually cause problems.
Why does the grass around obstacles not get cut when the grass is cut.
On some grassed areas the mowers aren’t able to cut close enough to trees and bases of obstacles so an approved herbicide is applied around trees and obstacles, usually twice each year. In some cases, depending on the weather, the effect of the herbicide does not last as long as usual so some strimming is done as well. We try not to strim round the base of trees too much as it can damage the bark and even kill the tree in some cases.
When the daffodils are finished they are left to look untidy, why?
After the spring bulbs some grassed areas can look untidy, as it is good practice not to cut down the foliage of faded flowering bulbs. They should be left for around six weeks after flowering. This allows them to produce new bulbs the following year. We mow around the bulb areas until they have died back, usually around the middle of June.
The mowers start working early in the morning and are noisy. Can’t it be done later in the day?
We do sometimes start the mowing work early in the day before the public areas become busy. It reduces safety risks to members of the public. Some areas have to be cut early to be ready for people to use throughout the day.
Why do you cut the grass in the rain?
We have a lot of grass to cut and a very tight schedule. Unless conditions are very bad we cut the grass in all weathers. Grass is very resilient and quickly recovers from minor smearing or surface damage.
Please let us know if you have any concerns or comments with the grass cutting in your area using our Contact Us page.
