Allotment Grass Cutting

long grass on an allotment
long grass on an allotment

Introduction

Whether inheriting a wild allotment plot, or maintaining a plot already under control, how to maintain allotment paths and borders is a constant problem for a plot holder. There are two reasons for this:

  • Despite their best intentions, a gardener may take a break from visiting their allotment or simply not have time to cut the grass for a few weeks. This can result in wild borders with knee high grass and weeds like stinging nettles.
  • Storing expensive tools like lawnmowers or grass trimmers in an allotment shed is inadvisable. Unfortunately, things go missing from a plot, even if protected behind lock and key.

My solution has been to go electric with a lawnmower and grass trimmer, which has the big advantage of lighter tools that can be transported more easily from home to the allotment either by car or wheelbarrow. I use both tools at home and at the allotment, they are better for the environment, and there is no need to store petrol.

Step By Step Video

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Allotment Electric Lawnmowers

electric lawnmower on allotment

It's been many years since I purchased my first cordless electric lawnmower, and I have been impressed by the experience. I believe the main benefits are:

  • The lightness of the machine
    The lawnmower feels much lighter than an equivalent petrol mower, making it much easier to manoeuvre when cutting grass, and easier to put away in the shed. For an allotment, the lower weight makes it much easier to lift into and out of a car, or wheelbarrow down to the allotment.

  • Easy charging
    On a petrol mower, I have never enjoyed the extra trip to the petrol station to fill up a jerry can. The jerry can makes the car smell of petrol, and I see it as a fire risk for the car, and also when it is stored in my shed at home. A petrol mower needs to be regularly checked for oil, and the right oil needs to be purchased. By contrast, all I need to do for my electric mower is to remove the battery to charge it, an overall much easier experience.

If purchasing an electric lawnmower to use both at home and on an allotment, there are some extra considerations:

Battery life
It can be very frustrating to be half way through cutting a lawn, or a path on an allotment, for the battery to run out. If using at an allotment, this is compounded by the extra effort of a second trip transporting the lawnmower to and from the plot. Long grass on an allotment makes it even more likely for a battery to run out of power, as cutting long (and wet) grass uses significantly more power.

The solution is simple but expensive, and that is to buy the biggest battery available for the mower, and ideally two of them (and take both to the allotment to ensure that the job gets finished). Battery power is measured in Ah (amp hour), and the larger the Ah value the more stored power it will hold.

Cutting Height
A lawnmower on an allotment has to cope with uneven ground (compared to a garden lawn) and long grass. An allotment holder may have the best intention to cut the grass every fortnight, but this does not always happen, and a lawnmower will need to cope. In general, lawnmowers with bigger wheels and extra cutting height are better suited to use on an allotment.

See cordless lawnmowers in the shop.

And when things get too high, or the ground too uneven, a cordless grass trimmer may be the better tool to use...

Allotment Cordless Grass Trimmers

allotment grass trimmer

Allotment grass trimmers are most useful in the following situations:

Tackling A Wild Allotment Plot
It is much better to keep on top of the maintenance of paths and borders to avoid them getting out of control. However, when faced with a wild plot, a cordless grass trimmer is the tool to use to cut vegetation back to a manageable height.

Uneven Ground
If a wheel on a lawnmower falls into a dip or hole, the base and cutting blade of the lawnmower can touch the ground bringing the mower to a sudden stop. Apart from being dangerous to the person pushing the mower, it can also damage the cutting blade. A cordless grass trimmer is held in the air by a gardener, does not touch the ground, and therefore is much better suited to uneven surfaces.

Border Edges
There are areas on an allotment that a lawnmower cannot reach. This includes grass growing around fruit trees or next to walls and fences. A cordless grass trimmer makes it easy to cut these otherwise difficult to maintain areas.

If purchasing a cordless trimmer, I suggest to consider the following:

Tackling Wild Plots
If a gardener needs a cordless trimmer capable of tackling a whole wild allotment plot, this will require a machine with significant runtime, cutting width, and cutting ability. A machine of this type will be cost hundreds of pounds. Therefore, it may be better to investigate hiring one for the job.

Regular Allotment Maintenance
This is what I have purchased a grass trimmer for, specifically to tidy up areas of my garden and allotment plot that my lawnmower cannot reach. A grass trimmer of this specification is likely to be within the £100 - £200 price range.

Battery
It may be obvious to say for an electric tool, but the battery plays a crucial role. I suggest the following:

  • Two batteries are better then one, and look for batteries with higher Ah ratings
  • There is advantage in sharing batteries between different power tools. I have the same brand of cordless trimmer as my power drill and electric screwdriver, and the same batteries power all the devices. This has given me multiple batteries in reserve incase one battery runs out of power.

Cutting Methods Of Grass Trimmers

Cordless grass trimmers may have any of the following cutting methods, and some utilise more than one method:

  • Plastic cutting blades
    These blades are good for lightweight use, such as grass cutting. The cutting width is relatively narrow.

  • Nylon cutting line
    Cutting line comes in different thicknesses, with the thicker lines able to cut through thicker vegetation. In general, grass trimmers that take thick cutting lines are more robust, have greater cutting width, and are relatively more expensive to buy.

  • Steel brush cutter heads
    This type of head is able to cut through thick stems and small branches. This type of head may be useful on a really wild allotment where brambles are rampaging over an allotment plot, but otherwise may not be required for everyday use.

See cordless grass trimmers in the shop.

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