Expert reveals tip for creating perfect lawn stripes

A neatly mown and weed-free lawn can be incredibly satisfying. It does, however, take a lot of upkeep. If you're hoping to achieve perfect stripes, we can help. Paul Hicks from lawn mower manufacturer STIHL has shared his top tip, and when it comes to how to mow a lawn and get the picture perfect look, it's all about the length of your grass.

'A top tip to consider when creating stripes – don’t cut your lawn too short,' Paul says. 'This will impact the stripes, so I suggest no shorter than 30mm. Plus, to keep the stripes popping, it is best to mow at least once a week.' So, remember not to go too short when mowing with your best lawn mower, and if you want the best-looking stripes, it's going to be a weekly job.

'To create a beautifully striped lawn, you basically need two things – a healthy lawn and a lawn mower with a rear roller,' the STIHL Product and Marketing Manager explains.

'A healthy lawn requires proper cutting, watering, fertilizing, and aerating on a regular basis, with an understanding of the right time to do each of these things.' Our spring lawn care tips are packed with useful tips on what you need to do at this time of the year. 

Paul also recommends investing in a rear roller machine, such as the STIHL RM 545 VR or RM 655 RS. He explains that if you always follow the same stripe each time you mow the lawn, this will increase the definition of the stripes, as more of the grass will be pushed over. 

If you've ever wondered how lawn stripes are made in the first place, it's due to the roller pushing the blades of grass forwards and pressing them down, as the mower passes over. The lighter and darker shades of green are created by the light reflecting on them, with blades of grass bent to face us appearing darker than those bending away.

'Finally, a striped lawn will look untidy if the edges aren’t maintained,' Paul says. Therefore, it's worth investing in the best strimmer too. This will mean you can keep the edges of your lawn looking super neat. 

Of course, you don't have to stick to rigid straight lines when making lawn stripes – as long as you bend the grass in opposite directions, you can make any pattern you want. You'll find plenty of inspiration to give your lawn a new look in our lawn decoration ideas.