During the main growing season (April to October), most UK lawns need mowing once a week. In peak growth (May, June, September) you might need to cut every 4 to 5 days, especially after rain. In winter, you might not need to mow at all, or just a light tidy once a month if the grass is still growing. Let the grass tell you when it needs cutting.

For a rotary mower on a family lawn, 30 to 50 mm is the range. Most people do well around 35 mm. Cylinder mower for a finer finish? 10 to 30 mm. Robot mowers usually sit around 30 to 40 mm. During dry spells, raise the height by 10 to 15 mm. Longer grass shades the soil and holds moisture better.

Never remove more than one-third of the grass blade in a single cut. If your grass is 60 mm tall, take off no more than 20 mm, leaving 40 mm. Cutting more than a third stresses the plant and can cause browning. If it's grown too long, bring it down over two or three cuts.

Yes, if the grass is growing and conditions allow it. There's no rule that says November is the last cut. If it's mild and the grass is still putting on height, a light trim on the highest setting is fine. Avoid frozen ground, waterlogged conditions, or heavy frost.

If you're mowing regularly and the clippings are fine and short, leave them on. They return nitrogen to the soil. Only collect if they're long and clumpy from a missed cut. Heavy clumps smother the grass underneath.

Robot mowers cut little and often, usually daily. They take off tiny amounts each time so the grass is never stressed. The fine clippings drop back into the lawn and return nitrogen to the soil. Set the height to around 30 to 40 mm and let it run. In winter you can pause it or let it run less often.