Taking to TikTok, a gardening guru has shared his top tips for keeping a “dad quality lawn” – and it all comes down to your lawn mowing technique
Freya Hodgson and Jane Lavender
07:00, 25 Apr 2026
Mowing grass during the balmy weather can lead to unsightly brown patches(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
For many homeowners, mowing the lawn ranks as one of the most tiresome garden chores – yet one expert has flagged up several mistakes people commonly make with their lawn mowers.
Research reveals Brits spend a whopping 15 hours cutting their grass each year, amounting to roughly one hour every fortnight.
However, gardening specialist Bo Petterson warns that all those painstaking efforts could be entirely wasted.
Posting on TikTok under the username @dadadvicefrombo, Bo outlined his four essential tips for achieving a “dad quality lawn”, opening his video by stressing that commitment to the task “really matters”.
Bo went on to say: “In the spring, you need to mow a couple of times a week and you need to cut it short. That teaches your grass that it can’t go up so it has to go out, giving you a thicker lawn.”
He added: “In the summertime, you don’t have to cut it as often but you want to leave it longer because it provides shade for the roots from the hot sun.”
He advised how often people need to be mowing their lawns(Image: Getty)
His subsequent tip involves alternating the direction in which you mow each time you tackle the lawn.
“This can include vertical, horizontal, cross pattern, wavey, it doesn’t matter. If you don’t do that your lawn will learn to grow sideways like a combover,” he explained.
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has backed this guidance, noting that the method also helps prevent ruts from developing across the lawn.
The gardening expert went on to explain that if your grass has ripped ends, this is a telltale sign that your lawn mower blades have become dull.
“You need to sharpen them or change your blades,” he advised.
It is recommended that you sharpen or replace your blades approximately once a year.
He also explained how often you need to be replacing your blades(Image: Getty)
Bo added: “Inspect your grass every few months to look for ripped cuts, that will tell you it’s time.”
The expert also encourages homeowners to use grass cuttings as mulch, stating: “The trick is you have to mow often and it helps if you really love your mower.”
Impressed followers were quick to share their thoughts in the comments section, with one person writing: “I didn’t know about changing the pattern!”
Another joked: “Realising I’ve never mowed a yard correctly in my life.”
A third admitted: “I wish I saw this years ago! I’ve always struggled with my lawn, I’m going to use all these tips.”
While another said: “I didn’t know that about cutting short in spring. Love learning new grass tips!!”
The father-of-six began creating content to raise money towards finding a cure for his daughter’s brain injury, following a soccer game accident.
Emily was left feeling physically and mentally unwell following the devastating event, and has had seven experimental treatments in recent years.
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