The mower, this tool that we pull out almost by reflex as soon as the grass is more than a few centimeters, often motivated by a very specific fear: that of ticks which would settle in a garden left a little too natural. Except that this fear, as widespread as it may be, does not really stand up to scientific scrutiny.
An American study, relayed by LaNutrition.fr, directly tested this supposed link between grass height and risk of ticks. The result is unequivocal: mowing spaced every three weeks, rather than weekly, does not increase the risk of being invaded by these parasites. An observation which goes against the most widespread intuition, that which pushes to mow systematically and frequently as a health precaution. Lyme disease, transmitted by ticks and responsible for 84 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in France in 2016, obviously remains a legitimate concern, but according to this study it does not justify mowing more frequently than necessary.
This result takes on particular importance when we put it into perspective with another figure, much more worrying: according to Franceinfo, nearly 80% of insects have disappeared in the space of thirty years. A lawn that is systematically and repeatedly cut short quickly becomes what specialists call a "green desert": it certainly maintains a neat appearance, but offers very little food and shelter for insects, birds, hedgehogs or amphibians who depend on these areas of taller grass for food and reproduction. In other words, the fear of ticks, statistically unfounded according to this research, often leads to mowing practices which aggravate a very real and documented problem of decline in biodiversity.

What this task actually involves

Mowing the lawn involves passing the mower over all or part of the garden to maintain a regular height of grass. Allow around 60 minutes for a complete session, a time which varies greatly depending on the surface of the land and the type of mower used.

Tips and tricks for more sustainable mowing

Respecting the "third" rule remains the most reliable benchmark for the health of the lawn: never cut more than a third of the height of the grass in a single mowing, at the risk of stressing the plant and weakening its root system, whatever the frequency chosen.
Adopting differentiated mowing, by only mowing the areas actually used (walkways, play areas, terrace) and letting the rest of the land grow more freely, makes it possible to reconcile a functional garden with a real refuge for local biodiversity, without requiring more work on the areas left aside.
Raising the cutting height during periods of high heat, around 7 to 10 cm rather than level, protects the soil from drying out by creating natural shade, while significantly reducing the lawn's watering needs during the summer.

Contrary to widespread fear, mowing less frequently does not increase the risk of ticks according to scientific research. Faced with a decline in insects of almost 80% in thirty years, spacing out mowing and letting certain areas of the garden breathe becomes a concrete and accessible gesture to reverse, on a small scale, this worrying trend.