Reading, England

Reading, England51.4562, -0.9711

Mowing

When you can next cut it, and the best slot this weekend.

Best weekend slot

Nothing doing

Verdict: Not worth it

Nothing to cut — the grass is barely growing (growth potential 0.08).

Today afternoon is your first decent window.

Next mow

Today 1pm–7pm

Verdict: Prime time, 90% chance it holds

rain earlier that day, ground firm

  • Worth watching: Ground still soft. 44mm rain over the last week, medium (loam) soil. A mower will mark it, and a ride-on will rut it. More

The next 10 days

Each row is a day, morning on the left. The more solid a block, the more of the forecast runs agree you can mow. Open a day for the hour-by-hour forecast behind it.

  1. Monday 19 October: 6 hours worth using. 1pm–7pm — rain earlier that day, ground firm
    Monday 19 October, hour by hour
    5am6am7am8am9am10am11ammidday1pm2pm3pm4pm5pm6pm7pm8pm
    Chance———<5%<5%<5%<5%15%90%>95%>95%>95%>95%>95%——
    VerdictAlready goneAlready goneAlready goneForget itForget itForget itForget itPushing itPrime timePrime timePrime timePrime timePrime timePrime timedarkdark
    Rainchance···0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%2%
    Rainmm···—————————————
    Grass···soakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakeddampdrydrydrydrydrydrydry
    Ground···firmfirmfirmfirmfirmfirmfirmfirmfirmfirmfirmfirmfirm
    Temp···9°10°11°12°13°13°13°13°13°13°12°12°11°
    Windkm/h···98912151415141210877
    Daylight···✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓——

    Growth: barely growing (growth potential 0.18). Enough to be worth cutting. Growth decides whether a cut is wanted, not how well it will go, so it is not one of the rows above and does not move the chances.Chance is the share of 94 forecast runs — the same weather models re-run from slightly different starting conditions — in which you could have mowed that hour. The rows below it are what those runs expect on average, which is why an hour can look reasonable line by line and still fall short: the chance only counts runs where everything came together at once. Hover any cell for what the runs that ruled it out actually hit.

    Monday 19 October · 1pm–7pmConfident

    1pm–7pm — rain earlier that day, ground firm

    90% prime time — the chance it holds right through, not the chance at any one hour. About 1 run in 10 found the grass too wet.

    Limiting factor:none

  2. Tuesday 20 October: no hours worth using. No — 0.5mm of rain falling.
    Tuesday 20 October, hour by hour
    5am6am7am8am9am10am11ammidday1pm2pm3pm4pm5pm6pm7pm8pm
    Chance———<5%<5%<5%<5%<5%<5%<5%<5%<5%<5%<5%——
    VerdictdarkdarkdarkForget itForget itForget itForget itForget itForget itForget itForget itForget itForget itForget itdarkdark
    Rainchance69%69%68%68%64%73%70%67%56%53%38%21%14%14%15%4%
    Rainmm0.70.80.91.11.00.90.70.60.40.30.30.20.10.10.1—
    Grasssoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoaked
    Groundfirmfirmfirmfirmfirmfirmfirmsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoft
    Temp12°12°12°12°12°12°12°12°12°12°13°13°12°11°11°11°
    Windkm/h111212101010877481315131412
    Daylight———✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓——

    Growth: barely growing (growth potential 0.20). Enough to be worth cutting. Growth decides whether a cut is wanted, not how well it will go, so it is not one of the rows above and does not move the chances.Chance is the share of 94 forecast runs — the same weather models re-run from slightly different starting conditions — in which you could have mowed that hour. The rows below it are what those runs expect on average, which is why an hour can look reasonable line by line and still fall short: the chance only counts runs where everything came together at once. Hover any cell for what the runs that ruled it out actually hit.

    Tuesday 20 OctoberConfident

    No — 0.5mm of rain falling.

    <5% forget it. Almost every run found the grass too wet.

    Limiting factor:grass wetness

  3. Wednesday 21 October: nothing to cut. Nothing to cut — the grass is barely growing (growth potential 0.10).
    Wednesday 21 October, hour by hour
    5am6am7am8am9am10am11ammidday1pm2pm3pm4pm5pm6pm7pm8pm
    Chance———<5%<5%<5%<5%<5%<5%<5%<5%<5%<5%———
    Verdictnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growing
    Rainchance39%43%44%47%40%22%29%27%22%27%23%22%20%19%17%10%
    Rainmm0.20.30.20.30.20.20.20.20.30.40.40.30.40.30.10.1
    Grasssoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoaked
    Groundsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoft
    Temp10°10°10°10°10°11°12°13°13°12°10°9°8°7°7°7°
    Windkm/h891214181816121221334140353027
    Daylight———✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓———

    Growth: barely growing (growth potential 0.10). Not enough to be worth cutting, which is why no hour is recommended today whatever the weather does.Chance is the share of 94 forecast runs — the same weather models re-run from slightly different starting conditions — in which you could have mowed that hour. The rows below it are what those runs expect on average, which is why an hour can look reasonable line by line and still fall short: the chance only counts runs where everything came together at once. Hover any cell for what the runs that ruled it out actually hit.

    Wednesday 21 OctoberConfident

    Nothing to cut — the grass is barely growing (growth potential 0.10).

    <5% nothing to cut. Almost every run found the grass barely growing.

    Nothing to cut. The odds below describe the weather only — growth decides whether a cut is wanted, and it is judged separately.

    Limiting factor:growth

  4. Thursday 22 October: nothing to cut. Nothing to cut — the grass is barely growing (growth potential 0.08).
    Thursday 22 October, hour by hour
    5am6am7am8am9am10am11ammidday1pm2pm3pm4pm5pm6pm7pm8pm
    Chance———<5%<5%<5%<5%10%15%25%60%60%55%———
    Verdictnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growing
    Rainchance27%19%14%3%4%3%4%3%4%20%16%22%24%29%30%51%
    Rainmm0.10.10.1——————0.1—0.10.20.20.20.6
    Grasssoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedwetdampdampdampdampwetwet
    Groundsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftfirmfirmfirmfirmfirmfirm
    Temp6°6°6°7°7°8°9°10°11°12°12°12°12°11°10°10°
    Windkm/h0013689101011121212111114
    Daylight———✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓———

    Growth: barely growing (growth potential 0.08). Not enough to be worth cutting, which is why no hour is recommended today whatever the weather does.Chance is the share of 94 forecast runs — the same weather models re-run from slightly different starting conditions — in which you could have mowed that hour. The rows below it are what those runs expect on average, which is why an hour can look reasonable line by line and still fall short: the chance only counts runs where everything came together at once. Hover any cell for what the runs that ruled it out actually hit.

    Thursday 22 OctoberReasonably confident

    Nothing to cut — the grass is barely growing (growth potential 0.08).

    60% nothing to cut. About 1 run in 3 found the grass barely growing.

    Nothing to cut. The odds below describe the weather only — growth decides whether a cut is wanted, and it is judged separately.

    Limiting factor:growth

  5. Friday 23 October: nothing to cut. Nothing to cut — the grass is barely growing (growth potential 0.10).
    Friday 23 October, hour by hour
    5am6am7am8am9am10am11ammidday1pm2pm3pm4pm5pm6pm7pm8pm
    Chance———<5%<5%<5%<5%<5%<5%5%15%20%30%———
    Verdictnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growing
    Rainchance55%57%54%30%41%31%36%40%29%17%35%28%24%22%20%13%
    Rainmm0.80.60.90.40.40.40.40.30.10.40.20.20.30.30.10.1
    Grasssoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedwetwetwetwetwet
    Groundsoftsoftsoftsoftsoggysoggysoggysoggysoggysoggysoggysoggysoggysoggysoggysoggy
    Temp11°10°9°9°9°9°9°9°9°9°9°9°8°8°8°8°
    Windkm/h24273032343639424443424039373534
    Daylight———✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓———

    Growth: barely growing (growth potential 0.10). Not enough to be worth cutting, which is why no hour is recommended today whatever the weather does.Chance is the share of 94 forecast runs — the same weather models re-run from slightly different starting conditions — in which you could have mowed that hour. The rows below it are what those runs expect on average, which is why an hour can look reasonable line by line and still fall short: the chance only counts runs where everything came together at once. Hover any cell for what the runs that ruled it out actually hit.

    Friday 23 OctoberReasonably confident

    Nothing to cut — the grass is barely growing (growth potential 0.10).

    30% nothing to cut. About 2 runs in 3 found the grass barely growing.

    Nothing to cut. The odds below describe the weather only — growth decides whether a cut is wanted, and it is judged separately.

    Limiting factor:growth

  6. Saturday 24 October: nothing to cut. Nothing to cut — the grass is barely growing (growth potential 0.08).
    Saturday 24 October, hour by hour
    5am6am7am8am9am10am11ammidday1pm2pm3pm4pm5pm6pm7pm8pm
    Chance———50%50%50%55%65%70%70%60%55%45%———
    Verdictnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growingnothing to cut — the grass is barely growing
    Rainchance5%2%10%4%9%8%10%8%10%16%18%20%24%22%16%22%
    Rainmm——0.1—0.10.10.20.30.10.30.40.70.40.60.50.3
    Grassdampdampdampdampdampdampdampdampdampdampdampdampwetwetwetsoaked
    Groundsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoft
    Temp6°6°6°6°7°8°9°10°11°11°10°10°9°9°9°10°
    Windkm/h21201817151516181918171515161719
    Daylight———✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓———

    Growth: barely growing (growth potential 0.08). Not enough to be worth cutting, which is why no hour is recommended today whatever the weather does.Chance is the share of 94 forecast runs — the same weather models re-run from slightly different starting conditions — in which you could have mowed that hour. The rows below it are what those runs expect on average, which is why an hour can look reasonable line by line and still fall short: the chance only counts runs where everything came together at once. Hover any cell for what the runs that ruled it out actually hit.

    Saturday 24 OctoberLow confidence this far out

    Nothing to cut — the grass is barely growing (growth potential 0.08).

    70% nothing to cut. About 1 run in 3 found the grass barely growing.

    Nothing to cut. The odds below describe the weather only — growth decides whether a cut is wanted, and it is judged separately.

    Limiting factor:growth

  7. Sunday 25 October: no hours worth using. No — 0.1mm of rain falling.
    Sunday 25 October, hour by hour
    5am6am7am8am9am10am11ammidday1pm2pm3pm4pm5pm6pm7pm8pm
    Chance——10%10%10%10%35%45%50%60%55%60%————
    VerdictdarkdarkForget itForget itForget itForget itPushing itTouch and goTouch and goTouch and goTouch and goTouch and godarkdarkdarkdark
    Rainchance18%14%20%16%6%14%16%12%14%4%22%12%16%12%8%14%
    Rainmm0.20.10.20.3—0.10.20.20.1—0.20.10.10.20.10.1
    Grasssoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedwetwetdampdampdampdampdampdampdampdamp
    Groundsoggysoggysoggysoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoft
    Temp15°15°15°16°16°17°17°17°17°16°15°14°13°12°12°12°
    Windkm/h19212225273032333434333332323131
    Daylight——✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓————

    Growth: growing steadily (growth potential 0.36). Enough to be worth cutting. Growth decides whether a cut is wanted, not how well it will go, so it is not one of the rows above and does not move the chances.Chance is the share of 94 forecast runs — the same weather models re-run from slightly different starting conditions — in which you could have mowed that hour. The rows below it are what those runs expect on average, which is why an hour can look reasonable line by line and still fall short: the chance only counts runs where everything came together at once. Hover any cell for what the runs that ruled it out actually hit.

    Sunday 25 OctoberLow confidence this far out

    No — 0.1mm of rain falling.

    60% touch and go. About 1 run in 3 found the grass too wet.

    Limiting factor:grass wetness

  8. Monday 26 October: no hours worth using. No — 0.1mm of rain falling.
    Monday 26 October, hour by hour
    5am6am7am8am9am10am11ammidday1pm2pm3pm4pm5pm6pm7pm8pm
    Chance——35%35%35%35%30%35%25%25%30%30%————
    VerdictdarkdarkPushing itPushing itPushing itPushing itPushing itPushing itPushing itPushing itPushing itPushing itdarkdarkdarkdark
    Rainchance14%16%20%10%10%10%16%14%24%12%14%18%20%12%12%18%
    Rainmm0.30.20.30.10.10.10.20.20.30.10.20.20.30.10.10.2
    Grasswetwetwetwetwetwetwetwetwetwetwetwetwetsoakedwetwet
    Groundsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoft
    Temp7°7°8°9°10°11°11°12°12°12°11°11°11°11°11°11°
    Windkm/h67811141618191816141313131211
    Daylight——✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓————

    Growth: barely growing (growth potential 0.11). Enough to be worth cutting. Growth decides whether a cut is wanted, not how well it will go, so it is not one of the rows above and does not move the chances.Chance is the share of 94 forecast runs — the same weather models re-run from slightly different starting conditions — in which you could have mowed that hour. The rows below it are what those runs expect on average, which is why an hour can look reasonable line by line and still fall short: the chance only counts runs where everything came together at once. Hover any cell for what the runs that ruled it out actually hit.

    Monday 26 OctoberLow confidence this far out

    No — 0.1mm of rain falling.

    35% pushing it. About 2 runs in 3 found the grass too wet.

    Limiting factor:grass wetness

  9. Tuesday 27 October: no hours worth using. No — 0.5mm of rain falling.
    Tuesday 27 October, hour by hour
    5am6am7am8am9am10am11ammidday1pm2pm3pm4pm5pm6pm7pm8pm
    Chance——10%20%20%30%40%45%55%60%50%55%————
    VerdictdarkdarkForget itPushing itPushing itPushing itTouch and goTouch and goTouch and goTouch and goTouch and goTouch and godarkdarkdarkdark
    Rainchance20%18%24%25%14%20%16%27%8%14%20%18%12%12%6%4%
    Rainmm0.20.20.30.20.20.10.20.3—0.10.30.20.20.1—0.1
    Grasssoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedsoakedwetwetdampdampdampdampdampdampdampdampdamp
    Groundsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoft
    Temp15°15°15°15°15°15°15°15°15°14°14°13°13°12°12°12°
    Windkm/h28293031323436363532282421181716
    Daylight——✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓————

    Growth: growing slowly (growth potential 0.31). Enough to be worth cutting. Growth decides whether a cut is wanted, not how well it will go, so it is not one of the rows above and does not move the chances.Chance is the share of 94 forecast runs — the same weather models re-run from slightly different starting conditions — in which you could have mowed that hour. The rows below it are what those runs expect on average, which is why an hour can look reasonable line by line and still fall short: the chance only counts runs where everything came together at once. Hover any cell for what the runs that ruled it out actually hit.

    Tuesday 27 OctoberLow confidence this far out

    No — 0.5mm of rain falling.

    60% touch and go. About 1 run in 3 found the ground too soft.

    Limiting factor:ground firmness

  10. Wednesday 28 October: 5 hours worth using. midday–5pm — grass dry — dry again after a shower
    Wednesday 28 October, hour by hour
    5am6am7am8am9am10am11ammidday1pm2pm3pm4pm5pm6pm7pm8pm
    Chance——50%55%45%55%55%70%70%80%75%80%————
    VerdictdarkdarkTouch and goTouch and goTouch and goTouch and goTouch and goGood to goGood to goGood to goGood to goGood to godarkdarkdarkdark
    Rainchance14%0%2%0%8%0%6%4%4%2%12%4%4%10%6%2%
    Rainmm0.1—————————0.1—0.1———
    Grasswetwetwetdampdampdampdampdampdampdrydrydrydrydrydrydry
    Groundsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoftsoft
    Temp10°10°11°11°12°12°13°13°14°14°14°13°13°13°13°13°
    Windkm/h15151618192122232424242424242323
    Daylight——✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓————

    Growth: growing slowly (growth potential 0.21). Enough to be worth cutting. Growth decides whether a cut is wanted, not how well it will go, so it is not one of the rows above and does not move the chances.Chance is the share of 94 forecast runs — the same weather models re-run from slightly different starting conditions — in which you could have mowed that hour. The rows below it are what those runs expect on average, which is why an hour can look reasonable line by line and still fall short: the chance only counts runs where everything came together at once. Hover any cell for what the runs that ruled it out actually hit.

    Wednesday 28 October · midday–5pmLow confidence this far out

    midday–5pm — grass dry — dry again after a shower

    55% touch and go — the chance it holds right through, not the chance at any one hour. About half the runs found the grass too wet.

    Limiting factor:grass wetness

good to go touch and go dark, frost or snow already goneFainter means fewer forecast runs agree.

How you feel about mowing

Sensible middle ground.

Petrol or battery. The baseline.

Growth

How fast it is growing, and when it will need cutting again.

18%Barely growing

Of the fastest this grass could grow. The turf-industry measure, from today's temperature and day length.

The lawn is barely growing, so it does not need cutting. Leave it — taking leaf off a sward that cannot replace it costs more than it gives.

Held back by both temperature and short days — 10.5 hours of daylight at 11°C.

Over the next 10 days
about 6mm of leaf
Next cut due
not within the next ten days

This only knows temperature and day length. Feeding, watering, shade and cutting height all move it, so treat it as a rough guide.

Worked out from the PACE Turf growth potential model and day length —how and why.

Seeding

Soil temperature at germination depth, and when the window opens.

Soil temperature in Reading, England

8.6°C47°F

at 6cm — germination depth

Seeding conditions are open — soil is 8.6°C at 6cm and holding above 9°C.

Warming over the next 10 days.

Cross-checks against an independent estimate from air temperature (11.1°C), which agrees to within 0.5°C.

Almost every UK and Irish lawn is a ryegrass and fescue mix, whether it was sown or turfed. We assume that, and use 9°C as the seeding threshold.

Thresholds for every species

The differences are small. Ryegrass is the quickest off the mark; bluegrass is the slowest and wants the warmest soil. Everything else sits between.

Soil temperature at 6cm for reliable germination. Sources onthe method page.
SpeciesSoil neededDays to sprout
Perennial ryegrasslikely yours8°C5–10
Red / chewings fescuelikely yours8–10°C10–14
Tall fescue10–12°C10–14
Browntop bentColonial bentgrass10–12°C14–21
Smooth-stalked meadow grassKentucky bluegrass12–13°C14–28

Feeding

Why timing decides whether a feed does anything at all.

Coming in the app

Grass takes up nitrogen when it is growing. Feed a lawn that has stopped and most of it washes past the roots — which is why timing beats product choice.

Right now this lawn is not growing fast enough to make much use of a feed.

The app will work out the actual feeding windows for your lawn — along with weed control, scarifying and moss treatment — and tell you when they open without you having to check.

Why timing beats product choice

Reading, England in detail

Soil temperature in Reading, England is currently 8.6°C at 6cm, and rising about 1.2°C over the next 10 days. That depth matters because it is where grass seed sits and where roots start working, and it lags air temperature by days — which is why a warm afternoon here tells you very little on its own.

Lawns in this area are typically perennial ryegrass with fescue, which is what most lawns round here are sown with. That blend needs the soil to hold above 9°C before seed germinates reliably. Seeding conditions are open — soil is 8.6°C at 6cm and holding above 9°C.

2 of the next 10 days look workable. As for the weekend: nothing doing. Nothing to cut — the grass is barely growing (growth potential 0.08).

The next recommended window in Reading opens at 1pm on Monday 19 October, because that is when the dew has burnt off — earlier than that and you are cutting wet grass. Underfoot, the ground reads as firm after 5mm rain over the last week, medium (loam) soil.

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Chances counted across 94 forecast runs from MOGREPS-UK, 2km and ICON-EU-EPS, 7km and ECMWF IFS ensemble, 25km. Forecast from Open-Meteo, refreshed through the day. Soil temperature is modelled, not measured — how that works and where the thresholds come from.