Mowing your lawn is necessary to have an attractive yard with great curb appeal. It is also boring and frustrating if not done properly. Here are some tips and tricks to help you achieve a healthy and attractive lawn.
Don’t Cut It Too Short
Never cut off more than one-third of the grass blades. The recommended grass length after cutting is 2 ½” to 3”. Longer grass blades absorb more sunlight–promoting better root growth. Deeper and stronger roots can access moisture and nutrients more easily.
Cutting your grass to 2” or less is often called scalping. Short grass allows the soil to dry out quickly. It also allows weed seeds to propagate easier and damages the growing stem of the grass blades. The grass expends more energy regrowing the blade than it does to expand its root system.
Know Your Grass
Certain types of grass are common in different temperature zones. Knowing the grass your lawn is made of allows you to adjust cutting heights, watering needs, and fertilizer applications. For example, some grasses such as Bermuda grass perform better when cut very short.
Adjust Cutting Height
Adjusting lawn mower height to match the season is good lawn care practice. Set the mower a little lower in spring when there is usually a lot of moisture and the grass grows quickly. Set it a bit higher during the hot summer months so the longer grass provides more shade for the soil and retains more moisture.
Sharpen Your Blades
Sharp mower blades cut grass cleanly. Dull blades tear the tops off the grass blades. The ends of torn blades turn brown and are more susceptible to disease, insect damage, drought, and heat stress. Very dull lawn mower blades pull the grass out of the ground.
Sharpen lawnmower blades before mowing season begins. Check the blade regularly throughout the year. Changing oil, cleaning air filters, and a general tune-up each spring are also a good habit. Lawnmowers cut better when operating in optimal condition.
Mulch – Don’t Bag
Short grass clippings do not damage the lawn. Leaving grass clippings in the lawn adds nutrients to the soil. They fall through the standing grass and decompose quickly. This only works when you cut off a little grass regularly. Cutting when the grass is long leaves too much trash on the lawn. It needs to be picked up or it will kill the grass.
Clean the Yard First
Spend a few minutes walking around the lawn before mowing. Pick up foreign objects like twigs, branches, leaves, stones, dog feces, etc. Your lawnmower is designed to cut grass. Chopping anything else is hard on the mower and does not improve lawn health.
Don’t Mow Wet Grass
Mowing wet grass can make your lawn uneven. Moisture adds weight and bends grass blades. Wet spots don’t stand up to be cut evenly. Wet grass clumps and is difficult to clean up. It also clogs the lawnmower and will cause rust if the mower is not cleaned.
Running a lawn mower and walking on a wet lawn compresses the soil. You can leave ruts and pull out divots. The best time to cut grass is early evening when it is usually driest. Unless it rained during the day. Wet grass is slippery and makes cutting hilly property more dangerous.
Don’t Mow Brittle Grass
You want the grass green and dry when you mow it–not dry and brittle. Cutting during drought or lack of watering shatters the grass blades–making recovery difficult. If there are no local watering bans in place, water your lawn enough to make it green and healthier before cutting it.
Change Mowing Patterns
Don’t be a creature of habit. Mowing the same pattern and paths can leave wheel ruts and compress the soil–especially if you use a heavy riding mower. Ideally, you should change the pattern every time you mow the lawn. Cut perpendicular to the last mowing–or try a diagonal pattern.
Do not push the mower in the same direction on successive passes–unless you want the striped pattern common on some ball diamonds. The grass grows in the direction the lawnmower passes. Changing mowing patterns and travel direction helps your grass to grow straight and uniform.
Mowing Schedule
Let the speed of grass growth determine your mowing schedule. Lawns need to be mowed more often in the spring during high growth time–sometimes twice weekly. Summer heat and cool fall temperatures slow it down. Mowing once a week or even every two weeks is usually enough to keep the lawn healthy and vibrant.
