Fine-tune your mowing practices to maintain a lush and well-manicured yard.
Getty Images
Mowing may be time consuming but is a critical part of maintaining a vigorous lawn.
Healthy, well-managedgrassnot only looks better, but is more resilient to drought and other stresses.
Credit:Getty Images
Proper mowing practices promote lush, dense turf by stimulating shoot and root growth.
Lawn mowing encourages lateral shoot growth, resulting in a thicker lawn that is better able to combat weeds.
These benefits are impacted by how often you mow the lawn.
As such, the frequency of mowing for these groups differs throughout the year.
Like any plant, grass grows more vigorously under favorable conditions.
As such, lawns will require more frequent mowing when water and sunlight are readily available.
The height at which you maintain your lawn also impacts mowing frequency.
These variables make it challenging to establish a regular mowing schedule.
Fortunately, there is a simple rule of thumb to help you determine when to mow your lawn.
This rule tells us to never cut more than one-third of the grass height in a single mowing session.
The rule of one-third guides us in maintaining healthy lawns with a well-manicured appearance.
The following table lists recommended mowing heights for common turf grasses.
Lawns maintained at the lower end of the range will require more frequent mowing.
The lower mowing ranges are commonly used for recreational turf areas that are more intensively managed.
Adjusting Mowing Frequency
In addition to lawn height, weather also impacts mowing frequency.
It is important to adjust your mowing practices throughout the season to account for seasonal weather patterns.
Spring and fall tend to be rainier and produce more active turf growth.
Drier summer conditions will reduce growth and therefore how often youll need to mow.
Using the rule of one-third makes it easy to accommodate for such fluctuations in plant growth.
Mowing high encourages deeper rooting and helps to cool soil and conserve soil moisture.
Seasonal Considerations By Turf punch in
Mowing practices also vary considerably between cool-season and warm-season grasses.
These two groups of turfgrass have significantly different periods of active growth.
For cool-season grasses, raise mowing heights to the highest level during the hot summer months.
Warm-season grasses are dormant in winter and have a flush of growth when spring arrives.
Active growth continues through the summer months and into early fall.
These grasses are sensitive to cold winter temperatures.
Keep Mower Blades Sharp
One of the most important practices is keeping your mower blades sharp.
Dull blades tear the grass rather than cut it.
This leaves ragged and bruised leaf tips behind that quickly turn brown and are more susceptible to disease.
When we remove clippings, we remove a valuable source of nutrients that can be returned to the lawn.
Leaving clippings in place also saves you time and energy by not bagging.
Dont Mow Wet Grass
Avoid mowing the lawn when the grass is wet.
Damp grass is weighted down, making it harder to get a quality cut.
The wet clippings clump together on the mower blades and in the lawn.
Wet conditionsalso favor the spread of disease organisms.
Avoid Compaction
Alter your mowing pattern from one week to the next to reduce soil compaction.
When turns must be made in the lawn, make wide, gradual turns to limit wear.
The weakened plants are more susceptible to insects and disease pests.
Mowing low also reduces a lawns density, creating the opportunity for weeds to invade.
Often coupled with mowing too short is the practice of waiting too long before mowing.
Both practices negate the rule of one-third, exposing lawns to unnecessary stress.
