We Grow It, You Mow It
We Grow It, You Mow It
During the Fall and early Spring months, you (or a lawn care company) have worked diligently and expertly to ensure a healthy environment for your lawn. Now your grass is growing strong and tall, and the shade of your grass blades is rich in color and beautifully green. It’s that time of year when your lawn needs to be mowed regularly, and it’s important to follow proper mowing guidelines in order to maintain the healthiest grass possible. We have compiled a list of lawn mowing best practices that will help ensure your grass is being cut properly.
One of the most important guidelines is to mow your grass at the appropriate height. This may involve a little bit of research on your part, but the investment of your time is certainly worth it. The main point here is that you don’t want to mow the grass too low, because mowing it too low is damaging to the grass blades. Mowing too low allows weeds to thrive, threatens the water and food supply for the grass, and may turn the blades of your grass yellow or brown. Below we have listed the most popular grass types in our area along with the recommended height level for the grass blades.
Bermuda grass: 1”-2”
Centipede grass: 1 ½”-2”
Zoysia grass: 1”-2”
Bluegrass: 2 ½”-3”
Ryegrass: 2 ½”-3”
Fescue grass: 3”-4”
Our next piece of advice is to not mow your lawn too often. Some people believe that since their neighbors are outside every few days mowing their lawns, that they must do so, too. Actually, the best rule of thumb is to mow your grass according to the rate that it is growing. Remember to refer to the recommended height level for your particular grass, and mow your lawn according to that schedule. The time frame between mowing may be every few days, once a week, or 10-12 days apart.
We also advise that you leave grass clippings alone, and do not collect them after or during a mowing routine. Grass clippings that are recycled into the ground provide nutrients for the remaining grass, and they help restore moisture into the soil because the top blades that have been cut are rich in moisture. Leaving the grass clippings alone is actually healthier for your lawn, and therefore, helps provide the result of richer, greener grass.
Lastly, we recommend that all lawn mower blades should be sharpened on a regular basis, at least 2-3 times a year. Sharp mower blades will result in clean, sharp cuts of the grass blades. In contrary, dull blades will lead to grass tears, which will result in dying grass that is yellow or brown in color. The sharper the mowing blades, the healthier the result for your grass, and the better your lawn will look in appearance.