How to Mow Your Lawn Without Damaging Your Grass:

Mowing is one of the most important lawn care practices. Mowing too high or too low can damage your grass, making it more susceptible to disease and pests. Use the following tips to ensure a healthy and manicured lawn.

How Often to Mow Your Lawn?

There are many myths that you should mow your lawn weekly, biweekly, etc. The truth is that you should only mow your lawn, when it needs it. Many things affect the growth rate of your yard; grass type, growing conditions, growth pattern, sun placement, and the season. 

Generally, you should mow once a week during the growing season and Bermuda lawns will need to be mowed more frequently than Fescue. You can contact one of our lawn care experts to help determine how often your specific lawn needs mowed.

What Time of Day Should You Mow Your Lawn?

The time of day to mow your lawn will be dependent on the weather conditions in your area. Typically, you want to avoid early morning mowing because the turf is likely to still be wet from the morning dew. Wet grass clippings can clog your mower and if your yard is holding too much moisture, your lawn mower can leave trackers in your yard.

Mid-morning is perhaps the most optimal time of day to mow your yard. The turf should be dry from any residual morning dew and mowing mid morning gives the freshly cut grass blades time to heal before nightfall brings more moisture. 

Midday is not an optimal time to mow the lawn because it is typically the hottest part of the day which will already be causing stress to your lawn. If you cut the lawn too short during midday, you leave your lawn at risk of burning which will cause brown patches. 

Late afternoon is the second best time to cut the grass, since it will be cooler out and will still give your lawn some time to recover before nightfall. It is best to avoid mowing in the evening time because your lawn will not have time to recover leaving it open to diseases caused by exposing the open grass blades to the dampness of the nighttime. 

Additionally, if you are on one of our Lawn Care Maintenance Plans, you should avoid mowing with 24 hours of application. Mowing while chemicals are still wet can cause damage to your lawn and mower and will likely lower the impact of the treatment. In fact, you should plan to mow 24-48 hours before the treatment is applied to achieve the best results, especially with fertilizing treatments.

What Height Should I Mow My Grass?

The ideal mowing height depends on your grass type. For most lawns, the recommended height is 2.5 to 3.5 inches. Taller grass is better able to withstand heat and drought, while shorter grass requires more frequent watering and is more susceptible to weeds and pests.

The blades of your grass should never exceed 6 cm, if they do, your lawn needs mowed immediately. Having long grass blades prevents the sun from reaching the surface of the turn. Insufficient amount of sunlight can cause the lower sections of the grass blades to brown leaving yellow or brown patches due to scalping when you mow. Yellowing or brown lawns are playgrounds for diseases and pest.

Ensure you Don't Spray Chemicals before Mowing

Mowing can distribute chemicals, such as herbicides and pesticides, unevenly across your lawn. To avoid this, wait until the chemical has had time to dry or be absorbed before mowing.

It Is Important to Vary Your Mowing Pattern

Varying your mowing patterns is one way to help keep your lawn looking manicured. We all tend to have a pattern, mow left to right or top to bottom but doing this continuously can actually damage your lawn. Mowing in the same direction every time can cause your grass blades to lean in the direction you mow and can cause ruts in the lawn. Instead, you should vary between different mowing patterns which will leave your grass standing up straight and tall.

Ensure you Don't Stick to a Schedule

While it's important to mow regularly, don't stick to a rigid schedule. Mowing too often will damage the grass while mowing too infrequently will allow the grass to become overgrown. Check the lawn weekly and mow as needed.

Don't Move the Grass Clippings

Skip bagging your clippings and instead leave the grass clippings on the lawn is a good way to fertilize your grass. The clippings will quickly decompose and provide nutrients for the grass. If you must remove the clippings, compost them or add them to your garden. 

Mowing your yard with a dull blade is like shaving with a dull blade; it hurts. Using a dull blade on your turf can tear up the grass and cause the ends to be ragged and brown. Continuous use of a dull blade can cause your lawn to weaken and become more susceptible to diseases, insect damage (like armyworms) and less heat and drought tolerance. 

The best idea is to check your lawn mower and sharper the blades every year at the beginning of the mowing season. Maintaining your lawn mower will make mowing easier, keep your lawn looking better, and will save you money on unexpected repairs. Also, make sure to wash your mower after each use, this prevents clogging and buildup after several uses.