Mowing Your Lawn
Proper lawn mowing practices is easily one of the most overlooked, yet most important lawn practices to yield a healthy turf. Mowing height, frequency, timing, and equipment can all play a factor in mowing best practices. Here are a few tips to help you get the best out of your lawn this year.
During the spring, you want to be as frequent as possible for cutting the grass. In the spring and fall it's best to cut the grass every 5 to 7 days, depending on the speed at which your lawn grows. The rule of thumb is you don't want to let the lawn grow to more than 3 inches in spring or fall, and no more than 4 inches in the summer. For a marked improvement in the thickness of your lawn, it does help to mow twice per week in the month of May.
When mowing it's best to never cut more than 1/3 of the length of the grass blade. This means more frequent mowing in the key growth periods of the year, but it does result in a healthier and thicker lawn. Cutting too much off the grass, or setting the mower height too low can shock the turf, putting it in distress and will cause your lawn to thin out.
The next thing to look at is your lawn mower. and more specifically, your mower's blade. It is very helpful to your lawn and your mower if at the beginning of the season you clean out the deck of your mower and sharpen the blade. A dull blade on a lawn mower can be bad for a few reasons:
A dull blade will tear the grass instead of cutting it cleanly, leaving the lawn vulnerable to disease. Tearing the grass can also cause the grass to turn brown and look unsightly.
A dull blade will create a ragged edge on the cut grass, which can make the lawn look uneven and unkempt.
A dull blade will cause the mower to work harder, which can reduce the lifespan of the mower and increase the risk of breakdowns.
A dull blade can also make mowing less efficient, as it will take more passes to achieve a clean cut.
