How a lawn is mowed makes a huge difference in its health and vitality. Here's a laundry list of suggestions for this very routine task:
- Mowing the lawn is a seemingly straightforward task. Many people mow their lawns too short. It's a bad habit, one that promotes all kinds of problems, from excessive weed growth to pest and disease problems to rapid browning during periods of drought. Merely raising the height of a mower's cutting deck at least one notch, maybe two, will go a long way toward improving the look of a lawn and eliminating those problems. Warm-season grasses such as Bermuda and zoysia should be cut to a height of at least two inches, even three; their cool-season cousins such as bluegrass, fescue and rye perform best when cut at around three inches, especially during the summer months. Taller grasses produce healthier root systems and require less water because the longer-leaf blades serve as shade fom the sun. A grass's root system grows about as deep as the leaf blades are tall.
- Here's another common mowing mistake: letting the grass grow too tall before it is mowed. Don't wait until the lawn is six inches high before mowing because the very act of mowing creates considerable stress on the grass, and it may take days for the grass to recover from the shock. It also takes more time to mow tall grass.
- Get in the habit of having blades sharpened at least once a year. Dull blades tend to tear the grass, leaving a ragged edge that invites invasion by various pests and diseases. A sharp blade makes a clean cut. Here's an idea that may sound a bit silly at first, but it's worth trying: Change direction each time you mow to avoid excessive rutting, especially if the ground is soft or if a heavy riding mower is used. Another tip is to avoid cutting wet grass. Wet grass doesn't cut well and tends to clog the underside of the mower deck. If time allows, mow late in the evening rather than during the heat of the day. It's far less stressful on the grass.
