MOWING TIPS

MOW TALL

We recommend that the lawn is to be mowed at 3 INCHES. To achieve this your mower should be set at the highest or second highest setting that your mower allows. Mowing the lawn tall will help reduce the number of weeds that can invade your lawn. All the color of the grass plant is in the leaf blades, so the taller you mow, the better your lawn’s color will be. Keeping your grass tall will also assist it in staying healthier in our hot weather months. Taller grass also shades the soil helping conserve water. Think of the blades of your grass as a mirror image above the soil level, of the roots beneath the soil level. If you mow at 3 inches, the roots can go 3 inches below the soil level. If you mow too short this will promote a shallow root system and make it harder for your lawn to withstand hot and dry conditions.

MOW SHARP

Mowing with sharp blades will keep the lawn looking its best. If your mower’s blade is dull andstarts to shred and tear the leaf blades, you will notice a difference in color. The white tips of the torn grass plant will show more, reflecting the sun. Dull blades also increase the chances of disease establishing in your lawn. Just as an open cut on your finger could allow an infection. The first thing to do when your lawn is diagnosed with a disease is to check and sharpen the mower blades. We recommend having two sets of blades for your mower. The spare set gets sharpened and replaces the set on the mower every month or two, depending on the size of your lawn.

MOW OFTEN

You should mow often enough that no more than ONE THIRD of the grass blade is removed at one time. If your lawn gets too tall in between mowings, it may yellow from stress temporarily. The good news is that the grass will recover from that quickly. We know it is hard to keep up with mowing your lawns in the Spring but mowing every 5 days during growth periods will significantly benefit your lawn if you have the time.

TO MULCH OR NOT TO MULCH CLIPPINGS?

This is a personal preference. It is never a good idea to leave heavy clippings on your lawn. This is another way diseases can get started. Mulching the clippings back into your lawn will provide and extra dose of nitrogen back into the lawn, giving your lawn more color over time. If you have pets or kids active on the lawn you may prefer to bag your clippings. That is perfectly fine to do as well. Mulching the clippings back into the lawn does NOT cause thatch to build up.