You may not realize it, but mowing does more than just reduce grass height. This lawn care practice also has a great influence on lawn health and preventing other problems. This makes it even more important to make sure that you know how to mow properly using the right tools.
Improper mowing contributes to weeds, drought, and diseases, with the majority of turf problems caused by bad practices. Lawn care experts from Greenside Landscaping share how proper mowing can improve your lawn, with a few suggestions of doing it right.
- It is best to set mowing heights for most lawns between two and three inches. This will help improve disease and drought resistance, as well as develop deep roots and crowd out weeds and diseases.
- While regular mowing is important, note that cutting too much at once puts a lot of stress on the grass. Only remove a 1/3 of the grass length when mowing. Do this once a week (but twice in the spring).
- Don’t remove the clippings on the lawn, as this can help provide nitrogen to the grass. This is also referred to as mulch mowing, which helps the grass grow healthier and greener.
- To mulch on your own, use a mulch mower to cut the grass finely and then throw it off in the lawn. When using a regular mower, be sure that the grass is dry and mow more in spring.
- Always keep the blades sharp. Dull blades will only tear the grass, and leave unappealing brown tips. This can also invite diseases and other problems. Learn to sharpen your blades or go to a mower shop.
- If you need to buy a new mower, choose a mulching mower. They help with grass recycling by chopping clippings finely and helping return and break down the nutrients faster to the soil.
Don’t let improper mowing negatively affect your grass health. Be sure to cut at the right height and frequency of having weak grass, which is susceptible to weeds and diseases.