It is everyone’s dream to have a lush green lawn, but that comes with investing lots of effort and resources. One of the many ways to keep the lawn healthy is by mowing it more often, especially when it is growing too fast.
Letting the lawn grass grow too long may encourage the growth of weeds. In the end, it may end up with a lawn full of weeds or brown dried patches of grass on the lawn.
On the other hand, mowing the grass too short does more harm than good. It exposes the weak grass blades to elements such as drought in summer and this will give you the same results as when it is not mowed at all.
Together with other lawn care tips, the health of your lawn lies in the balance of mowing; not too short and not too long. We call this balance the one-third rule. Typically, wow your lawn once a week during active growth.
How often should You Mow lawn in spring?
The lawn grass has taken a heavy beating from the frost of the just-finished winter months. And now the sun is shining again and the birds are chirping. By this time you are very much tempted to start the lawn mower engine and get working; stop and take some time as you think things through.
Also remember that the grass, just like any other plant, went into dormancy the moment frost first struck in, at the start of the winter. This, therefore, means that the grass height is most likely the same as you last mowed it in late fall or early winter; the grass has not grown at all.
And because there might still be ice on the grass, we will want to wait for a week or two before we can start mowing your lawn grass. Melted ice leaves the grass wet and this is not a good time to mow the lawn.
There are many reasons as to why we should not mow wet grass. Doing so while the grass is wet leaves uneven height and also weakens the roots system, rendering it vulnerable to the harsh elements in the coming months.
As you eagerly wait to mow the grass, ensure that you have not or are not planning to overseed or fertilize it. Mowing the grass in these circumstances will destroy it and also lead to waste of lots of resources in terms of grass seed and the expensive fertilizer, something that you do not want.
How often should We Mow The lawn in summer?
The unmasking of the sun and increase in temperatures comes with the blossoming of the lawn grass in the summertime. With proper grass care and watering, lawn grass grows about an inch every 3-5 days.
This, therefore, means that we will be forced to mow the grass more often than we did in the springtime; once every 3-5 days. On the flip side, summers come with very high temperatures which might have adverse effects on the grass if we do not properly take care of it.
Even as we follow the one third thumb rule, we should always leave the grass to grow taller; 3 inches during summertime. This help by protecting the base of the grass against excess evaporation. This in turn helps keep the grass hydrated for maximum growth.
As temperatures reach the highest this is the time of the year when you might be required to water your lawn more often. Failure to do this leaves the grass dehydrated and this is when you start seeing brown patches of dead or dying grass on the lawn.
How Often Should We Mow The lawn in Fall
Temperatures drop below 40°F in winter, and this is too cold for grass to grow. At the same, the snow that falls on the grass makes the base of the grass too cold for any significant growth to take place.
Even if the grass does grow, the rate will be much slower than in the previous spring and summer months. This, therefore, means that you will be required to mow your lawn least often in these cold months.
Even living in regions that receive little or no snow at all, we may find ourselves mowing the grass only once during the entire season. And when doing this, ensure the grass is long enough so that you do not leave it too short and vulnerable to the elements.
Tips for Mowing a Lawn Professionally
There are Dos and DONTs, and tips to pay attention to if at all you want is a lush green lawn grass.
- Mowing the lawn in the evening hours; mowing it early in the morning is wrong because the grass might still be wet from the night dew or light shower. Doing it in the middle of the day might expose the freshly cut to elements especially if it is summertime. But mowing the lawn early in the evening allows the grass to recover overnight.
- Ensure the lawnmower blades are sharp; blunt lawn mower blades leave frayed grass tips and this might as well kill the grass as not mowing it all.
- Follow the one third thumb rule; cutting your lawn grass too short exposes the weak freshly cut grass blades and the base to elements such as excessive evaporation.
- First, remove debris before mowing your lawn; going for so long without mowing your grass especially in the dormant fall/winter months leads to lots of debris on the surface. Removing the debris which includes leaves and tree branches, protects your lawnmower from mechanical damage.
- Leave the grass clippings on the surface; these contain lots of nutrients that acts as natural fertilizer for the health growth of lawn grass.
Conclusion: As said, keeping grass green, thick and lush requires great effort. Mowing correctly at the right time of the season is a key if you want to achieve a lawn of your dream.
