How Often Should You Mow The Lawn

Common Problems Caused By Improper Mowing

If your grass looks unhealthy after cutting it:

• The blade setting on your mower could be too low causing scalping that exposes the crown and soil to excess heat
• Your mower blades may be dull causing a tattered leaf or yellow appearance
• You may be letting your grass get too long before cutting it causing the leaf blade to become bleached

Mowing your lawn properly requires attentiveness and planning. Done properly, you can achieve a lush and beautiful lawn that looks healthy. Mowing is just one piece of the lawn care pie, but our lawn care experts know Colorados soil, common lawn problems, and specialize in plant health care. Contact us today!

How Often To Mow Lawn

Youll spend a lot of time mowing your grass as part of lawn care. Mowing your lawn at the proper height will give your house a nice appearance and maintain your grass growing at its best, whether its simply another work or a fun way to spend a sunny afternoon or you have decided to mow your lawn early. Several factors determine how often to mow lawn. These include the quantity of rainfall, the kind of soil, the type of grass, fertilizer, and the time you have to complete the work. Here are some basic tips to help you choose the ideal lawn-mowing routine. In this post, well go through how often should you cut your grass depending on the type of grasses you have and other factors determining how often you mow.

How Often Should You Mow Your Lawn In Summer

‘For those looking for a very tightly cut lawn, you can increase mowing cycles to as often as every two or three days during the peak growing season over summer, but just be cautious to approach the ever shorter cutting blades gradually over a four to six week period so the grass has a chance to adapt.

‘Cutting the grass too short, too quickly is a common cause of poor lawn health which may result in patchy discoloration in places.’

Doing so will mean you will then need to find ways to cure patchy grass.

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Start With Sharp Blades

We are here to highlight some of the mistakes that people make as well. One of the common mistakes is that people mow their lawn with dull mower blades. This is something you need to change as soon as possible to get good results.

Sharp blades are the only ones that can cut the grass cleanly. Despite that, the entire blade will remain healthy as well. Do you know what you get with dull blades? Your grass gets torn, you are not truly cutting it. Each time when you tore the grass, it gets stressed because you are pulling the roots. In that case, your grass loses the necessary quality and health. You can try out different methods after that, but most of them wont be helpful.

Tips For Mowing The Lawn Before Winter

• Always ensure the grass is dry before you cut
• Always make sure the blade is sharp when you mow the lawn to achieve a clean cut. If in doubt, find out how to sharpen lawn mower blades for best results
• Always pick up grass clippings and never leave long clippings on your lawn, as they will dry out and turn yellow. Throw into the compost or use for mulch instead
• Avoid stepping on frozen grass as this can damage the blades. But if the grass is strong it will not damaged by snow

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How Often Should You Mow Your Lawn In Spring

‘After the first cut, as we head into the last weeks of April and May, it’s generally prudent to mow at least once every two weeks to achieve a healthy, well-maintained lawn,’ says Andrew.

‘Much like pruning plants, consistent mowing cycles will also help encourage new and stronger growth to emerge so it’s worthwhile sticking to a regular schedule if possible,’ he continues.

What Sort Of Mower Should I Use

There are two main sorts of mower, cylinder and rotary. A cylinder is better suited for very flat lawns and will not cope with long grass so will need to be mowed very often to achieve best results.

A rotary mower will not cut as cleanly as a cylinder but will be much more forgiving and versatile, cutting longer grass and coping with undulations. For most lawns we recommend this type of mower.

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Disadvantages Of Over Mowing The Lawn

Mowing your lawn too often entails many disadvantages and dangers. Some of these dangers are explained below.

1. Damaging the Roots

Mowing the lawn too frequently will inflict considerable damage to the grass roots. Besides, it will also hinder the growth of weeds. Although weeds are bad for your lawn yet you cannot fully eliminate them as they fill the void.

2. Depleting the Nutrients

You will do a big disfavor to your lawn if you mow it as soon as it starts to spring. It will deprive your lawn of all the required nutrients no matter how you much you fertilize it.

3. Damaging the Grass

You can even damage the grass and prevent it from blossoming if your lawn mowing frequency is too high. However, it also depends upon the type of grass your lawn has.

4. Uneven Growth

Your lawn can grow unevenly in case you tend to over mow it. As a result, it will remain uneven and become unpleasant for eyes.

5. Faster Growth

In addition to uneven growth, your lawn may grow faster than normal. This is especially troublesome if everyone in your house hates mowing the lawn. Therefore, it is important to understand the type of grass and growth patterns.

What Time Of Day Should You Cut Grass

The best times of the day to work on mowing your lawn is by mid-morning and late afternoon. Although you could still mow your lawn early in the morning or late in the evening, the best time is simple mid-morning and late afternoon. The reasons for these are simple. The Mid-morning period has the lawn less humid with the early dew and irrigation evaporated, and the grass is alive, giving you a proper way to gauge the depth of your cuts evenly over all areas.

Late afternoon is another perfect time because the heat of the day is over, spearing the grass, the mower, and yourself the stress of toiling under the hot scorching sun. This time is also highly appreciated because it allows the grass to repair and heal itself before the day runs out. Cutting in the late afternoon prevents the newly trimmed lawn from infectious spreading, often occurring in the dark of the evening/night.

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Mow Like A Pro: How To Avoid These Top 10 Lawn Mowing Mistakes

Most homeowners may not know it, but improper mowing is one of the most common causes of lawn problems. Luckily, its an easy problem to fix. Its much easier than trying to diagnose a disease or pest problem or remedy mold or weed issues. Custom Lawn and Landscape has put together some basic lawn mowing tips to keep your lawn healthy and looking its best.

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What Happens If You Dont Mow Your Lawn

If you wait until the grass is long to mow, the grass clippings will clump up over the turf, blocking the sunlight and stunting growth. The clumped clippings could kill your grass if left without raking. The best way to get rid of clumps is to use a lawn mower.

Lawn mowers can be purchased at most home improvement stores, or you can buy them at your local hardware store. You can also buy lawnmowers online, but be sure to read the instructions on how to properly use them before you start mowing.

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Tips For Mowing A Lawn Professionally

Having expounded on the frequency of mowing your lawn, let us now focus on how you should do it. You do not just wake up and start your lawn mower engine and go about the mowing.

There are Dos and DONTs, and tips to pay attention to if at all you want is a lush green lawn grass.

• Mowing your 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.

Understanding Different Types Of Grass

The two driving factors which determine how often to mow lawn are the season of the year and the temperature. However, there is another important consideration that is the type of grass planted in your lawn. In fact, it is as important a factor as the other two when it comes to determining the lawn mowing frequency.

The following are a few cold-season and warm-season grasses and their ideal cutting length.

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How Often Should You Mow Your Lawn Dont Worry Too Much

The longer you allow the lawn to grow , the longer the root system will be. The longer the system, the more stress-resistant your lawn is.

The more drought and stress-resistant your law, the less watering is needed. In addition to this, longer blades also have more surface area for photosynthesis, which produces energy and nutrition to the plants.

However, its quite easy to overdo, so strike a balance of medium length. For the last cutting season, make the cut short. Leaving the grass short for the winter will reduce the chances of winter kill .

How Quickly Does Your Grass Grow

This is the most important factor for how often you should mow your grass. Most varieties have an average growth rate, but the growth rate will change depending on the weather, whether its sunny or cloudy, how much water is available, and whether its well-fertilized.

Youll need to mow more often during your grasss peak season. In cold weather climates, like most of the northern United States, your grass will probably reach peak season during the summer.

Hot weather climates are less predictable. Your grass peak season could be anywhere from spring to fall. If you have a dual grass lawn, also more common in hot weather climates, you may have two different peak seasons for the different kinds of grass youre growing.

During peak season your grass may grow fast enough to need mowing 1-2 times a week. The rest of the time youll likely be able to mow once every 2 weeks or even less.

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Example Lawn Mowing Routine

Little or no mowing required depending on the weather

One or two mows this month, roughly once a fortnight but a high cut just to neaten things up

At least once per week will be necessary, perhaps even twice a week if growth is vigorous. The warmer temperatures and still moist ground will cause grass to grow at its fastest rate of the year.

Once per week is usually often enough at this time of year. Growth will be more steady as soil moisture drops. If there is a drought and things go very dry it may be best to stop mowing and leave the grass long until the rain returns.

Once per week, maybe twice per week if growth is strong. This can be a period of rapid growth similar to the spring. The soil is warm from the summer and rains will have restored moisture meaning growing conditions are great. Dont be tempted to pack away the mower too soon.

Once per fortnight should be enough to keep the lawn tidy. Lawns can grow faster than expected while temperatures are mild.

Does Mowing Make Grass Grow Faster

When lawn mowing is done right, with the right height maintained, yes, it makes the grass grow faster and healthier as it grows. This growth is also a function of the type/species of grass you have on your lawn and the season of the year since grass grows faster during the warmer/hotter seasons of spring and summer.

Frequent mowing promotes grass growth through specific processes. Once trimmed, the entire system of the grass goes on an overdrive. To augment its growth and efficiently carry out photosynthesis, it propels itself. It focuses its energy on the blade and runner growth, expanding its growth both upwards and sideways, creating a canopy of green over the soil.

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Can You Mow Your Lawn Every 2 Weeks

The health and performance of your lawn can be impacted by failing to mow properly. Even if you feel like you can live with your lawn a little taller, mowing every two weeks as opposed to weekly mowing is not ideal. Mowing too often can cause your grass to grow too tall, and too little can lead to a lawn that looks like it has been mowed too many times.

If you have a lot of grass, you may want to consider using a mower that has a shorter blade length, such as a 3/8 or 1/2 blade. This will give you more control over the length of the blade, which will allow you to control the amount of water you need to apply to the lawn to keep it healthy and looking its best.

Regular Mowing During Summer

Do you want to keep your garden looking neat all year round? Mowing lawn during the summer is a great way to make sure that it doesn’t grow too long, making it easier for you in the fall. It also helps prevent weeds from popping up because of minimal contact with sunlight. For many homeowners, maintaining their home’s curb appeal is important and one way they can do this easily throughout the hot months of summer is by mowing regularly. Anywhere between two to three times per week will be enough time outside if appropriately done on a push or riding mower without damaging your grassroots.

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How Often To Mow Lawns In Fall & Winter

Unlike in the Summer, grass will not grow as quickly in the fall or winter months .

Even if you dont get snowfall during the winter, it may seem like your lawn has stopped growing altogether in the cooler months.

The truth is, when the temperature drops below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, mowing your lawn every week becomes a thing of the past.

Especially in cooler climates, you might not need to mow your lawn at all.

Here are some things to consider when thinking about mowing your lawn in the autumn or winter months:

• Try to avoid mowing your lawn when it is wet. Maybe it has just rained, or the ice is melting on your grass. Whatever the case, try to avoid mowing your wet lawn. Mowing a wet lawn leads to uneven mowing because of an unsettled base under the grass. The cooler temperatures can also cause issues with mold or mildew growth.
• Dont cut your grass on the one hot day of the Winter. Just because it is hot for one day, does not mean you should rush out and mow your dormant lawn. I recommend a short mow for your lawn at the end of the season, but once thats done, leave your lawn alone to ensure it will be able to handle the cold to come.
• Proceed with caution is you do mow your lawn at this time of the year.

The amount you should mow your lawn in the Winter differs greatly from the recommendations Ive made for mowing frequency in the Spring or Summer.

How Often Should You Get Your Lawn Mowed

You should have your lawn care company mow your lawn at least once per week during the growing season. If you have time to get a second mow in, particularly during the peak growing season like mid-to-late spring, that would be optimal. Set the desired height on your mower and try to never cut off more than one-third of the grass at one time.

Other questions to ask yourself:

• What is my grass type?
• What is the optimal height for that grass type?
• How long does it take to mow my yard?
• Can I schedule 1-2 days per week to mow?

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Disadvantages Of Over Mowing And Under Mowing The Lawn

You must have a fair knowledge and understanding of how often to mow lawn in different seasons by now. However, you can still end up over mowing or under mowing your lawn with drastic consequences. In fact, this is one of the most common yet biggest mistakes lawn owners make while trying to maintain a healthy and beautiful lawn.