Lawn Care Tips – Mowing

A healthy lawn contributes to your property value and the overall appearance of your neighborhood. It provides a natural, safe surface where your family can play and relax. By following a few simple tips, you can keep your lawn healthy and environmentally beneficial.

Mowing: Mow high, preferably 2.5 to 3 inches. Mowing short weakens the root system and gives weeds a chance to compete with the grass. When the mower is higher the clippings don’t clump. As a general rule experts say to remove only one third of the leaf with each mowing. So if you mow to 3 inches, you can let the grass grow to 4.5 inches. If you mow at 1.5 inches, you’ll need to cut when the grass grows to 2.75 inches.

The shorter you mow, the more frequently you’ll need to mow your lawn to keep to the “one third” rule. The longer between mowings, the more likely clippings will have to be picked up.

Mow in different directions and alter the pattern each time if you can. For example, go north-south, east-west, clockwise, counter-clockwise, diagonally, and so forth. This will cut more leaf surface on weeds that may tend to lean in the direction of mowing and may help the grass compete with them. It also reduces soil compaction and turf wear from the wheels.

Sharpen your mower blades at least once a year. Dull mower blades tear-off rather than cut grass blades. The torn leaves give the lawn a whitish caste and may leave it more vulnerable to disease problems.

Return the clippings. If you only cut one third of the leaf under dry conditions, the clippings will fall evenly on the soil surface. A mulching mower will further chop-up the clippings, which will help speed-up the decomposition process. Grass clippings are about 85 per cent water and don’t contain lignin. The soil microbes are able to breakdown leaf clippings more readily than they can decompose thatch (see the Thatch section later in this factsheet). During the summer, clippings decompose and return nitrogen and other nutrients to your lawn. The decomposition is slower in cool weather. So the further north you live, the more you’ll need to monitor the build-up of clippings.

If the lawn surface starts to feel too spongy, you may need to put the grass catcher back on your mower and give nature a chance to catch up with the decomposition process. You don’t want the clippings layer to be more than 1/2 inch thick. If you tend to over-fertilize or apply insecticides and fungicides, you might have problems if you don’t remove the clippings.

Reduce or eliminate the need to trim around the edges of your lawn. Keep shrub and flower beds level with the lawn so you can overlap with the mower. Design your lawn to eliminate tight corners and pockets where your mower won’t fit. Don’t run the lawn right up to fences, trees or buildings. Maintain a mulched or cultivated area between the lawn and these objects.

With some easy changes, you should be able to cut the whole area with your mower and leave the trimmer in the shed.

As a homeowner, you take pride in having a healthy, beautiful landscape, and at Maxigreen, we promise to take care of your lawn as if it were our own. We will help you identify problem areas such as soil compaction, excess thatch layer, weed, insects and diseases. We will also identify water, pet and/or shade problems and offer solutions.