Mowing your lawn is a maintenance practice that’s very important to the overall health of your lawn. It may be a chore to some, exercise to others, or just a necessary homeowner expense; But in any case, proper mowing habits are vital to having a lush, healthy lawn.
How do I know the right height to mow my lawn?
Proper mowing height for your grass type is a very common question for homeowners throughout the greater Atlanta area. When mowing, no more than 1/3 of the grass blades should be cut down at one time to prevent mower damage. Cutting too low at one fell swoop can cause discoloration as well as stress to the lawn and root systems. In contrast, letting your lawn become overgrown can make it vulnerable to weed control and even harboring diseases. Following this ⅓ rule in mowing height is the best for quality lawn maintenance and promoting stronger turf.
When and how often should I mow the lawn?
In order to keep your lawn at the ideal height following the ⅓ rule, you may need to change how often you mow. For Atlanta residents, mowing frequency is seasonal and height dependent. During Spring and summer, seasons of rapid growth, mowing frequency may be sooner than once a week. The best time of day to mow is in the morning, or early afternoon but be sure you are not mowing wet grass. During fall and winter, when warm-season grass types have slowed or stopped growth, mowing is much less frequent.
Why is mowing so important for my lawn?
Mowing is more than just an aesthetic chore, but it affects the overall health of your lawn. Mowing your lawn frequently will also help your lawn thicken up on its own and a thicker lawn will be able to crowd out weeds more efficiently. A thicker lawn means a thicker barrier for weeds to breakthrough. Additionally, mowing will return natural nutrients back into your lawn through clippings. Clippings are often thought to as a contributor to thatch buildup, however short clippings are composed of 85% water and break down quickly. Collecting lawn clippings, or bagging is a good practice only when the clippings are excessively long, as these will develop a thatch layer that can block sunlight and nutrients from reaching the surface. Nonetheless, in order to ensure quality turf density and thickness, aeration is recommended each year to alleviate any thatch build-up.
In addition to regular weed control and fertilization, at All Turf Lawn Care, our teams are made up of experienced technicians who can always help educate and guide you to the proper maintenance practices. Call us today to find out how we can help you have the best lawn in the neighborhood.
TURF TYPE MOWING HEIGHT INCHES*
Hybrid Bermuda 0.5 – 1.5
Zoysia 1.0 – 2.0
Centipede 1.5 – 2.0
St. Augustine 2.5 – 4.0
Tall Fescue 3.0 – 3.5
Measure the mowing height on the lawn surface, not on the driveway or a hard surface. Mower wheels sink into the lawn surface resulting in a lowering of the cutting height.
