Best Lawn Mowing Practices

Best Lawn Mowing Practices

Whether you love mowing the grass or hate it, it's a task that requires to be done. However, there's a distinction between doing it and doing it well. If you find yourself questioning why your next-door neighbors have an incredible lawn while your own looks crappy you should read on to learn about the reasons why. 

Part of the reason why your lawn doesn't match up is maybe just how you're caring for your grass. If you have not placed much thought into it until now, here are a few pointers to consider. Making a few changes to your lawn care routine can have a big influence on the lawn itself, and also your turf will thank you for it.

Yearly Mower Maintenance

Too many individuals never give mower maintenance a single thought and start the new mowing season by just adding more gas. This is a great way to wear out your mower and at the same time harm the lawn. One should begin each season with inspecting the lawnmower blades for fractures, dullness, or other indications that they require to be honed or replaced, an oil change, as well as fresh gas. Watch the grass blades as you mow. If they are ragged looking, it is a sign that your blades are dull and need sharpening. A little bit of mower maintenance at the beginning of the mowing season will pay off big time and keep your lawn in tip-top condition. 

Know the Species of Your Grass

A lot of individuals think that grass is grass, yet there are many species out there. Spend some time identifying the species of your lawn and learn about their growing patterns and how it should be treated. What kind of watering needs does it have and what kind of fertilization needs it has. If you need to reseed part of your grass, understanding the existing lawn type will also make sure that you get the ideal seed mixture for optimal results.

Cut to the Right Height

For a best flourishing lawn, the grass needs to have enough height to absorb sunlight to satisfy its roots and expanding needs. Cutting it too close to the roots can harm it, causing browning, even killing off patches. As a general guideline, you'll typically hear that you need to leave around 3 inches of the lawn when you cut. But this can differ depending upon the type of turf you have. If doubtful, you can establish the blade height in between the 3-inch to 3 1/2- inch mark to be safe. You'll have a lot more control over your grass if you know the lawn type in your yard and adhere to the ideal cutting elevation based on that.

Leave or Remover the Lawn Cuttings

It's usually best to leave your clippings on the ground, as they give much-needed nutrients to the grass as they disintegrate. If it bothers you to look at the cuttings, you could consider a mulching blade and guard for your mower. This will cut the cuttings into smaller-sized pieces. Or, you could make several passes over the exact same location, which will have the same effect. The exceptions to leaving the cuttings would be at the first and last cuts of the year or when the cuttings are too long due to the grass not being mowed at the scheduled time. In those circumstances, your lawn will certainly do better if the cuttings are bagged and removed.

Make Seasonal Adjustments

One thing to keep in mind is that a lawn is a living thing and grows differently depending upon the season and the local climate conditions. During the warmer summer month, make your lawn more drought-resistant by re-adjusting your cut height up a little. This provides the grass with more blade area to accumulate dew on. Also, the direction of your cuts is beneficial, especially if it's been drizzling a lot. To stop harming the grass or compacting the soil excessively, change direction every 2 or three cuts, switching to a reducing pattern around 90 levels off from what you've been doing."

By heeding these tips you should notice an improved appearance in your lawn.  If not, it might be time to hire a professional mowing service near you.