Mowing is one of the most important and beneficial practices to help you achieve a healthy and thick lawn, though many homeowners don’t realize that they’re mowing their turf improperly. This could be the underlying cause as to why their lawn is looking less than ideal. Improper mowing practices can make your lawn more susceptible to weeds, insects, and disease. Luckily, you can learn how to best mow your lawn if you follow these simple tips.
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1/3 Rule
When it comes to proper mowing, the biggest rule you need to know is the 1/3 rule. After you’ve determined the proper grass height for your grass type, allow it to grow past there before mowing. To ensure that your lawn stays healthy, never cut away more than one-third of the grass blade in one mow. As a general rule, don’t cut your grass below a height of 2.5 – 3 inches, especially if conditions are hot and dry.
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Sharpen Mower Blades
It’s important to keep mower blades sharp. Maintaining sharp blades will ensure a precise cut and avoid grass becoming susceptible to disease and pests. Dull blades can damage your turf by fraying the ends of the blades and turning the tips of the grass brown. You should sharpen your blades every 3-12 months to avoid dulling them.
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Varied Patterns
People tend to follow the same pattern when they mow their lawn. What they don’t know is that this can be affecting the health of their lawn. The direction in which you mow your lawn should change every 1-2 mowings. The reason for this is to ensure that your turf will not begin leaning in the direction you are always mowing in. Switching directions will allow the grass blades to grow upright and create a dense, healthy lawn.
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Don’t bag grass clippings
It’s important to leave grass clippings on your lawn instead of removing them. Grass clippings are packed full of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium that your lawn can break down and benefit from. Grass clippings also help to smother out pesky weeds such as dandelions.
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Mow Dry
It’s more beneficial for your grass to mow when it’s dry, rather than wet. When your turf is wet, it’s hard to cut, and it will cause uneven cuts. It could also potentially clog and damage your mower, which could become costly and stop you from keeping up with proper mowing.
We want your lawn to look great, and following proper mowing practices is a step in the right direction. Mowing your lawn the right way is an excellent way to complement your services from Hometurf. Give us a call at 1.888.791.8873 and ask our lawn care experts how we can help make your lawn look its best!