Lawn Mowing Tips

You have finally gotten a great lawn started.  You are happy with your landscaping.  Your yard looks great from the road.  Then, all of a sudden, the grass is turning brown and dying.  What happened?

For many homeowners, the answer is simply that they mowed the grass too short.  Mowing a lawn too low causes ‘scalping’ which causes a yard to turn brown and die.

When mowing, you should never trim more than one third (1/3) of the grass blades in a single mowing.  Depending on the time of the year, this may mean mowing twice a week instead of once a week.  Different grasses also require different heights for optimal lushness and color.  Centipede, for example, should never be lower than one inch, but should stay no higher than 1.5 inches.

Another important thing to remember is to never mow with dull lawn mower blades.  Doing so causes ripping and tearing of the grass, as opposed to a cutting.  This tearing leads to fungal infections in the grass and lawn disease.

Never mow when the lawn is wet.  Yes, it is cooler in the mornings, but when you mow with the dew still on the lawn, fungal infections are likely to occur in your yard.  This will cause brown spots and death of the grass.

Finally, always mow in different directions.  Start from a different corner each time.  This will prevent the lawn from ‘leaning’ in one direction or the other, and allow for optimal grass growing.

If you are experiencing problems with your lawn, or would like to improve the look of your yard, contact a professional landscaper or lawn care expert.