Few things compare to the beauty of a well-manicured lawn. Studies demo that a home’s curb appeal tin increase its resale value. You’ll also convey a feel of pride as well as accomplishment, knowing that your lawn attention routine is responsible for the positive results. In addition, at that spot are environmental as well as wellness benefits of turfgrass lawns.
Curb appeal tin increase your home’s resale value. Image: tab1962/Getty Images
However, the wellness of your lawn is dependent, inwards part, on proper mowing techniques. So, Freshome asked 2 lawn attention professionals to render best practices as well as tips for doing it right.
Mowing frequency
Warm flavor grasses grow faster inwards mid-summer. Images: kurham/Shutterstock
How ofttimes should you lot mow the lawn? “Many of us convey heard the sentiment of mowing our lawn at to the lowest degree i fourth dimension per week,” says Dr. Brad DeBels, Director of Operations at Weed Man Lawn Care. As a full general rule, he says it’s an accurate marking of frequency, but it all depends on the flavor as well as the type the grass you lot have.
“Warm-season grasses grow much faster inwards mid-summer than inwards the jump or fall, piece cool-season grasses grow at higher rates inwards jump as well as autumn than summer,” DeBels explains. “For your lawn to live on the envy of the neighborhood, you lot should live on mowing your lawn at to the lowest degree i fourth dimension per calendar week at the proper height.”
Are you lot scalping your lawn?
Scalping puts your lawn at risk. Image: SL-photo/Shutterstock
And the proper summit is the crusade of some confusion. “Most homeowners shout out back if they cutting their grass overnice as well as short, it buys them to a greater extent than fourth dimension earlier they demand to mow again,” explains Chris McGeary at Lawn Doctor. “While mowing your lawn properly is i of the easiest ways to create make off weeds as well as diseases, many homeowners autumn victim to mowing equally good short, or ‘scalping,’ which does to a greater extent than price than good.”
But if mowing your grass fights off weeds as well as diseases, wouldn’t mowing it fifty-fifty shorter render a greater marking of defense? Apparently not, according to McGeary. “Scalping tin convey some pretty serious repercussions equally a resultant of cutting off essential release energy sources for the grass blades.” So, when you’re mowing, he says it’s of import to pay attending to the summit of your grass to ensure you’re non hindering its growth. “You’ll notice if you lot are scalping your lawn when the grass turns a yellowish coloring or becomes frayed,” he says.
How to avoid scalping
Dull blades tin also crusade scalping. Image: PPA/Shutterstock
To avoid weakening as well as other lawn issues, McGeary recommends cutting most warm-season grasses downwards to 1 inch, as well as he says most cool-season grasses should live on 2.5 inches high.
“Scalping tin also happen equally a resultant of keeping your mower on its lowest setting as well as having a wearisome blade, as well as then live on certain to regularly banking corporation check inwards on your equipment.” If you’re worried close your grass beingness equally good high, McGeary says longer is ever improve as well as then you lot shouldn’t live on afraid to allow your grass grow. “Pairing your mowing habits amongst maintained irrigation volition allow you lot to bask your glorious yard inwards no time.”
Observe these mowing guidelines
DeBels recommends that you lot never mow to a greater extent than than one-third of the leafage blade off at whatsoever i time. “For example, if your desired grass summit is three inches, you lot should mow the grass earlier it has reached a summit of 4.5 inches.” This agency that you lot may demand to mow your lawn every iv to v days during peak growing seasons. “If you lot mow to a greater extent than than one-third of the leafage blade off, you lot initiate a growth answer inwards the institute that causes excess shoot growth, reduced rootage growth as well as tin larn out many unsightly leafage clippings on the surface,” DeBels explains.
Keep your mowing summit equally high equally possible
A higher mowing summit contributes to a healthier lawn. Image: PPA/Shutterstock
If you lot guide a higher mowing height, DeBels says you lot tin also forestall weed growth. “Aesthetics as well as utility are potent considerations when choosing a mowing height, but by as well as large the highest setting on your mower is a rubber identify to be,” he says. However, you lot don’t want your lawn to live on equally good high, lest it render embrace for various pests as well as critters.
Sharpen your blades
The effectiveness of your lawn mower is subject on the sharpness of your mower blades. “When wearisome mower blades are beingness used to cutting your lawn, they cutting less as well as tear more,” DeBels explains. And this results inwards frayed leafage blades, as well as DeBels warns that it tin Pb to lawn disease. “Depending on your lawn size, you lot should reckon sharpening your mower blades 2 times per year.” You may want to add together this detail to your fall lawn maintenance list.
Leave your clippings
Clippings are your lawn’s friend. Image: Nick Beer/Shutterstock
Don’t handbag your clippings; larn out them on the lawn. “Not alone is collecting clippings undertaking intensive, but you lot are removing needed nutrients from the lawn that are contained inwards those leafage blades,” DeBels says. “These returned leafage blades tin render 25 per centum of the yearly nitrogen the lawn needs, pregnant they’re costless fertilizer.”
Change upwards your mowing patterns
Repeatedly mowing inwards a circle some this good well caused thinning. Image courtesy of Weed Man Lawn Care.
Repetition is a bad affair equally it relates to mowing. “Be certain to alternate your mowing designing every fourth dimension you lot cutting the lawn,” DeBels says. “Be creative. Don’t exactly create the same masterpiece each time.” If you lot maintain to mow inwards the same administration or pattern, DeBels warns that you lot could create thinning as well as rutting, which you lot tin run into inwards the photograph above.
Still convey questions close mowing or your yard inwards general? Contact a lawn attention professional person to notice out more.