May 25, 2022

Good Mowing Practices

The mowing season has certainly started! With all the rain this spring of 2022, we may be mowing twice a week right now. Below are some good mowing practices we like to keep in mind that help keep your lawn green and healthy throughout the summer.

Setting your mower at the right height is important. You never want to take off more than 1/3 of the grass length’s blade per mow. If you cut off too much in one mow, it will cause stress on the lawn. A stressed lawn, or one mowed too short, could allow more weed seeds to germinate. No one wants that!
It is better for the lawn to mow your lines in different directions each time. Try going diagonal, horizontal, and perpendicular. This helps prevent soil compaction. And hey, switching it up adds some variety and can make mowing each time more fun!
Don’t mow when the lawn is too wet. Instead of making your lawn look good, soggy mowing will make ruts in the lawn, which are very unsightly. You also have the risk of slipping and falling on the wet grass. And if you choose to mow when the lawn is wet— which we really try to avoid if we can—the wet grass can also cause your lawn mower to clog up.
If you DO get a clog in the mower for any reason, always turn OFF the mower and blade before unclogging the mower. Safety first!
A long the same lines, run your irrigation after you mow. And make sure your irrigation is scheduled for non-mowing days or after you finish mowing.
One other thing people often ask us about is the grass clippings. In most cases, the clippings can be mulched up on the lawn and not bagged. They are full of nutrients and recycling them right back into the lawn is not a bad thing. There are times that bagging may be a better option though—like when you are unable to mow for a long period of time or if you have large amounts of leaves in your yard come fall.