Mowing
Mowing once a week during the growing season is sufficient to ensure the health of your lawn; more frequent mowing is simply an issue of aesthetics.
- St. Augustine growing in shady areas can be mowed frequently but not close; we recommend setting your mower to its highest or next-highest setting.
- Bermuda can be mowed to any height.
General mowing tips
- Instead of bagging lawn clippings, buy a mulching lawn mower. The blade on a mulching mower cuts and finely dispenses cut grass back onto your lawn. These clippings break down and provide nutrients for your lawn.
- If you can’t spring for a new lawn mower, practically any rotary mower can be converted with an adapter blade for just a few dollars.
- Cut down on nitrogen treatments. The mulch will naturally return nitrogen to your soil, saving you application time and money.
- Don’t cut the grass too short. Root length corresponds to grass height, so letting your blades grow a little longer will help them develop a good root system.
- Tests show that cutting about one-third of the height off grass will produce the best results. Any more and it can cause damage.
- Don’t cut grass when it’s damp from rain or dew. Mowing will be uneven and it can also cause clumps of grass to block light from patches in the lawn.
- Alternate mowing patterns for even wear. Constantly mowing in the same direction makes the soil compact and can create visible wear patterns.