Many people view grass cutting as a simple pastime, but mowing your lawn is a tedious and laborious task. No matter how much effort you put into tending your lawn, sometimes it never looks as good as you had hoped. The good news is that improper mowing is one of the most common causes of lawn problems which can easily be fixed.
There are many ways to take of care your lawn, but with a few simple tips and tricks, you will begin to see significant improvements in the health and appearance of your lawn. Consider these lawn mowing tips to help improve the health of your lawn:
Grass Type
Before you begin mowing away, it is crucial to know the type of grass that grows on your lawn. Each breed of grass has a recommended mowing height, therefore, mow accordingly.
The ⅓ Rule
Ideally, you should not let your lawn grow more than one-third of its optimum height. When mowing, cut in the same proportion as growth, ensuring not to remove more than one-third of the blade length at once.
Sharp Mower Blades
Maintaining razor-sharp blades for your lawnmower will ensure a clean and precise cut. Since blunt blades chew and fray the grass, your lawn will appear messy and rough. Moreover, dull blades damage the grass tissue, making it more susceptible to diseases and pests.
Keep Varied Mowing Pattern
Changing your mowing pattern each time you mow will aid in a denser and healthier looking lawn. Because grass develops a grain-based on the mowing direction, it tends to lean towards the direction you mow during growth. Therefore, alternating the pattern promotes upright growth and prevents ruts in the lawn.
Don’t Miss Strips
For an evenly mowed lawn, each pass should overlap at approximately 3 inches (7.5 cm). Doing so will prevent patching and uneven growth, giving your lawn a seamless finish and saving you the trouble of having to re-mow missed areas.
Uneven Area
Uneven lawns can be tricky to mow. To avoid scalping the raised areas of your lawn, set your mower’s height higher. Moreover, mowing on a slope should be done diagonally for safety purposes.
Avoid Mowing Wet Grass
Mowing wet grass tends to result in uneven cuts. Also, the lawn clippings clump together, clogging your mower and matting your lawn, which blocks sunlight that is essential for healthy grass growth.
Mowing Sharp Corners
On your first mowing pass, round off the sharp corners and leave them un-mown. Once you have finished mowing the rest of your lawn, go back and mow the corners. That way, you won’t have to deal with the trouble of mowing these tricky corners on every pass.
Comments 9
Great article and very well explained. I believe in professionals so this is a very useful article for everyone. Many thanks for your share.
I am glad you said to avoid mowing wet grass because it can clog your motor. I recently had to take my lawnmower in for repair because of this issue. Thanks for the lawn mowing tips.
That is a very good tip that you should overlap each pass at about 3 inches so that it will look even. I have an acre lot, and my house is a very small portion of that, so I have a lot of grass. I think that I’ll find someone who could mow it for me and would overlap at 3 inches.
Thanks for the tip about using a varied motion when mowing our lawn. I never realized that grass tends to grow in the direction it was cut, and by keeping it varied, it will help in the even growth of the underlying grass. I am a very busy family man with no time for lawn upkeep. I will consider using the services of a pro in having my lawn cut the way I would like it to look in the future. Thanks!
My mom wants to make sure that our lawn is perfect for the annual reunion party at home. It was explained here that we should pay attention to our mowing habits for better lawn care. Furthermore, it’s recommended to hire professionals for quality lawn maintenance.
I didn’t know you shouldn’t cut wet grass. Thanks!
Thanks for the tip on cutting on dry grass to ensure that they can get the most sunlight after cutting. My wife loves our lawn and uses it as her own canvas. If one day her mower breaks down, I will have to call someone to go over it and have it repaired immediately so that not only will it help keep the garden clean but also keep my wife happy as well.
Thanks for this advice for mowing the lawn. I actually didn’t know that you shouldn’t let a lawn grown more than one-third of it’s height. I’m kind of interested to learn if some types of grass grow faster than others, meaning they need to be mowed more.
It’s interesting to know that you need to consider the type of grass that grows on your lawn before cut it. My husband is starting a garden project in our backyard, and we are looking for advice. I will let him know about the benefits of knowing the type of grass to give it proper care.