Let the length of the lawn be the judge, NOT when the lawn was last mowed. During peak season, grass should be cut at least one time a week. When you ask, “how often to mow your lawn?” the best advice you will get from people is to never cut more than one-third of the height of your grass. Continue until you have the desired height. You have to mow off a third, wait a few days and then mow again to get it back to the optimal height. The rate of grass growth and desired height of your lawn determine how often you need to mow. The general rule for mowing a lawn is to mow once a week, but this may not be right for your lawn. I will give you a couple of tips about grass mowing that will help your lawn to be healthy, thriving, and lush. But always make sure that the blades of your lawnmower are sharp and you do not cut the grass too short. You should stick to the ‘one third’ rule. First of all, it’s important to remember that every lawn is different. Most experts recommend only cutting about ⅓ of the blade length at a time. Mow your lawn too often, and the lawn looks bare and scalped. Watch your grass, mow at the right time, use the one third rule, and to skip any unnecessary work hire a local landscaper mow your lawn the right time, every time. Never cut it shorter than [sic] 2 to 2-1/2 inches or remove more than one-third of the leaf surface at any one mowing." Post navigation ← Previous Post. Set the blade height to cut one third and mow. Getting the balance right may seem difficult, but if you follow our rules below you should be able to keep your lawn in pristine condition. Follow these tips for mowing your lawn in the winter. Regular lawn mowing in growing season can greatly improve the quality of your lawn. How often should you mow your lawn? Determining your lawn’s mowing frequency is dependent on several factors. Australians, 21% choose to mow their grass approximately every 1 or 2 weeks, normally when the lawn begins to show signs of growth. Did you mow too soon? Proper mowing practices contribute to a healthy lawn and minimal weeds, and, if you leave grass clippings on your lawn, contribute to lawn nutrition. How often the lawn needs mowing will also depend on what grass types your lawn is made up of. When to mow. However, when the weather is warm and wet, it may be best to cut the grass 2 times a week. A dense turf is the best looking and a great form of natural weed control as it prevents weed seeds from contact with the soil. Short answer – probably. Should I mow my lawn in the winter? Mowing has a major influence on the turf density, uniformity and aesthetic quality of a home lawn. The Lawn Care experts at Timberline Landscaping recommend never taking off more than 1/3 of the grass’ length during a single mow. As you can see, when to cut grass all depends on the time of year. My answer is always "it depends". The best timing for mowing your yard is during the grass growing season. As a general rule of thumb, you want to mow at least once a week during your grass-type’s growing season. Last updated on: February 29, 2020. Frequency and Height. Long grassed lawns are best cut once or twice in the summer, usually not before June. How Often Should You Mow Your Lawn? March Growth will be starting in spring so start your lawn mowing with a high cut on preferably dry grass if possible. When your area is getting a lot of rain, you may need to mow twice a week. A popular choice is hiring a professional to cut the lawn and alleviates the hassle of having to cut the grass yourself. Generally, don’t cut off more than one third of the grass blade. 2. Lawn Mowing Little and Often. For instance, if you are used to cutting your lawn up to 3 inches high, then you’ll mow your grass when it is 4 inches high. Adequate fertilizer and lots of watering translate to faster growth generally. Consider the soil type and surface features. Put a tuna or pet food can on your lawn to measure how much you've watered. It is also the most repetitious and time-consuming maintenance practice and is often done incorrectly. Regardless of the actual length of your grass, cutting more than this amount can damage the … 1. How often you mow your lawn depends on how fast it grows and your ideal height, but you can put the mower away when grass quits growing. When you do finally mow, you are taking off more of the leaf which will stress your lawn. Mick Perkins. This is because this height is generally the height where your grass looks its best and stays healthy. You can have one of the top rated lawnmowers in the world but if you mow too short or don’t mow often enough, your lawn will suffer.. Lawn mowing is more time consuming than any other lawn-care practice. One of the most common mistakes Florida home and business owners make when attempting to maintain their lawn is not mowing at the right frequency. These can start to replace your grass if left unchecked. His rule of thumb is, "Mow when your grass is dry and 3 to 3-1/2 inches tall. Add clippings to compost heaps but mix with ‘brown’ material first. Choose the right lawn mower for your lawn. May & June Mow frequently during this time; weekly if possible. Improper mowing can lead to brown spots, weak roots, and burnt grass. If you are trying to tame an overgrown jungle of a lawn do not be tempted to set the mower onto the lowest setting and get it all cut down at once. 19.7% of the lawn owners in Australia find this a choice that works for them. Mowing is a necessity, of course, when it comes to having a beautiful lawn. Don’t Mow Too Low “Scalping” a lawn – or mowing off more than the suggested ⅓ of the height – is the number one lawn care mistake that homeowners make. According to Robert E. Kozlowski at the Cornell University Cooperative Extension, mowing your lawn with a lawn mower set at a proper height can save you from having to rake or bag your lawn clippings. Cut more often if the lawn is growing strongly and starting to look shaggy, or if you’ve got guests coming – just keep the height consistent. As long as you mow often enough to remove no more than one third of the grass blade, the easiest thing to do is just to leave clippings on the lawn. Below are important points to consider when asking “How often should I mow my lawn.” How Much Should I Cut. A healthy Buffalo grass lawn can grow at an extremely fast rate.. Allow the grass to recover for a week and then mow another third off. Once the lawn gets quite long, don’t take more than a third of the leaf off at a time. However, if you have the budget to spend, you can buy electrical or petrol lawn mowers as well because they are more effective in large areas. How often you mow your lawn during fall primarily depends on how quickly it grows, which further depends on several factors. Lawn Care Advice-Help > Lawn Mowing Advice; How Often to Mow Buffalo Grass. Flower-rich lawns can be mown every four to six weeks. Horticulturally, grass does not need mowing during the winter, but you can give it a mow to check it over and to tidy it. How often to mow your lawn is a question that many have asked over the years, and the answers vary depending on several factors. Letting your lawn get too long actually ends up causing you to mow your lawn more often! For 99% of us little and often means once a week. Stop watering when it's full. Regular mowing with a sharp mower blade at the proper height will help keep grass growing vigorously and maintain adequate density. How quickly your lawn grows also depends on the kind of grass. Summertime is the main growing season for your lawn. That is just a guideline, though, and it might change, depending on how fast your grass is growing. When wondering how often to cut grass, keep this in mind – aim to keep it at the recommended height for the specific type. Usually, this means you should mow once a week. But many homeowners are unsure how often to mow. Knowing when, how often, how tall to cut your grass, and other factors are important in growing and maintaining a lush, thick, green lawn. We must ask the question, “How often should you mow your lawn?” When to Start. To test if it’s ready to mow, back off on watering and walk on the turf; if it’s firm enough to walk on, it’s good to mow. This will produce a much denser turf than if your grass cutting is every two weeks. Over summer: On average for a conventional lawn, mow twice weekly, dropping to once a week or longer during periods of drought. Mowing the Lawn Right. About The Author. The type of grass. More than that may harm the grass. How Often Should You Mow Your Lawn? share | improve this answer | follow | edited Jul 1 '11 at 17:58. answered Jun 30 '11 at 13:20. myron-semack myron-semack. Only then you can maintain a lush green, healthy lawn which is not only pleasant to you but for all others who look at it. They do it thinking it will help them mow less often. Don’t Worry Too Much The longer you allow the lawn to grow (in terms of length, not time – some people need to mow lawn once a month, others need to mow lawn every 2 weeks), the longer the root system will be. The importance of good mowing practices is often overlooked. One of the first things you need to learn when deciding to have a lovely yard is how to maintain your grass. The Bottom Line. When mowing a new lawn from sod, not seed, wait 2 to 3 weeks before mowing to give the sod a chance to root into the soil. One other thing to consider: If you have a huge riding mower, the tires will also be rough on the lawn. Determining Your Unique Mowing Frequency . The most common answer is to mow your lawn once a week. In the warmer months when the grass is growing at an all-time high, you’ll start to wonder when you should mow – then you’ll mow – then your grass will seem rather upset, turning brown or pale green. This may change from one season to the next, as grass grows more verdantly in times of plentiful sunlight and irrigation. But of course, that is not the case. Regular mowing at the right height for the time of year will have a massive impact on the overall health and appearance of your lawn. Always have sharp blades. In that case, you may need to deviate from the above guidelines a bit. April Sometime this month as temperature and growth increases frequency will increase with 2weeks then 10 days then perhaps down to weekly mowing. Likewise, when growth starts to slow towards the end of the season, reduce the mowing frequency to suit. Other lawns will grow more slowly and might need cutting only once every ten days or two weeks. The grass on these lawns tends to be kept quite short. The difference is because homeowners don’t follow the same lawn care schedule or … How Often You Should Mow Your Lawn In Florida. Small premises can be dealt with using handheld push lawn mowers. Apply at least 2.5 cm (1 inch) of water. Not an issue if you like wildflowers, but a problem if you want a ‘bowls’ quality lawn. This table should help you identify how often you should mow your lawn. The pieces break down quickly and reduce the amount of fertilizer you have to use by as much as 25 percent. Mowing is carried out mainly between March and October. How Often You Should Mow the Lawn Depends. And research has proven that the clippings don’t cause thatch to build up. Photo: Shutterstock . High quality ornamental lawns made up of fine grass types can be cut every 3 days or so in rapid growth conditions. Mow your lawn once every 2 weeks in normal conditions. Keeping the grass at the optimal height is important to its wellbeing. Utility lawns with broader, longer grass types should be cut around once a week. You can also gently—no, seriously, we mean gently— pull up on the sod to check whether or not it has rooted. Sure, if everyone lived in the same climate and grew the same type of grass, this may be easier to answer. Reducing your lawn mowing in periods of drought can help to protect it. Mowing Tips. So, if you have to mow very often (once a week or more), you may end up harming the lawn. On my rounds as a lawn care technician, I'm often asked this by customers. Normally weekly mowing is the rule, but some lawns need cutting more often. Mow too infrequently, and the lawn looks overgrown and messy. Lawn mowing safety when you mow a lawn. This will also stop the emergence of other plants and weeds that benefit from the fertiliser. 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