Lawn Mowing Tips for Healthy Grass

If you’re like us, you’ve pulled the push mower or riding mower out of the garage or storage shed a few times already this year. Mowing the lawn may not seem like a big deal, but did you know there’s a right way and a wrong way to do it? No? Then keep reading for some lawn mowing tips to help ensure healthy grass.

Tip #1 Set Your Mower Deck High

Set your mower deck on the highest setting so that you only cut the top 1/3 of the grass each time. Yes, this may mean you have to mow more often, but it will promote healthy root growth in your turf grass. This in turn will help your grass do better in dry spells than your neighbor’s grass.

Scalping the grass (cutting too short) stresses the grass and makes it expend all its energy regrowing the grass blade rather than focusing on root growth. Shorter grass also promotes weed growth, as longer grass height means shade for the soil and can help prevent weed seeds from sprouting.

Tip #2 Mow When It’s Dry

We all have that neighbor who mows right after a rain, or even when it’s raining. Don’t be that guy. Mowing wet grass can result in an uneven trim and a clogged mower. Keep an eye on the forecast, and mow BEFORE a rain, or in the late afternoon or early evening.

If it’s summertime and there isn’t any dew on the grass, mowing in the morning is OK too. Just avoid mowing when it’s wet.

Tip #3 Change Up Your Lawn Mowing Patterns

Don’t just go around and around in circles like a NASCAR race. Vary your lawn mowing patterns each time you mow. Lengthwise, crosswise, diagonal, another diagonal, etc. You get the idea. You might ask why you should do this.

The answer is that if you mow in the same pattern every time, you may end up flattening the same grass over and over, develop ruts in your lawn, or cause the grass to start lean in one direction. None of those is a good look.

Tip #4 Mow When It Needs It, Not on a Schedule

This became easy to do for everyone in the pandemic, but you can do it when things get back to normal as well. You don’t have to cut the grass every Saturday. Refer to Tip #2 and mow when it’s dry, even if that means Thursday.

In addition, if it’s been raining for days, let the grass dry out. Or in the summer if it’s been very dry and you don’t water your grass, don’t mow until the grass is longer.

Tip #5 Use a Mulching Mower

Leaving grass clippings on your lawn is like getting free fertilizer. Invest in a mulching mower, which will chop grass clippings into tiny pieces that will settle into the soil. There is really no need to bag your clippings anymore. Just be sure to mow often enough that you’re not cutting off too much of the grass at one time.

Tip #6 Stay Sharp

Have you ever shaved with a dull blade or tried to prep dinner with a dull knife? Not fun. That’s why it’s important to keep your mower blade sharp. A dull lawn mower blade can tear up your grass and make it prone to disease, and susceptible to drought.

Schedule a lawnmower tune-up and blade sharpening once a year. If you’re handy around machinery, you may be able to do this yourself.

If You’re a Business with Property or an HOA

If you own a business with groundskeeping needs, or you’re on an HOA board, you want to ensure your commercial landscaping company follows these same basic lawn mowing tips whenever possible.

The curb appeal of your property matters to your tenants, clients, and homeowners just as much as it matters to the average homeowner.

Get a Better Outdoor Experience with Lazo Landscaping

A healthy lawn looks even better when it’s set off by beautiful outdoor living features. At Lazo, we design and build a variety of outdoor living projects throughout the Baltimore area. If you’re looking to install a custom patio, deck, outdoor kitchen, fire pit, pergola, retaining wall, or another project, we can help.

Just call 866-568-6264 or click the button and fill out the form to schedule a free estimate. If you have a commercial project, please call 410-780-0870.