5 Things You Should Know Before Mowing Your Lawn

Writen by Jack Greenwood

Cutting your lawn properly can lead to a healthy growing lawn. Although it seems like a chore, lawn mowing can give you a great workout and be relaxing. The smell of fresh-cut grass gives you a wonderful sense of accomplishment. Before you mow, here are a few things about mowing that you should take note first.

1. Never mow a wet lawn

You should avoid mowing when the lawn is wet. The grasses will settle in big globs and cause clumping of the lawn. It will help to spread lawn fungus quickly too. Schedule your mowing task to the evening as the weather is cooler and your lawn has ample time to dry from the morning watering.

2. Adapt your mowing schedule to the grass growth

Different type of grass flourish in different seasons. Warm-season grasses will grow quickly in summer and thus you may need to mow once every three to four days during the summer period. You can reduce the mowing to once a month during a drought period. Observe how your lawn grass is growing and adapt your mowing schedule accordingly.

3. Check your mowing height

A good practice is to cut off top one third of the grasses at any one time. If your lawn grasses have grown to six inches and you like to bring it back to two inches, do not cut off four inches in one mowing session. Cut off the first two inches and let the lawn rest for a couple of days. This will allow your lawn to recover and adapt to the new height before mowing the next two inches.

4. Change Your Mowing Patterns

If you often mow your lawn in the same pattern and direction, streaks or stripped lines can develop and make your lawn look horrible. Try to alternate the mowing direction each time you mow. Mow side to mow during the first pass and then top to bottom for the next pass. This ensures your lawn will not be matted or trampled in the same place each time you mow.

5. Mulch your lawn

You should try to get a mulching mower that can cut and re-cut the grasses to drop back into your lawn. Clippings are actually a form of natural, slow-release fertilizer and they can help you reduce your fertilizer requirement by half. You have to keep the mower blades sharp so that the mowing action will cut the grass blades and not tear them. Tearing the grass blades can lead to development of thatches, which are harmful to your lawn.

Mulching your lawn is good practice during a drought season and after fertilization. It can provide cover to help the soil retain the water it received. In addition, the clippings contain water and small amount of nitrogen (plus a host of other nutrients in small quantities) which will provide the fertilization that your lawn need. In the long run, the cost saving from a reduction of fertilizer purchases can really add up.

Proper mowing is one of the most important practices in your keeping your lawn healthy. Keeping these five points in mind and integrating them into your mowing session will ensure your lawn stays green and healthy for many years to come.

Jack Greenwood is the webmaster of GreenLawnCareTips.com which provide information on lawn care and lawn maintenance tips. Sign up for your free 7-part Green Lawn Care mini course at greenlawncaretips.com today.