HEIGHT. There are few things as hard on a bluegrass mix lawn (which is what about 99% of our customers have) as being mowed too short. When the lawn is cut lower than 2" it exposes the thatch layer - and even the soil - to sunlight and heat. This stresses the lawn and discourages root development because you are cutting off its food source! Your grass needs long blades to absorb sunlight! Mowing height should be between 2" and 3.5".
BLADE SHARPNESS. Mowing with a dull blade will tear the grass instead of cutting it. This results in white-tipped grass that cankers to gray/brown in a matter of days. What's more, is that no amount of fertilizer will make the lawn look lush and green - because the entire top surface of the yard is white/gray! Mowing with a low blade-speed will also tear. The Toro Proline™ equipment we use possess blade speeds between 18,000 and 19,000 feet per minute! MOWING FREQUENCY. If "few and far between" describes your mowing practices, you are causing unneeded stress and weakness to your lawn. Do everything you can to never remove more than 1/3 of the height of the grass blades. Doing so will stunt the grass, place it in shock, curb root development, and pale its color. As a general rule, mowing once per week will satisfy the needs of your lawn - while avoiding the negative side-effects mentioned. -
MULCHING is an excellent practice for many reasons: it preserves about 30% of your lawn's Nitrogen that would otherwise be lost, it helps to keep water in the soil, and it can even serve as a weed deterrent.
The catch, however, is that proper mulching requires having a true mulching mower. True mulchers have baffles which push the grass several times around the blade of your mower - causing each blade to be cut multiple times - leaving fine, small pieces. Toro™ and Honda™ both make excellent mulchers. Most other mowers commonly purchased from places like Walmart, Kmart, Sears, and Lowe's, however, are manufactured by MTD/Murray™ and marketed under other brand names such as Craftsman, Yard Machine, K-grow, etc. We have found them to be "somewhat lacking" when it comes to proper mulching. When using these machines, if mulching, it may prove necessary to mow more often.
WINTERIZATION. In the fall, as the end of the mowing season approaches, we recommend a lower mowing height of 1.5-2" with the bag on - to rid the lawn of top growth (much of which will die over the winter). |
