What If My Yard Has Some Weeds
If weeding is something that you are struggling with, then aerating may be the solution to all of your problems regarding keeping your garden looking great during the hot months. Aeration allows air and nutrients to reach areas underneath where they otherwise wouldn’t get any attention from natural rainfall or irrigation systems. You can do it by hand using a core aerator, but I recommend renting an electric one which will make short work of long hours spent on hands and knees without harming trees nearby. The process usually takes about two hours per acre, so plan accordingly when choosing between methods of aeration because even though it sounds like a lot of work, it’s worth the effort and will make your land look brand new.
How To Tell When Your Grass Is Ready To Mow
Paying attention to how quickly your grass is growing is one thing, but knowing when your grass is tall enough to mow is equally important. Your grass will be healthiest if you mow off no more than 1/3rd of the length at a time.
Cutting your grass too often can be equally harmful since you wont be able to cut the blades cleanly. The shredded ends release more water than clean-cut edges, which then stresses the rest of the plant.
The right height to cut the grass depends on how tall you need to keep it. If your HOA wants grass thats about 3 inches tall, then youll want to cut it when its about 4 inches tall to hit the right height.
You can do the same math for any height of grass so long as you arent cutting off more than 1/3rd of the grass at a time. There is one exception though, even if you have to keep your grass very short you should never cut less than ½ inch of grass off. Thats to make sure the grass cuts cleanly and evenly across your whole lawn.
Clear Rubbish And Debris
A lawn mower is not a vacuum cleaner! If you use the mower to pick up leaves and twigs etc this will blunt the blade rapidly. This will cause the blade to tear at the grass rather than cutting it cleanly. Tearing grass leaves it susceptible to disease and fungus so its always best to rake up or use a blower to clear any rubbish first.
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What Happens If I Mow New Grass Too Soon
We know that you want to get your new lawn established as quickly as possible but this is a process that requires patience. If you mow your new grass too soon then youre only going to be putting it under enormous stress that it may not be able to recover from.
On the other hand, it is possible to leave it too long which means that youll miss the opportunity to thicken the grass up during its early stages.
When To Cut Your New Grass
Once you have planted new grass seed, you will need to give the seeds time to germinate. For most types of grasses, this will be at least four weeks so a degree of patience is required.
When you use a push mower for your lawn, this can cause soil compaction. This is not great for new lawns and is one of the main reasons that you should hold off for as long as possible so that the grass seeds have time to grow and become stronger.
Whats more, when grass is young, the root system is still not fully developed so if you go in with a lawn mower, you could cause some serious damage. The heavy wheels and powerful blades are likely to rip the grass out of the ground instead of cutting it so youll undo all of the hard work you did planting the lawn in the first place.
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My Mowing Frequency Advice: Always Use Your Eyes & Judgment
Lawn care differs greatly person to person and lawn to lawn.
It depends greatly on where you live, and the temperature and rainfall you receive.
It also depends on what you do to care for your lawn. If youre tossing down a nitrogen fertilizer every few weeks and you water it every day youre going to have to mow more often.
Just remember to never cut more than one third of the blades of your lawns grass and youll maintain a happy, healthy, beautiful lawn.
You know how your lawn looks when healthy better than anyone else. Trust your eyes and use your best judgment, and your lawn will be healthy all year long.
What Happens If I Cut My Grass Too Early In The Year
The grass needs to be dry before you mow. So, if you cut too early in the year, the soil will be soggy, and the grass blades are likely to be wet.
Early mowing usually results in compacted grass, and theres always the risk of damaging the roots.
Ultimately, cutting too early in the year causes patchy growth and dry, dying blades.
And no one wants that.
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How Often Should You Mow Your Lawn
The greatest amount of time you will invest in the maintenance of your lawn will be spent mowing. Whether it’s just another chore or a way to spend a pleasurable, sunny afternoon, mowing your lawn at the right height will result in an appealing look for your home and will help keep your grass growing at peak performance.
How often to mow depends on several factors. These include rainfall amounts, soil type, grass type, fertilization, and also how much time you have available for the task. Here are some general guidelines to help you establish the optimum mowing schedule for your lawn.
Dont Blow Grass Onto Driveways & Sidewalks
Freshly cut grass sticks and stains concrete driveways and sidewalks. Instead of blowing grass onto them, simply change the direction you are mowing on the edges of these hardscapes so the cut grass blows back into the yard. It will keep your yard neat and save you the time of having to blow them clean later.
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When To Mow The Lawn Too Long Didnt Read
Time is money, and it seems were always so short on both.
While I cant shake the magic money tree for you, I can save you a few moments if youre in a rush and dont want to read the whole article.
The truth is theres no easy answer.
It depends on the season, the conditions, the type of grass you have, and if youre using fertilizer or not.
But if you dont really care about the lawn art form, and you simply want to know when to give it a trim, then I would recommend at least once per week during the growing season for your grass type.
Can You Mow Your Lawn Every 2 Weeks
The health and performance of your lawn can be impacted by failing to mow properly. Even if you feel like you can live with your lawn a little taller, mowing every two weeks as opposed to weekly mowing is not ideal. Mowing too often can cause your grass to grow too tall, and too little can lead to a lawn that looks like it has been mowed too many times.
If you have a lot of grass, you may want to consider using a mower that has a shorter blade length, such as a 3/8 or 1/2 blade. This will give you more control over the length of the blade, which will allow you to control the amount of water you need to apply to the lawn to keep it healthy and looking its best.
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Dont Mow With Dull Mower Blades
Dont Mow with Dull Mower Blades Make sure your mower blades are sharp. Dull blades will tear instead of cutting cleanly leaving the blades open to diseases and pests to invade them. Its a good idea to have your blades sharpened every couple of months. If you havent had them sharpened in several years, its definitely time.
Dont Mow More Than One
Follow the one-third rule and never mow more than 1/3 of the grass blade off at a time. Be sure to read all the details in my 1/3 grass cutting rule post. Mowing an overgrown lawn will cut off too much grass at once, shocking and stressing the plant. This can leave the lawn looking sick . It will quickly lose the green color, and start to take on a yellow/brown haze on the top.
Mowing frequently helps promote growth and tillering. It also allows for proper mulching. You can confidently mulch and return the grass clippings back into your lawn and soil with sharp mower blades and frequent mowing. Mow too much
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Dull mower blades will never get a clean cut and almost always damage the plant. The tips will quickly become brown, causing a hazy look to your turf. Full mower blades also tear the grass blades which promotes lawn fungus and diseases
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How Quickly Does Your Grass Grow
This is the most important factor for how often you should mow your grass. Most varieties have an average growth rate, but the growth rate will change depending on the weather, whether its sunny or cloudy, how much water is available, and whether its well-fertilized.
Youll need to mow more often during your grasss peak season. In cold weather climates, like most of the northern United States, your grass will probably reach peak season during the summer.
Hot weather climates are less predictable. Your grass peak season could be anywhere from spring to fall. If you have a dual grass lawn, also more common in hot weather climates, you may have two different peak seasons for the different kinds of grass youre growing.
During peak season your grass may grow fast enough to need mowing 1-2 times a week. The rest of the time youll likely be able to mow once every 2 weeks or even less.
Common Mistakes To Avoid When Mowing During Summer
1) Scalping
Mowing your garden too short will cause it to die and turn brown. Even if you have cool-season grass-like rye, it’s important to let the blades get as much sun as possible for optimal growth. It is also common knowledge that cutting the yard too low can lead to dirt getting trapped in the mower when leaving which lessens its performance down the line because of constant exposure to stony soil or potting mix particles.
If you are worried about scalping your long island New York, then lawn brothers advise not to cut more than one inch off at any given time no matter what type of garden you have since this practice causes roots on tall fescue grasses to dry out quickly, resulting in less water being absorbed into the ground.
To avoid scalping, make sure you adjust your mower’s height so that it is not set too long and isn’t left at a super low setting. A good rule of thumb to follow is if the top blade or two blades of grass are visible after cutting, then you know that it has been cut to an appropriate length for summer lawns and gardens.
2) Avoid Wet Grass
If your garden is wet, then it can be hard to cut without the mower slipping and sliding. If you are going to wait for a day or two to let the grass dry out before cutting, then avoid walking on it so that no one damages or compacts the blades of grass when stepping on them.
3) Don’t Mow the Same Direction All The Time
4) Don’t Mow too Quickly
5) Don’t Mow with Dull Mower Blades
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When To Mow Your Lawn
During the growth season, grass requires the most cutting. The summer seasons are for warm-season grasses cool-season grasses grow in the spring and fall instead. If they are not damp and heavy, leave the grass clippings on the lawn to nourish it. These clippings might have a nitrogen content of 34% and a potassium content of 2.53.5%. Each spring, mow the lawn in the early stages of its growth before it turns green. The lawn receives its signal to begin growing when the old, dead tips are clipped off. The faster your grass grows, the more effectively you can crowd out weeds before they sprout. Those larger weeds may hide the rocks present in your lawn which you have to carefully remove before mowing your yard.
A Thin Layer Of Grass Clippings Can Be A Good Thing
Many people recommend picking up all the grass clippings on your lawn after you mow, but that isnt always necessary. The only times you need to pick up your lawn clippings are if your lawn is wet and the clippings are a mold risk, or if your clippings fall in clumps all across the lawn.
If your lawnmower produces an even layer of clippings then you can leave them on the lawn. That way it will work as a thin layer of fertilizer. Grass clippings on your lawn can also help protect the soil from the sunlight, which helps keep your soil moist longer. Since your grass needs some moisture in the soil to grow, the clippings can help you go longer between watering.
Just keep an eye on your lawn to make sure the clippings arent building up too much. They should decompose naturally over time, but if it starts to build up youll need to collect your clippings for a while until the existing layer starts to decompose.
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Fertilizer May Help Improve Grass Growth
If your grass isnt growing as quickly as it used to, it might need a layer of fertilizer to help restore the nutrients it needs to grow. Most lawns should only be fertilized about once a year, preferably when the grass is growing its roots more than its blades.
In Northern climates, youll typically want to fertilize in the Autumn, just before your grass goes dormant for the winter. However, warmer climates with a less severe winter usually prefer Spring fertilization.
Using a good fertilizer spreader can help make sure you get an even layer across your whole lawn, without over-fertilizing the grass.
How Often Should I Mow My Lawn Exactly
Mowing neatens your lawn, but more significantly it encourages healthy growth.
Wait until the grass is dry, as wet grass is more likely to tear, regardless of the sharpness of your cutting blade. And make your first cut at the end of March, moving into April.
Make sure that the cutting blades are at their highest setting for the first cutting of the year, and then over the coming weeks you can progressively move the blades lower each time ensuring that you adhere to the Rule of Thirds.
Your grass will grow more rapidly in the summer and slow down again in the autumn. The Royal Horticultural Society recommends that you mow twice a week in summer but should minimise that to once a week during drought periods. During the spring and autumn, you can cut once a week unless growth remains particularly vigorous.
Theres usually no need to mow at all during the winter as the temperature falls below 10ºC.
If, however, were having an unusually mild winter and the grass continues growing, you can mow occasionally, with the blades at their highest setting.
Avoid cutting if the grass or the ground is wet, soft, or frozen.
You might find that shady areas of your lawn grow more slowly than areas in full sun, so you may need to mow those sections less frequently.
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How Often Should You Mow Your Lawn During The Summer
Mowing your lawn can be a lot of work during the summer. Most people want to mow their lawn more often to keep it looking nice and neat, but is that actually necessary? Summertime is usually associated with things like vacations, outdoor activities, and of course, lawn care. If you are tired of spending all day on your hands and knees with a weed whacker, then this article will help you figure out how often you should mow your garden this summer.
Is There A Grass That Doesnt Need Mowing
Some of these grasses either grow too slow or are short enough that you do not need to mow, or only rarely.
They include:
- Seashore Paspalum
- Some Commercial No-Mow Brands
Yes, you can get away with delaying mowing your lawn for a day or two. But if you do this every week , the result will likely be an unkempt lawn thats full of weeds and other unwanted growth that people hate to see in their yards. Im looking at you, dandelions!
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How Often To Mow During Winter
During the winter season, the idea of leaving the comfort of one’s heated room and stepping out in the garden is not a very enticing one.
However, lawns require as much maintenance during winters as they require during summers and other seasons. Thus, make sure to give your lawn the care and attention that it requires, even on days you do not want to leave your bed.
One question that concerned lawn keepers often ask is: how often should I mow my lawn during winters?
During the summer months, supported by heat and sunlight, all kinds of grasses register fast growth.
However, as soon as the winters arrive and the temperature begins to fall, the growth of grasses slows down.
Thus, during the winter season, the need for mowing automatically decreases.
However, the grass still requires mowing as when the grass grows tall, it begins to bend, thereby shading itself.
This shade causes the eruption of diseases and other problems.
During the winter season, you should mow your lawn once every three to four weeks.
More importantly, during the winter season, do not stick to the popular one-third rule.
Instead, adjust the mower blade in such a way that two-third of the grass remains after mowing.
Why?
During the winter season, the grass blades visible just above the ground become more vulnerable than the roots and thus, they must be protected well. This can only be done by mowing the grass higher than is normal.
