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Lawn Care Tip #2 - Mow High and Let it Lie

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Spring has arrived early for much of the U.S. - I don’t ever remember a time when I had to mow my lawn in March! The grass has been growing rapidly and I haven’t even fertilized it yet. Since the initial warm-up in March, temperatures have moderated to normal April levels and there is a prediction of freezing temperatures for the next day or so. We will probably see a lot of flowers on trees and shrubs turn brown, but that will most likely be the worst damage we will see. Now that mowing season is upon us, I want to remind everyone to mow high and don’t collect the clippings. Here are the recommended mowing heights for the most common turf grasses in the U.S.:

Warm-season Grasses

• Bermuda Grass – 1/2 to 1-1/2” • Zoysia Grass – 3/4 to 1-1/2” • Centipede Grass – 1-1/2 to 2” • St Augustine Grass – 3-1/2 to 4”

Transition Zone and Cool-Season Grasses

• Tall Fescue Grass – 3 to 4” • Bluegrass – 2 to 3” • Perennial Ryegrass – 2 to 3” • Fine Fescue – 2-1/2 to 3-1/2”

The Dangers of Mowing Your Grass Too Short

If you mow too short, you are reducing the ability of the plant to produce food. Remember photosynthesis, which is the conversion of light energy into food. Photosynthesis takes place on the grass blades. The shorter grass blade cannot produce as much food. Mowing higher will also shade the ground underneath, keeping it cooler and moist for a longer time, and it will reduce the amount of water you need to supply to the turf. Another advantage of mowing high is keeping the sun from reaching weed seeds that exist in every lawn. Many weed seeds need heat from the sun to germinate. One of the best weed control methods is to mow high. Mowing high also lets the grass root grow deeper instead of forcing the plant using all its food reserves to re-grow leaf blades.

Leave Your Grass Clippings

Grass is 80 to 90% water and it decomposes rapidly. By not collecting the clippings, you are recycling nutrients back into the lawn, providing food for the micro-organisms in the soil and returning carbon back into the soil. The only reason to collect clippings is if the grass has become very long and the result is piles of clippings left on the lawn. Clipping piles left on the lawn can damage the grass that is underneath. Many people ask me “What is the secret to a beautiful lawn?” - I tell them it all starts with properly mowing your lawn. Mow high from the first mowing in the spring and your lawn will be greener, healthier and more weed free. Did you find this mowing tip helpful? Let us know what you think in the comments below, and visit Spring-Green.com for more lawn mowing tips .