How Often Does a Lawn Need to be Mowed?

Everyone loves the look of lush green grass spreading out in front of their home. We all want a perfectly manicured lawn that is the envy of the community. But taking good care of your lawn requires more than just purchasing a lawn mower and cutting the grass every Saturday.

Many people are confused about how often to mow their lawn. Some wait until the grass is quite tall while others cut it very often, sometimes twice a week. There are a number of factors that will help you determine what works best for your lawn.

The One-Third Rule

The experts agree: you should set your mower height to remove no more than one third of the total leaf blade length. That’s because if you cut off too much, it may stress the grass and it may turn yellow or brown. Plus, the clippings will be long and lay on top of the grass in clumps. Instead, you may want to mow your grass a few times (waiting a few days in between) only trimming about 1/3 of the height each time. This enables you to gently trim the grass to the desired height and keep the lawn healthy.

Location

The location of your home is one of the biggest factors in maintaining a healthy lawn. Obviously, the more sun and water your lawn receives, the more it will grow, and it will need to be cut more often. If your area doesn’t receive a lot of rain, you can water your yard to help it stay healthy.

Type of Grass

There are many different varieties of grass and they have different weather and soil requirements. For example, bluegrass grows best in cooler climates. Fescue also does well in areas that have cold winters. Centipede is a type of turf grass that does well in the south where the soil is acidic. Once you know what type of grass you have in your lawn, you will have a better idea of how often to cut it.

Fertilizer

Fertilizers add nutrients to the lawn, providing nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. Fertilizing helps maintain your lawn’s beautiful green color. In addition, it can help prevent weeds from growing. This may also mean that you will need to mow the grass more often.

Professional Landscape Design for Your Home

Rhine Landscaping has the tools to make your yard beautiful throughout the year, so trust us with all of your landscaping and poolscaping needs. We have the expertise and knowledge to complete any and all of the landscaping projects on your list. For more information about our services, visit us online or give us a call at (410) 442-2445. For more tips on how to keep your yard and pool looking great year round, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Houzz.