Mowing: There is a right way that makes a big impact

Pro tips for a better lawn.

One thing guaranteed with any lawn care maintenance plan is mowing is inevitable. Mowing frequency, the type of lawn mower and heigh of cut will all make a difference in how your lawn looks and responds to it.

Below are tips to help you get the most of your mowing experience.

Tip #1 - Mowing Frequency

Mowing is more than just cutting the height of your grass. It's training your grass on how it should grow. Mowing more frequently will train the grass to spread horizontally. This helps to create a more thick and lush lawn. If if you don't think that your lawn needs to be mowed, it does.

You should mow a minimum of once a week. Mow twice a week if you can for better results.

Tip #2 - Height of Cut (HOC)

The HOC absolutely matters when it comes to the type of grass you have. For instance, the most common type of grass in North Texas is Bermuda. Bermuda thrives at being mowed at very low heights of cut. Drop your mower down as low as it can go. The only exception here is whether or not you "scalp" your lawn every time you try to mow as low as your mower will go. If this is the case, raise it up one notch or have your lawn leveled (more on this subject for a later post). St Augustine is the second most common type of grass in North Texas. Keep it mowed at anything over 1". Mowing at the right height also help snuff out weeds because the grass is actively keeping them out.

"Mowing at the right height can be that little difference in a green/lush lawn or a lawn riddled with weeds." – Michael V

Tip #3 - Dull blades will RUIN your lawn

It's important to keep your blades sharpened. The standard mower that the average homeowner uses is known as a rotary mower. The blades of a rotary mower "chop" through the grass blade to slice a section of off. A sharp blade will make a clean cut through the grass blade leaving behind a smooth edge on the blade of grass. A dull blade will leave the blade of grass with rough and rigid edges. This will cause all sorts of issues for your lawn and can single handedly be the reason why your lawn won't take off when all other things are being done right. Blades should be sharpened at least once at the start of every season. Don't want to sharpen them? They are cheap enough to justify replacing the blades every year if you'd rather.

Tip #4 - To Bag or Not To Bag

General rule of thumb here...if you've got weeds, you definitely want to bag your clippings. Not doing so will actually help to promote the weeds to spread even more throughout your lawn. Lawn clippings are great for your lawn as they contain nitrogen that will decompose back into your soil. If your lawn is free of weeds, skip the bagging and let nature help you out with more nutrients back into your soil. However, if you aren't planning to mow as frequently as you should, bag anyways. Too much clippings left in your yard will lead to thatch and that leads to smothering out nutrients your lawn needs. This is another important reason to mow frequently.

The importance of it all

Mow frequently, determine the right height for your grass type, determine whether or not to bag and make sure your blades are sharpened. All of these things can make a big impact on the overall health of your lawn.