Mow High, Mow Often
Lawn care experts agree that different types of grasses have optimal mowing heights to help keep them happy and healthy.
Some folks figure that the shorter they mow their grass, the longer it will be before they need to do it again. That may be true, but when it’s cut too low, the grass will be less healthy and it will be easier for weeds to thrive.
Mowing Trauma
Mowing is actually hard on grass. Every time you do it, you’re chopping back the plant’s photosynthesis laboratory, its leaves. Grass blades, like all leaves, convert sunshine into sugars which then get converted into starches and stored in the roots. Cut the too grass short, and you drastically reduce its ability to perform photosynthesis. This will weaken the grass, roots and all, making your lawn more vulnerable to weeds, pests, and diseases.
Taller grass is healthier in itself, and it gives weeds less opportunity to take root. Many of the weeds in our lawns grow low and have shallow roots. Short grass allows these weeds plenty of space to soak up sun and settle in. They’ll grow like – well – weeds. Let the grass long and strong and it will curb weeds, simply by shading them out on the topside and choking them out underneath.
Arrow Lawn Care recommends a minimum mowing height of 3″ for most of the lawns we maintain. Lawns with fescue blends are often cut at 3.5″ to 4″. We mow a little lower for the warm season varieties such as bermuda, zoysia, and St. Augustine – 2″ to 2.5″.
Remember to keep your blades sharp and cut pretty!
Sources and resources:
www.planetnatural.com, www.richsoil.com
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