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Perfect Mowing |Planting Tips | Seeding

Perfect Mowing

A beautiful lawn is never an accident. And among all of the things that make a lawn look its best, mowing properly is one of the most important. Keeping your lawn a cut above the rest is really very simple. Just remember these basic rules, and you'll be well on your way to having a picture-perfect lawn.

Keep it High
The first guideline is mowing high. A lawn kept clipped at the correct height has more food producing ability, is able to stay greener, reduces weeds, and conserves water by shading the soil. Weed and crabgrass seeds need plenty of sun and heat to sprout. Because of this, taller grass is one of the best weed preventers you can use. Shading the soil by mowing higher also reduces water loss from evaporation.
Cutting too short or too much off at once is scalping.

When you set the blade too low, you may remove most of the food producing parts of the plant. The result is a brown lawn that takes weeks and weeks to recover.

How Often Is Often Enough?
Mowing frequency is the second rule to keeping your lawn in top condition. Lawns grow at very different rates from season to season. Turf produces much more top growth during the spring and fall, and your mowing schedule should match the growth of your lawn. During periods of heavy growth, once a week may not be enough, while every ten days might be fine during the summer.
The key to mowing frequency is to never remove more than 1/3 of the total blade height in a single mowing.

A Sharp Blade = A Sharper Looking Lawn

We receive calls every year about lawns that look brown even after periods of rain and cooler weather. In almost every case, this is the result of a dull mower blade shredding the tips of the grass. When a blade is dull, it rips the turf instead of cutting cleanly. The ripped tips then bleach out and turn brown, giving the whole lawn a tan or brown cast. Having the blade sharpened and balanced once per year is usually not enough especially on larger properties. You should touch up your blade edge with a file or have it re-sharpened 2 to 3 times per year.

Remember:

• Always disconnect the spark plug anytime you put your hands into the blade area.

• Mow the turf high.

• Set the mower on one of the highest settings. Never remove more than 1/3 of the blade height at a time.

• Mow more often during periods of heavy growth.

• Keep the blade sharp for a clean cut.

• Never handle the blade without disconnecting the spark plug wire first.

If you ever have any questions about mowing right, call When Nature Calls. We're right in your backyard.