Residential & Commercial
Custom Landscaping And Hardscaping
Mowing
Often delegated to the nearest teenager looking for extra cash,
mowing might seem to be a necessary and goof-proof chore. But when you
see the difference between a well-mowed lawn and one that's
mowing-challenged, it makes sense to give your lawn the best possible
trim.
A properly mowed lawn grows thicker and has deeper roots, which
makes it more durable and better equips it to combat weeds, insects
and diseases. Mowing mistakes can show up in discolored grass tips,
brown spots and even damage to the lawn.
The most common mowing mistakes are mowing too infrequently and
cutting grass too short. Here’s what they advise to watch for:
Scalping
Avoid letting grass grow tall and then removing more than 1/3 of
the leaf blade. This approach is "scalping" and can damage
the lawn. Mowing the grass extremely low can also damage the lawn by
cutting into the crowns of the plants.
Sharp blades
Make sure your mower blades are sharp to cut cleanly. Dull blades
can shred grass and cause discoloration at the tips. Frayed grass
blades lose too much moisture to rapid evaporation. Sharpen the blades
of rotary mowers several times each growing season. Reel type mowers
usually only require sharpening once a year, but adjust them to ensure
they cut cleanly. Some grass species have tough-to-cut blades, which
causes blades to wear quickly.
Damaged grass
Raise the mower height a notch or two when mowing a lawn that's
recovering from drought, insect damage or disease.
Grass clippings
Recycle grass clippings on your lawn to reduce water loss, lower
soil temperatures and return nutrients to the soil. Save the trouble
of bagging and keep clippings out of our already-clogged landfills. In
fact, many communities will not accept grass clippings in household
trash. Furthermore, if the lawn is mowed frequently, clippings degrade
very quickly and do not contribute to thatch build-up.
Wet or wilted grass
Avoid cutting wet grass, which can cause clippings to clump
together and smother your lawn, creating brown spots. Especially
during the hot part of the day, cutting wilted grass can also cause
severe damage to your lawn.
How low to mow
Select the proper mowing height for your lawn. Measure the grass
plants after mowing a very small area, then adjust your mower as
necessary. Always mow your lawn at the recommended cutting height.
Optimal mowing height in inches:
|
Hybrid Bermudagrass
|
1.0 to 1.5
|
|
Common Bermudagrass
|
1.0 to 1.5
|
|
St. Augustinegrass, Bahiagrass
|
3.0 to 3.5
|
|
Zoysiagrass
|
1.0 to 1.5
|
|
Centipedegrass
|
1.5 to 2.0
|
|
Ryegrass, bluegrass, fine fescue
|
2.5 to 3.0
|
|
Tall fescues
|
2.5 to 3.0
|
Know when to mow
The best guide on mowing frequency is the growth of your grass:
plan on cutting off less than 1/3 of the grass blade in one mowing.
Keep in mind that certain grasses, such as bermudagrass, zoysiagrass
and centipedegrass, require close mowing to stay healthy. Allow these
grasses to grow too high and their stolons and crowns tend to grow
upright, promoting thatch development.
So you miss a mowing
During periods of rapid growth, lawns may require mowing as
frequently as every three to four days. Of course, sometimes we just
don't get around to mowing as often as we'd like. In these situations,
when your grass has grown too high, reset your mower to its highest
cutting level. Three or four days later, reset the mower to cut at the
normal height, and mow your grass again.
|
Home
-|- Why Landscape?
Job Pictures -|- About Us -|- Contact Us
Most Material is
©1996, 2012 Carolina Grounds & Landscaping Service, Fayetteville,
Spring Lake, Hopemills, Dunn, Pinehurst and Southern Pines, North Carolina
Some material is/are ®™ or © its respective owners, All Rights Reserved.
|
