How short/tall should I mow my grass?

Proper mowing practices are essential to your lawn’s health and maintenance. Mowing too short damages grass root systems, thins the lawn, decreases drought and disease resistance, and increases your weed population. Thus, mow based on grass growth, not day of the week.

Mowing heights vary according to grass type and the season. Some grasses, such as Bermudagrass and Zoysiagrass, are best kept short, while other types need more height. We generally suggest setting your mowing height to at least 3 inches in the spring. However, you should never remove more than one-third of the blade length at a time, or you risk inhibiting good growth above and below ground. This means you should cut down to 3 inches when your grass is 4-5 inches high, or change mowing heights gradually over several sessions if your grass is already taller than that.

We often attribute the cause of many lawn maintenance problems to improper lawn mowing habits. Mowing a lawn too short, leaving it too long, allowing clipping clumps to remain on the lawn, improper wheel adjustments, dull mower blades, or mowing when the grass is under heat or drought stress often lead to other problems. Lawn diseases may develop, the color of the lawn may decline, water retention may decrease, and there may be an overall reduction in the health and vigor of the lawn.

Take care of your mower by doing regular maitenence each winter.