How to Mow the Lawn – Lawn Mowing Tips

Wait Before Mowing a New Lawn

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Relax those irritated mowing digits, buddy. After distributing grass seed, you must wait for your new grass to establish itself before cutting. When new grass plants achieve cutting height, which differs by grass variety, they can be trimmed for the first time. However, regardless of the sort of grass you have, restrain your excitement and restrict yourself to trimming only the top 13 of the grass blades. (or less). A drastic trim can startle and upset new grass plants, delaying the development of your new lawn—exactly the reverse of what you want.

Before you cut for the first time, your lawn should be the following height:

• Bahia: 2-2 ½ inches
• Bermuda: 1½-2 inches
• Bluegrass: 2-2½ inches
• Centipede: 1½-2 inches
• Fescue: 2-3 inches
• Perennial Ryegrass: 2-3 inches
• Zoysia: 1-2 inches

Wait 2 to 3 weeks before cutting a new grass that was grown from sod rather than seed to allow the sod to penetrate into the earth. Reduce irrigation and step on the grass to see if it’s ready to mow; if it’s solid enough to walk on, it’s ready to mow. You can also draw up on the sod gently—no, honestly, we mean gently—to see if it has anchored. For the first few occasions, don’t trim the lawn any shorter than 2 inches. Also, be cautious not to yank up any sod while mowing. But there’s no need to panic if you do. Simply replace any sections that have been relocated.

Leave Grass Clippings on Your Lawn

Leave the cuttings on the grass after grooming. No, listen to us out on this one. Grass cuttings decompose rapidly and restore valuable minerals to the earth. Just make sure to cut frequently enough to avoid taking too much at once and to keep the leaves tiny. Shaving off too much of the grass blade disturbs the grass and creates mounds of long trimmings on the yard that do not decompose quickly and can suffocate developing grass. That’s not acceptable.

If you must package your cuttings, do the planet a favor and use them as fertilizer or compost—but only if you haven’t used any grass plant control products.

Keep Your Mower Blade Sharp

Sharpen mower blades at the first indication of wear, just as you wouldn’t cut with a worn blade. Dull blades rip up vegetation, resulting in jagged, dark borders. But that’s not the worst of it. Using a worn mowing blade repeatedly can also diminish your lawn over time, making it more vulnerable to disease, bug damage, and other stressors. (like heat and drought). A yearly tractor tune-up and blade honing is a win-win-win situation: Your mower will start simpler, chop neater, and divide debris without clogging the blades. Finally, remember to cleanse your mower after each use to help avoid obstructions within the blade.

Reminders for Lawn Care (aka Other Good Stuff You Can Do for Your Lawn)

Mow forward whenever feasible when using a manual mower.

Yes, we understand that you virtually reside in flip-flops during the summer. When you shave, however, you must wear closed-toed shoes or risk losing some digits.

Keep a watch out for dogs and toddlers, particularly if your mower is noisy.

Wear shades or other eye protection to shield your eyes from any detritus that may fly up while you mow.

When cutting on an incline, progress from side to side rather than up and down. Slipping occurs. Don’t let it happen.

Related Questions

• What is the ideal mowing pattern?

  You go around and around your yard. Cutting in circular rings is a good design because all of your movements are in the same way. It’s also simpler to handle your mower because the changes are more progressive. A circle design will also mirror the incisions made around trees and flower areas.

• Why do landscapers mow diagonally?

  Why? Because grass is taught to incline one way when it is cut in the same direction over and over. Going over the same tracks repeatedly can also cause rutting and soil compaction, which is when soil particles become too closely compacted, making it difficult for water and oxygen to reach grass roots.

• Should first mow be short or long?

  The first mowing should be more of a cut, leaving grass up to 3 or 3.5 inches long. Depending on the sort of grass you have, you can start mowing your yard shorter later in the spring.