For some, it’s a chore. For others, it’s an escape from the rat race of life. Many of you may not give more than a passing thought to mowing the grass, but for the lawn it is the single most important cultural practice we perform.

How we mow has a greater influence on the health of the lawn than watering, fertilizing, or weed and pest control. In fact, improper mowing can lead to a number of ongoing problems. Proper mowing is the cultural practice most under our control.

The first consideration is mower height. Mowing too short places the greatest stress on the turf. If mowed too low, the lawn thins out and suffers more heat and drought stress during summer. Mowing too tall reduces the visual quality of the grass. For the average home lawn, tall fescue and bluegrass are best mowed at 3 inches throughout the growing season.

The second important consideration is the frequency of mowing. Research recommends that we follow the one-third rule. That rule is to remove only one-third of the leaf blade at any one time. How often we mow should be based on the turf growth rate not on a calendar. In this hectic modern-day life, that is often hard to do. But it should be a goal. During times of rapid growth in spring and fall the lawn may need mowing two to three times a week. Summer heat may require you to stop mowing altogether.

Whether you catch the grass clippings or let them fall has little or no effect on the health of the lawn. In fact, letting the clippings fall may benefit the turf by returning valuable nutrients back to the lawn as the clippings decompose. Letting the clippings drop is recommended as long as you are mowing frequently enough to keep them from building up on the turf.
Other factors to consider include blade sharpening and mowing patterns. These are important, but not to the extent as the primary practices listed above.

If you are one of those that takes mowing for granted, maybe it’s time to learn a little more about this important practice. Proper mowing habits could save you time and money in lawn restoration and repair. For more information contact Johnson County K-State Research and Extension at 913-715-7050 or email garden.help@jocogov.org.