I’m sure many of you have seen many different recommendations about how often you should cut the grass on your lawn. That is the million-dollar question. Some of those recommendations are to cut the grass every two weeks, or three times a month, etc. Many lawn care companies will tell you that you need to aerate your lawn every three years, but is that true?
There is no simple answer to this question, and there are tons of different factors that will determine how often you should cut your grass. I will try to explain many of those factors.
Factors that Affect the Frequency of Mowing the Grass
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When the grass is cut often, it will stay greener and grow at a faster rate. The grass also will be healthier and will not be as susceptible to disease. There are a number of factors that affect how often to mow lawn including:
- Average rainfall per month;
- Amount of shade in the area;
- Average soil moisture;
- Type of grass;
- Amount of fertilization.
Average Rainfall per Month
Average rainfall per month is probably the most important factor in terms of how often you should cut your grass. The reason for this is that the longer you wait between cuts, the more water that will collect in the lawn due to increased evaporation and transpiration.
Water is obviously bad for grass because it encourages disease and weeds. So the more water you allow to sit in the grass, the more problems you will have with the grass. It is a good idea to cut your grass often enough to keep water levels low in the lawn.
The general suggestion is that you should cut your grass once per week if you live in a climate that gets less than 1 inch of rain per month. If you live in a climate that gets more than 1 inch of rain per month, you should cut the grass once every 2 weeks.
Type of Grass
The frequency of mowing your grass also depends on the type of grass that you have. For example, the warm-season grasses such as Bermuda and Zoysia grasses need mowing more often than the cool-season grasses such as fescue and bluegrass.
You also need to mow more often if you have a freshly planted lawn because it will need to be maintained in order to keep it healthy. You need grass cut when it has passed the 3-inches mark on a standard 1/3-inch measuring stick (a ruler will work).
The Purpose of Cutting Grass
The main purpose of cutting grass is to make sure that it does not grow too tall. Tallgrass not only looks bad, but it also becomes more susceptible to damage by pests and diseases. Tallgrass also requires more mowing, which means more money spent on gasoline and maintenance.
The Seasonal Cuts
You should mow your lawn in the spring and the fall. Mowing in the spring is necessary to prepare the grass for the summer, which means that you have to cut it to the right height. However, if you cut your grass too short, it will not be able to store the necessary amount of nutrients and it will also be prone to disease. Mowing in the fall is necessary so that you can prepare your grass for winter.
Care for Your Lawn
Mowing the lawn is the most important task that you need to perform to care for your lawn. If you neglect mowing your lawn, you will notice that it will start to look very shaggy and unkempt. Even if you do not trim your lawn regularly, you should mow the lawn once a month at least.
Remember that you need to keep your grass cut short. This will not only make your lawn look better and nicer to walk on, but it will also increase the overall health of your grass.
