During the summer, your lawn sees a lot of action. Parties, barbecues, games—it’s important that your grass is green and soft. While watering is important, mowing your lawn correctly is the best way to ensure the health of your yard during the warm months. To help you get the most out of your grass, follow this quick mowing guide. Then, sit back and watch your lawn come to life.
Less Grass, More Garden
- Don’t keep your blade at the lowest setting. During the warm months, you may need to mow your lawn a few times a week. While you might be tempted to cut your grass as short as possible to stretch out the time between trimmings, this could destroy your grass. Scalping your lawn leaves it vulnerable to diseases and infestations. Plus, it allows the water in the roots of your grass to evaporate more quickly.
- Keep the blade of your mower sharp. A dull blade tears grass instead of trimming it. Torn grass allows pests and diseases to infiltrate the blade of grass. It may even lead to brown or white tips developing on the edge of each blade of grass. Instead, sharpen your mower’s blade a few times during the summer season to ensure that your lawn is trimmed perfectly. Then, avoid hitting branches and rocks as they could dull the blade.
- Adjust the height of the blade. Areas of your lawn that are shady should be mowed at a higher blade level. The areas that are in direct sunlight can be mowed at a lower blade level. However, as was stated above, don’t scalp your lawn no matter what the sunlight situation may be.
Mow your lawn when it’s dry. A wet lawn can clog the mower and make it more difficult to get an even cut. Instead, opt to cut only when your yard is dry. This keeps your mower in better condition and makes it easier to get a clean cut.- Mow when it’s cool. Cutting your grass causes stress to each individual blade of grass. If done during the dead heat of the afternoon, it makes it more difficult to recover the water that is lost. Instead, mow when it’s cooler. This allows more shade to shelter the newly cut grass and improve its recovery.
Mowing your lawn keeps things green and gorgeous during those hot days. Don’t let dry, stiff grass keep you from enjoying your time outside. Instead, follow these 5 simple steps to improve your mowing techniques and keep your grass healthier throughout the warm summer months.