'For those looking for a very tightly cut lawn, you can increase mowing cycles to as often as every two or three days during the peak growing season over summer, but just be cautious to approach the ever shorter cutting blades gradually over a four to six week period so the grass has a chance to adapt.
Couch is the sort of lawn where you can choose to mow every second day through to once every 7-10 days during the warm seasons depending on how you want it to look. If you love your lawn and want it to look like a bowling green then mowing 2-3 times per week could be in order.
Depends on various factors but 2-4 days should be fine. Aim to do 3 cuts to get down to the final height since the grass will grow some in between mowings.
That answer depends on the season and the weather conditions, but generally you'll want to mow your lawn every 4 to 10 days. Keep reading our blog as we break down that range into specific suggestions for spring, summer, and fall!
How often should you mow? Normally, weekly mowing is the rule, but some lawns need cutting more often. Other lawns will grow more slowly and might need cutting only once every ten days or two weeks. Generally, don't cut off more than one third of the grass blade.
Mowing your lawn will vary from season to season and your location, but generally mowing every second week in summer and every 2–5 weeks from autumn through winter will be enough. Spring mowing will vary due to rainfall levels and sunny days, so watch it closely and cut as required.
When the grass is growing rapidly, you will need to mow more often. Mow less often when the grass is growing slow. Cool-season lawns, like Tall Fescue and Kentucky Bluegrass should be mowed about two times per week in the spring and fall, and about one time per week during the summer.
As a general rule, grass clippings of an inch or less in length can be left on your lawn where they will filter down to the soil surface and decompose quickly. Remove longer clippings because they can shade or smother grass beneath causing lawn damage. Don't throw out bagged grass clippings as yard waste.
However, most professional gardeners would agree that between 8 AM and 10 AM is the best time of day to cut your grass. The reason for that is that lawns need time to heal before evening. Grass needs the benefit of the day to dry and heal before dusk settles.
It's best to wait for wet grass to dry before mowing. Wet grass clippings can clog your mower, causing it to choke and spit out clumps of wet grass that could smother and kill your lawn if left unraked. It's best to wait for wet grass to dry before mowing.
The one-third rule means that when you mow, you want to cut off the top one-third of your grass blades. So, for three-inch grass blades, you want to mow when they grow to approximately 4.5 inches tall (3 / 4.5 = 0.667).
It starts growing leaves faster so that it can replace the leaf you cut off or make up for being in the shade. This means the closer you mow the faster the grass grows! The grass plants future survival depends on it manufacturing food, which it can't do without an adequate amount of leaf.
Mow First
By mowing first, you know how short to trim grass along edges and will be less likely to scalp those areas, giving rise to bare or weedy patches.
Lawn Mowing Patterns for a Push Mower
Start by mowing around the perimeter of the lawn. Then, mow across. When you get to the end, swing the mower around and go back in the other direction, making a line that just slightly overlaps with the first one. Keep mowing back and forth to make a pattern.
With this healthy appearance comes faster lawn growth. When your lawn begins to grow faster, you'll need to mow and edge more frequently to maintain a clean finished look. You may not need to edge every time you mow but you'll still want to assess the integrity of your edge lines after each mowing.
Grass seed germinates at different rates, depending on various factors such as the grass species, weather, time of year and soil moisture. Typically, germination takes between five and 10 days. Once germinated, the grass will continue to grow at a rate of about 2/3cm per week.
It is always better to mow before rain if possible. If your grass is dry, but you see rain on the way, it is a good idea to mow the yard before the rain arrives. Otherwise, the next best time to mow is when your grass has completely dried after rainfall.
Mowing grass with morning dew
It is undoubtedly best to wait until your grass is completely dry before you mow and in the case of morning dew this is likely to only take a few hours – however, there is nothing stopping you getting the mower out while it's still a little wet.
After mowing in stripes or rows, the next most efficient way to mow your lawn is in concentric circles. Depending on the shape of your lawn, this may actually be more efficient. Concentric circles use the same time-saving technique as mowing in stripes: it's all about the turns.
If it does look worse after mowing, like the left side of the picture below, chances are you're either cutting too much off at once, or mowing with a dull blade. Mowing properly can help your lawn look terrific. Mowing improperly can encourage weeds and browning.
Lawn stripes occur by bending the grass into different directions with your lawn mower. It's not an optical illusion. Rather, it is basically just light reflecting off the blades of grass blades bent in opposite directions. Grass bent towards you looks dark while the grass away from you look lighter.
You can always rake grass trimmings and bits of debris into a pile or clean them with a broom, but there are several benefits to collecting them with a lawn sweeper instead: More compost material gathered. Convenient cleanup. Useable throughout the year.
A lawn is double-cut when it's mown twice in quick succession with the mower set at a high height for the first, then a medium height for the second. Some take this a step further, mowing in specific directions with each mow to push the grass so it lays in a different direction for each row.
Grass growth patterns throughout the year
Grass grows fast in late spring and early summer due to the nice warm temperatures and available sunlight. Mid-summer can bring short periods of dormancy during drought conditions, but grass can also grow well if it has adequate water and sunlight.
While Summer months see your lawn grow at a faster rate, during Winter your growth rate tends to slow down.