How Often Should You Mow Your Lawn?

For many busy homeowners, the only time they have to mow their lawn is on the weekend. However, if your lifestyle allows you to mow your lawn when you see fit, then I do have some suggestions as to when it is most desirable to mow.

The ideal time to mow your lawn is when the length that you will be removing is equal to 1/4 to 1/3 of the length that will be left behind. An example of this for a lawn that consists mostly of Kentucky Blue Grass and that is being maintained at a height of 3 inches, is to mow when the turf height reaches 4 inches. If you do this you will be cutting off 1 inch, and that 1 inch represents 1/3 of 3 inches (which is the height of the grass after the mowing). Another example would be trying to maintain your turf at 2 inches. In this case, when the height of your lawn reaches 2-1/2 inches it would be time to mow. Here you are removing 1/2 inch and what remains is 2 inches long. (1/2 inch is 1/4 of 2 inches.)

Please note, this is not rocket science. The aim is to avoid mowing such that you’re removing half or more of the turf’s height at a time. When you cut that much off during one mowing, it will put your turf under unnecessary stress. Additionally, it will not allow you to easily mulch as you mow. I have seen all too often where a homeowner will let their lawn overgrow to maybe 6 inches and then mow their lawn with their mower set at 2 inches. That practice is extremely hard on the turf.

In the Springtime, when most grasses have an accelerated surge in growth, it is healthier for your lawn to mow more often. This could mean more than once a week depending on how much water, rain, sunshine and nutrients your lawn is receiving. Oftentimes during the heat of the summer months, lawns may go into dormancy. When and if this happens to your lawn, you will find that your lawn does not need to be mowed for much longer periods of time.

So when it comes to the timing of your mowing, just keep in mind to mow it as necessary so that you’re not removing too much of its growth at any one mowing.

NEXT TIME: When Is The Best Time to Water Your Lawn?