Export thread

What is best for my beloved lawn ?

#1

jmurray01

jmurray01

To leave it until it gets quite long and give it a good cut, or to give it frequent cuts when it is only a little too long ?

I'd think the frequent cuts would be best, as cutting a lawn when the grass is quite long would cause some "tugging" wouldn't it ?

Thanks in advance! :smile:


#2

L

LandN

google the 1/3 cutting rule and check it out.i believe cutting often is good for the lawn ESPECIALLY with sharp blades.i have as of late been cutting 1/8" clippings about every 2 days or so,with a reel mower,and still experimenting with different lengths of grass,still no longer than 2"-2 1/2"


#3

H

ha4145

i cut my lawn every 6 days on the lowest setting and have been doing for the last few years before then i tried cutting it every 3 weeks when it wasd very long this did not work as the grass was getting shocked and was dying of hope this helps!


#4

jmurray01

jmurray01

Frequent cutting is the answer then!

Thanks! :thumbsup:


#5

Xave

Xave

Frequent cuts is correct and I agree with the first reply above. Cutting off just the tip of the grass will help your lawn stay hydrated, protected from summers intense heat/sun and looking greener. Generally it is recommended to keep your lawn 3 to 3.5 inches during the summer. Have fun


#6

B

benski

Frequent cutting, in late afternoon or early evening, with sharp blades, is the preferred method, I understand. You don't want to remove more than 1/3 of the grass blade at any one mowing. Also, water early in the morning, if you can. Just like us, they don't like going to bed with wet, cold feet and hair.:biggrin::thumbsup: Morning watering promotes a healthier, more disease-free lawn.


#7

Sammy the Red

Sammy the Red

The 1/3 rule ........ is hardly ever followed and in most cases, does not matter.

Frequent cutting is the correct answer.


#8

Ric

Ric

The 1/3 rule is what most study's say is the correct cutting procedure to use but is very seldom followed. Frequency of cut and the height of the grass would depend on what type of grass you're cutting.

Take St Augustine for example, there are nine different types of St Augustine and the cutting heights range from 2 to 4" and most are recommended to be cut at 6 day intervals, Recommended cutting height for Bermuda grass 1 to 1 1/2" at like 3 day intervals and should be done with a reel type mower. Bahia grass has a different height and the list goes on. Most all grasses have different cutting heights and intervals and if you want to throw another wrench into the works, location can play a big part.

The reason that most study's say to use the 1/3 rule is because grass clippings are 90% water and the remaining 10% is very degradable and should according to study's never bagged because grass clippings contain an estimated 4% nitrogen that can be returned to the grass plant if they are allowed to remain on the lawn. To remove more than 1/3 of the total length as someone else stated would or could supposedly shock the grass and expose the root system to sun, wind and decease and could cause permanent damage.

So what is best for your beloved lawn, I would find out what type of grass you're cutting and do a search and find out the recommended height and cutting interval.


#9

wjjones

wjjones

Ric said:
The 1/3 rule is what most study's say is the correct cutting procedure to use but is very seldom followed. Frequency of cut and the height of the grass would depend on what type of grass you're cutting.

Take St Augustine for example, there are nine different types of St Augustine and the cutting heights range from 2 to 4" and most are recommended to be cut at 6 day intervals, Recommended cutting height for Bermuda grass 1 to 1 1/2" at like 3 day intervals and should be done with a reel type mower. Bahia grass has a different height and the list goes on. Most all grasses have different cutting heights and intervals and if you want to throw another wrench into the works, location can play a big part.

The reason that most study's say to use the 1/3 rule is because grass clippings are 90% water and the remaining 10% is very degradable and should according to study's never bagged because grass clippings contain an estimated 4% nitrogen that can be returned to the grass plant if they are allowed to remain on the lawn. To remove more than 1/3 of the total length as someone else stated would or could supposedly shock the grass and expose the root system to sun, wind and decease and could cause permanent damage.

So what is best for your beloved lawn, I would find out what type of grass you're cutting and do a search and find out the recommended height and cutting interval.
Click to expand...

Your right there really are alot of factors to consider..


#10

JimmyTheGlove

JimmyTheGlove

If you have some weed issues like Sand Burrs (gosh I hope you don't), mowing frequently is an absolute must in effort to exterminate.
Other than that, mowing less frequently and not chopping your lawn down too far, is effective if you want to conserve water.
I mow once a week but I leave the lawn 2 1/2 to 3 inches long so it retains water better so that I don't have to water it as often. I'm pretty sure it's better for the grass to be mowed consistently, but not necessarily frequently.


#11

J

johnandrew

I'd mow my lawn every month end, like I will be doing later today, my rule is to mow once a month and then aerate every year renting an aerator from a construction equipment rental company


#12

K

KennyV

johnandrew said:
I'd mow my lawn every month end, like I will be doing later today, my rule is to mow once a month
Click to expand...

What kind of grass will tolerate once a month mowing during the wet, growing season???
Grass around here will be approaching a foot tall if mowed once a month... that would all but destroy it's value as a lawn grass... :smile:KennyV


#13

RobertBrown

RobertBrown

KennyV said:
What kind of grass will tolerate once a month mowing during the wet, growing season???
Grass around here will be approaching a foot tall if mowed once a month... that would all but destroy it's value as a lawn grass... :smile:KennyV
Click to expand...

If i mowed once a month I would need a bush hog after 2-3 months.:confused2:


#14

J

johnandrew

KennyV said:
What kind of grass will tolerate once a month mowing during the wet, growing season???
Grass around here will be approaching a foot tall if mowed once a month... that would all but destroy it's value as a lawn grass... :smile:KennyV
Click to expand...
I am sorry for not being clear on that, I meant once a month in the summer/before the rainy season, Also I do not mow with the mower's lowest setting... sorry for not being clear


#15

K

KennyV

RobertBrown said:
If i mowed once a month I would need a bush hog after 2-3 months.:confused2:
Click to expand...

OR a swather & a baler...


#16

J

jenkinsph

For most lawn grasses frequent mowing with just the tips cut off clean renders the best results. The height to mow it depends on the specific type of grass and season. In my locale Tall Fescue seems to work well for me, in the summer I mow it about 3.5 in height about once a week or when it grows to almost 5 inches.

It is a good idea to let most lawns grow taller at least once a year to help develop larger roots, so if I take a vacation or get real busy I don't get alarmed if I don't have time to mow for a week or three. In this case the next time I mow with the deck fully raised then wait about 5 days and mow again slightly lower until I get back to my normal height.

Not a believer in bagging up the nutrients and not a fan of mulching blades either, the clippings dry out within a day or two and the grass grows up past them.


One thing I do miss about living in the deep south is that the majority of people there care about their lawns. Here in the southwest grass and lawns isn't a priority with my neighbors, most seem satisfied with rocks and stickers. While I enjoy a nice lawn and caring for it most of my neighbors are bewildered by the concept.


Footer Links 1

Top