How High Should Mower Blades Be Set for Lawns in the Mid-Atlantic Region?
Everyone loves a well manicured, green lawn. But getting a great looking lawn requires more than just regular mowing. Other factors such as mower blade height, the type of mower, and equipment used to mow smaller areas can all affect the look of your turf.
Cutting no more than one-third of grass height
Commercial property owners should talk with their landscape maintenance provider to look ensure they are setting the mower blade height to cut no more than one-third of the grass height. This is one of the most important aspects of keeping your grass healthy.
Regular mowing is also important. If grass is allowed to grow too long and then suddenly mowed down, it can damage the roots. This causes the grass to grow at a slower rate and work harder to fend off diseases and other grass-related issues. And when circumstances result in your grass growing beyond its normal height, professional landscapers understand that slowly reducing the height over time is better than cutting off more than one-third of the grass height all at once.
In fact, when long grass is cut down all at once, or when more than one-third of the height of the grass is removed, a scalping effect can occur. When this happens, it causes brown patches on the grass. This is especially damaging to grass in hot summers, and can allow weeds to take over.
Scalping can be done as lawn prep prior to the growing season, but only under specific conditions.
Tending grass in small spaces
Mowing grass more than needed is not only hard on the grass but also on the mower. Keeping grass healthy takes much more than frequent mowing. Grass height as well as the type of mower used all play important roles in the health and appearance of your grass.
A professional landscaper knows when grass needs to be cut and trimmed. And grass that takes up small or unusual spaces often requires special equipment to be trimmed correctly. This includes trimming around light poles and fences, sign posts and the edges of sidewalks and buildings.
Fighting those weeds
Grass care and proper mowing practice will not only make your lawn beautiful, it will also keep those dandelions at bay. Every year in the spring, and sometimes year round, grass is threatened by those puffy seeds that float over lawns and begin to grow and proliferate.
Proper and consistent mowing practices will help the grass on your commercial property to fight those pesky weeds. A professional landscaper will know how to apply the least amount of regular fertilization to keep grass thick and full, thereby deterring weed growth.
Type of mower to use
Using a properly adjusted mower with sharp blades is a key ingredient to getting a great looking lawn. Otherwise, dull blades can tear grass and give your lawn a shoddy appearance, as well as allow disease to take over.
A reel mower is for grass like short Bermuda grass. It uses a shearing action to cut the grass. It’s the type of mower many professional landscapers use for commercial properties. A reel mower runs more quietly and follows the contour of the land easily.
Most homeowners use a rotary mower but they are noisy and are not as effective for commercial properties.
Consider these additional lawn-cutting tips
Before mowing make sure the grass is free of debris such as sticks and rocks.
Mow grass every three to four days in the spring as it is actively growing. In the summer, mow grass less, every seven to ten days.
Remember, cutting long grass too short and too fast will keep it from maintaining healthy growth. In general, healthy lawns should be mowed to about three inches high.
