What is the best length to cut grass?
A well-managed and fertilized lawn can make your home more appealing. You can transform your lawn from scraggly green to golf-course green with a combination of soil additives and fertilizers. Maintaining a lawn requires a lot of attention, such as knowing the right height to cut your grass.
What is the best height for cutting grass?
Each grass variety has a cut height that is ideal. People make a common mistake with their lawn by thinking that they must mow the lawn all the time to stop it from growing too high. The grass is being starved by cutting too often. The shade of taller grass can also slow down weed growth and reduce water loss. Check out the Costs of Lawn Mowing for an estimation of your overall budget.
Your climate will determine the ideal length of your lawn. However, most experts agree that you should maintain your grass between 2 1/2 and 3 inches in length. The last cut for the season will remain the same.
A Rule of Thumb
How high should the grass be cut when you mow? For cool-season grasses, the general rule for how high you should cut your grass is 2 1/2 inches. At each mowing, remove only 1/3 of the grass blade. Mowing lawns at 3 2/3 inches is a good time.
This rule of thumb is particularly important in fall, and, to a lesser extent, spring. But see below. If you don't know the measurements for summer, it is a good idea to mow at a higher height. You can choose to use one of the higher settings when it is hot or dry and then mow at the same height until the fall season arrives.
What Does the Type of Grass Have to Do with Cutting Height?
Most grass-cutting heights are between 2 and 3 inches in length. The exceptions are Bermudagrass (which is a warm-season grass type that thrives at 60 to 75 degrees) and Zoysia (which should be cut at an inordinate height).
What happens if the grass is too short?
Too short grass can cause damage to the soil and lawn mowers. Also, short grass will not block the sun as well, which can cause dry soil and dead patches.