Lawn mowing requires more time than any other lawn-care task. However, it keeps your lawn neat, encourages healthy growth, and helps manage weeds. This guide will cover tips for maintaining a healthy lawn through effective mowing, the right time to mow your lawn, and how often to do so, including the importance of using proper mowing techniques.
Why is Mowing Important?
Mowing the garden affects the health and vigor of the grass. Regular mowing prevents the accumulation of thatch—a layer of dead grass, roots, and organic matter—that can obstruct the flow of water, air, and nutrients to the grassroots.
Moreover, mowing ensures proper air circulation and sunlight exposure to the lower parts of the grass, preventing the growth of fungal diseases that thrive in moist, shaded areas.
By maintaining the grass at a consistent height, mowing encourages stronger and deeper root growth, leading to a more resilient lawn capable of withstanding drought, foot traffic, and other stressors.
How to Mow a Lawn
Following proper lawn mowing techniques ensures it stays well-maintained, contributing to its overall health and resilience. Here is a step-by-step guide on the proper mowing techniques:
Prepare Your Lawn Mower
Ensure your lawn mower is in good working condition. Check the oil and fuel levels and make sure the blades are sharp. Adjust the mower height to the appropriate cutting height for your grass type. Typically, this is about 2.5 to 3 inches for most lawns.
Clear the Lawn
Remove debris by picking up any sticks, rocks, or other debris from the lawn to avoid damaging the mower or injuring yourself.
Plan Your Mowing Pattern
Decide on a mowing pattern before you start. Common patterns include stripes, spirals, or back-and-forth lines. Consider alternate directions and change your mowing direction each time you mow to prevent soil compaction and encourage upright grass growth.
Start Mowing
You can start by mowing the perimeter of your lawn to create a border. This will give you room to turn the mower around when you mow the rest of the lawn. Mow the lawn in straight rows, overlapping slightly with each pass to ensure even coverage.
Handle Clippings
Decide whether to mulch or bag your grass clippings. Mulching can help return nutrients to the soil, while bagging can help with a neater appearance.
Maintain Your Equipment
After mowing, clean the mower deck and blades to remove grass buildup. Follow regular maintenance recommendations: sharpen the blades regularly and perform necessary maintenance tasks to keep your mower in good condition.
Best Time to Cut Grass
Deciding when to start mowing your lawn can significantly influence its overall look. Choosing the right time of day for mowing is also crucial.
For a well-kept lawn, mowing should generally be done weekly or twice a week from March to October. However, if the weather is mild, this may extend into winter. The initial mowing date depends on local conditions and might not always begin in March. The mowing frequency depends on the desired lawn style, weather conditions, and grass growth rate. In addition, the frequency of mowing and the height of the lawn vary depending on the season and grass species.
Start the first cut of the year in spring, around mid-March, and mow at least once a week. Maintain a consistent grass height throughout spring, ideally 2.5-4cm (1-1.5in).
Over the summer, increase mowing to twice a week, but reduce to weekly during drought periods, and raise the mower blades slightly in hot weather. Depending on your cultivar, you should mow at 3 to 3.5 inches to ensure your lawn gets essential shade and insulation.
As temperatures drop, grass growth slows, requiring less frequent mowing. In autumn, continue mowing once a week as in spring. Autumn is usually when you perform the last cut of the year.
In winter, mowing is typically unnecessary unless the weather is mild and the grass continues to grow. If needed, mow occasionally with a higher cut setting, avoiding very soft, wet, frozen ground or during cold, drying winds.
Grass may need less frequent mowing in shaded areas under trees than in sunny, well-moistened areas.
Best time of day for mowing
The best time to mow your lawn is mid-morning (8–10 a.m.), allowing dew to dry and avoiding the hottest part of the day. Alternatively, late afternoon (4–6 p.m.) is also a good time, as it avoids peak heat and allows grass recovery before nightfall, reducing stress on both you and the grass.
Avoid mowing in the early morning and midday when the grass is usually wet, making it difficult for your mower to function effectively. Mowing too close to nightfall (6–8 p.m.) doesn’t give grass enough recovery time, increasing the risk of fungus and turf disease.
How to Use a Lawn Mower
Effectively and safely using a lawn mower requires knowledge of proper techniques and precautions.
First, select the right equipment. Read the user manual for specific instructions and safety guidelines, and ensure the mower is in good working condition by checking the oil, fuel, and air filter.
Make sure the blades are sharp. A well-maintained mower is essential for a neat lawn, and a dull blade might be detrimental.
Blade sharpening frequency depends on how often you mow. Preferably, blades should be sharpened every 20 to 25 working hours, including the start of each season. Regularly inspect the blades for cracks and notches and visit a professional for replacements when necessary.
Before mowing, set the cutting height according to the grass type and season. In dry periods, higher settings help protect the grass.
Wear appropriate safety gear, including sturdy shoes, eye protection, and hearing protection.
Clean the mower after use by removing grass clippings from the blades and undercarriage to prevent rust and buildup, but allow the mower to cool down before performing any maintenance or cleaning. Regular maintenance is crucial for the performance and longevity of your lawn mower.
What Length Should I Cut My Grass?
It might seem like cutting your lawn shorter would reduce mowing frequency, but this approach can harm the grass. Trimming the grass too low decreases the leaf surface area needed for absorbing sunlight, leading to a patchy lawn and potentially damaging or killing the grass. In addition, short grass is more susceptible to weeds.
Rather than mowing the lawn very short, keep the mower blade high and mow more often. As a general guideline, you should never cut more than one-third of a grass blade at a time.
The ideal mowing height also varies with the season. Lawns can be trimmed shorter in the cooler spring and fall months. In summer, maintaining taller grass helps shade the roots and provides additional leaf surface for photosynthesis.
Set mowing heights between 2 and 3.5 inches, depending on the grass type. Cool-season grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass, Tall fescue, and Perennial Ryegrass, should generally be cut to 2.5 to 3.5 inches. Warm-season grasses, like Zoysia and Bermuda, can be trimmed to 2 to 2.5 inches.
Tips for Mowing the Lawn
Avoid Trampling the Grass
When mowing, move only within the already mowed area. Grass blades take time to straighten after being trampled, which can result in an uneven cut or some blades being missed entirely.
Utilize the Full Cutting Width
Use the lawn mower’s full cutting width to speed up the process and achieve a more uniform cut. Ensure that one wheel width of the mower overlaps the previously mowed track to create a seamless, streak-free surface.
Handle Lawn Edges with Care
If your lawn has a carefully cut edge, avoid letting the mower wheels slip into the adjacent flower bed. This can cause the blade to cut off parts of the grass. Instead, leave a narrow strip and trim it later with a lawn edge shear or trimmer.
Alternate Mowing Patterns
Consistently mowing in the same pattern can cause the grass to lean in one direction, creating an uneven appearance. To avoid this, alternate your mowing direction with each session. This encourages the grass blades to grow upright and helps prevent soil compaction.
Mow Slopes Properly
Be sure to mow slopes perpendicular to their incline for an even cut. This approach also enhances safety, as the mower remains level with you, preventing it from rolling over if you fall.
Should You Edge or Mow First?
Lawn maintenance practices often begin with mowing and edging. But which should you do first?
While it doesn’t affect the health of your lawn, the order does impact its appearance.
Starting with edging can be more accessible and result in a cleaner look. Edging first allows the mower to clean up the excess clippings from the edges, making the overall cleanup quicker and simpler.
It also depends on the condition of your lawn. For a well-maintained, regularly mowed lawn edging, the first step is to create a guide for the mower, ensuring an even grass height and a neat finish. Mowing first, on the other hand, can sometimes leave an uneven, unfinished look.
How to Cut Grass Without a Lawn Mower
One of the key ways to make grass-cutting easier is to choose the right tool for your needs. If you have a small lawn and either don’t have a lawn mower or prefer alternative methods, here are some practical options for keeping your grass neatly trimmed:
- Grass Shears: Manual grass shears are perfect for small lawns and precise trimming around edges and obstacles.
- Grass strimmers or long-handled lawn shears: These tools efficiently trim grass, especially in hard-to-reach areas.
- Mowing with a scythe: A scythe has a curved blade on a long handle, so a sharp blade is essential. This tool is great for hilly and rocky terrain and can handle tall grass. It is human-powered and requires no fuel. However, besides regular blade maintenance, using a scythe requires physical effort and proper technique.
- Gas and Battery String Trimmers: Electric or battery-powered string trimmers are more environmentally friendly than gas-powered ones. These can be used for cutting grass in slightly larger areas. If you choose this tool, ensure the blades are kept at an appropriate height for safety and efficiency.
- Robot Mower: Robotic mowers have improved significantly and can provide a decent overall cut. Some models are still expensive, and they usually operate slowly and may struggle with uneven terrain and obstacles.
How to Mow a Lawn with a Riding Mower
If you choose a riding mower, choose one based on the size of your yard and the type of grass. If your lawn is less than half an acre and you have thin grass like Bermuda, a small rear-engine rider with a 10hp engine will suffice. For thicker grass like St. Augustine, opt for a riding mower with a more powerful engine.
For lawns over half an acre, you’ll need a mower with a large deck and a powerful engine to handle multiple blades.
Once you start, avoid mowing in the same pattern every time, as this can move down the grass and inhibit growth. Instead, vary your mowing direction to keep grass blades vertical and healthy.
Riding mowers are generally easy to operate. Follow the owner’s manual instructions for proper use and maintain your mower regularly. Avoid mowing through unusually tall grass, as dry grass and piles of dry leaves can build up on the mower deck and create a fire hazard. You can mow damp grass, but make sure the blades are sharp and apply silicone lubricant to the underside of the deck to prevent clogging.
For maintenance tips, clean the mower deck and engine with compressed air or a leaf blower before the first use and after each use during the season. Change the oil and filter, clean or replace the air filter, check the tires, and ensure the mower blades are sharpened and balanced.
Can You Cut the Grass When It’s Wet with an Electric Mower?
Nowadays, most lawnmowers are electric. If you own one, especially one that uses a cord to connect to a power source, never use it to cut damp grass.
Water and electricity should never mix, and cutting wet grass with an electric mower is dangerous, leading to a severe risk of electrocution. Most lawnmowers have metal handles, and a spark caused by water entering a small hole in the protective casing around the wire could easily send a deadly shock through your hands and into your body.
Besides the risk to your health, using an electric lawnmower on wet grass can damage the machine. Water entering the system can cause a terminal fault, leading to costly repairs or replacement. This is particularly likely if the mower is regularly exposed to water.
Finally, cutting wet grass can also harm your lawn. While a mower blade will cut dry grass neatly, wet grass makes this much more difficult. The blades can tear the grass unevenly, resulting in a messy appearance. In some cases, this can also stress the grass and cause it to turn yellow.
What Time Can You Start Cutting Grass?
Mowing the lawn might be noisy. Therefore, consider your neighbors and respect legal quiet times when planning your mowing activities.
Lawn mowing noise can affect the neighborhood, so choose times that minimize disruption. However, mowing hours aren’t just about being considerate; your municipality might restrict mowing times and noise levels.
Local noise regulations vary by city and county, often dictating permissible times for loud activities like lawn mowing.
Some general guidelines for residential areas state that lawn mowing is allowed from 7:00 a.m. on weekdays and from 8:00 or 9:00 a.m. on weekends.
However, always check your city’s noise ordinances, as they can differ. Even if early mowing is allowed, consider waiting until at least 8:00 a.m. on weekdays and 9:00 a.m. on weekends to avoid disturbing your neighbors.
Most Efficient Mowing Pattern
Stripes
One of the simplest and most common ways to mow the grass is with stripes. Make one pass, then turn 180 degrees and make the next pass, slightly overlapping the previous one. Repeat until the lawn is entirely mowed. It is recommended that you change directions each time you mow. If you mow vertically one week, try a horizontal pattern the next week.
Curves
This approach is a variation of stripes, but instead of running straight, they follow a gentle, curving pattern. You can use the first wave as a guide and patterns to follow.
Circle
Another efficient pattern is circling. After mowing the edges, continue making passes in a circular pattern until you reach the center of the yard. This method is efficient for most lawns and reduces the number of sharp turns compared to mowing in rows.
There are two methods for beginning a circle pattern: from the outside or the inside. It’s best to start from the outside for lawns without focal points, but if your lawn features a tree or another focal point, you can start from the inside and work your way outward.
Checkerboard
This effect is created by bending the grass blades in opposite directions, causing them to reflect light differently and appear in alternating dark and light shades. Following this pattern can make your yard look like a baseball park.
Mix your patterns
Regardless of the pattern you choose, change it from time to time. This prevents the grass from growing in one direction, making your lawn look better and mowing easier.
Can You Mow Grass in the Rain?
Your lawn needs rain to grow and stay healthy since it provides water, moisture, and nutrients. However, too much rain can disrupt your lawn care routine.
Mowing wet grass is problematic because it clumps and clogs mower blades, creating an ideal environment for diseases and harming the grass. Avoid mowing wet grass because it can damage the soil and the grass. Wet grass can also become easily uprooted, leaving bare patches on the lawn. Additionally, using a heavy mower on wet soil can cause compaction and erosion.
For electric mowers, rain can damage electrical parts and pose a risk of electric shock. You can read more about the challenges of mowing after the rain in our blog post.
However, while mowing during rainy conditions is generally not recommended, it may sometimes be unavoidable. In such cases, adjust your mowing technique to reduce adverse effects.
However, in some cases, mowing during the rain may be necessary. For instance, if the grass has grown significantly due to frequent rains, mowing is needed to keep it manageable.
Concerning positive effects, wet soil can make mowing easier in areas where the ground is typically hard and compacted when dry.
Conclusion
In summary, following proper mowing techniques is crucial for keeping your lawn healthy. Consider the type of grass, its growth rate, and height when deciding when and how often to mow. Proper mowing helps control weeds, encourages healthy growth, and keeps your lawn looking neat.
Always use the right equipment, monitor the weather and growth rate, and adjust your mowing schedule. No matter which pattern you choose, always adhere to the triple golden rule for lawn mowing: mow when the grass is dry, set the mower blades high, and keep them sharp.
If you need professional advice or assistance, our team of experts can help you improve your mowing practices.
Sources:
Lawn mowing guide / RHS. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. https://www.rhs.org.uk/lawns/mowing
Gardeners, F. (2024, September 10). When should you cut your grass? Fantastic Gardeners. https://www.fantasticgardeners.co.uk/lawn-care/when-should-you-cut-your-grass/
Hassani, N. (2022, May 5). 7 Common lawn mowing patterns and when to use them. The Spruce. https://www.thespruce.com/lawn-mowing-patterns-5221488
