- At home
- Farm and garden
- Lawns and landscapes
- Lawn care
- Mowing practices for healthy lawns
Lawn mowing takes more time than any other lawn care practice. Regular mowing with a sharp mower blade at the correct height ensures that the grass continues to grow and maintains the correct density. Good mowing methods contribute to a healthy lawn and as few weeds as possible, and leaving grass clippings on your lawn contributes to the lawn's nutrition. The grass types used in Minnesota lawns typically include Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and fescue.
Height
- For a typical Midwestern residential lawn, you should maintain a height of 3 inches or higher.
- Taller grass shades weed seeds and keeps the soil cooler.
- Taller grass means longer roots and a greater ability to withstand drought and reach nutrients.
When mowing, do not remove more than 1/3 of the leaf tissue.
Mowing or scalping too short causes stress for the grass plant. Weak grass plants will take longer to recover. To maintain a 3-inch lawn, mow before the grass reaches 4 inches in height.
- Mowing too short allows weed seeds to receive more sun and increases the chance of germination.
Leave your clippings on the lawn
Decomposed clippings add the equivalent of one fertilizer application to your lawn annually.
Decomposed clippings improve soil quality and minimize runoff.
Leaving clippings on your lawn improves carbon sequestration.
If your clippings are too long, mulch by mowing them several times or tear them off.
If you have used herbicides on your lawn, leave the clippings behind after mowing. Do not use it as mulch on other plants or add compost.
Lawn mower blades
Make sure your lawn mower blades are sharp.
- Dull leaves leave jagged edges and plants are more susceptible to disease.
- Cleanly cut blades of grass can save water, reducing the need for irrigation.
At what time of year should I stop mowing?
Continue mowing until the grass stops growing in the fall, usually around the end of October.
- Keeping the grass at height before winter can minimize diseases that occur when the grass is too tall in winter.
- Longer grass in winter can promote mussel activity.
Keep your lawn healthy and actively growing
Increase the mowing height by 1 inch in mid-summer to improve the lawn's ability to withstand stress caused by heat and drying winds.
Change the mowing direction regularly to promote the growth of upright shoots.
If possible, cut at a right angle every other time.
Alternating mowing patterns prevent continuous scalping and soil compaction.
Consider installing the bag attachment or raking up excess debris after the first cut of the year and the last cut of the season.
Sam Bauer, extension teacher and Jonah Reyes
Reviewed in 2018
Lateral examination
