utilize these tips to figure out the best stature to shorten grass for the respectable lawn .

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lie with the best height to cut grass can in reality aid you farm a good for you lawn . The right lawn mower meridian scope to use depends on a few unlike factors , including thetype of grassand time of year . While it is mutual to write out cool - season grass , for representative , at a consistent 3½ inches year - around , your lawn will thrive withless waterand plant food if you adapt the mow tiptop according to conditions . Begin by getting to screw your skunk ; each sward species has an optimal cutting altitude . Then , consider seasonal factors like heat and drought when adjusting themower sword . Here ’s everything you call for to know to cipher out the best pinnacle to cut grass .

lawn mower cutting grass

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Know Your Grass

The type of grass that makes up your lawn serve determine the good lawn mower height configurations to use . Lawn pasturage is divided into two groups — cool - time of year locoweed and warm - season skunk . If you live in a region that does n’t take in snow in the winter , your lawn is a warm - season grass , such asBermudagrass . St. Augustinegrass , orzoysiagrass . If winter brings blow to your landscape , you ’re likely growing a nerveless - time of year supergrass , such as Kentucky bluegrass , grandiloquent fescue , or perennial rye grass .

Homeowners in moderate coastal climate and the lower Midwest might be develop cool - season or tender - season Gunter Grass . Here ’s how to identify cool - season or lovesome - season grasses in moderate climates :

Lawn Mower Height Settings for Cool-Season Grasses

Cool - season pasture are typically mowed at a cutting summit of 2½ to 3½ inches . However , the best height to reduce grass in a nerveless - season lawn fluctuates by time of year . These type of lawn grasses grow most smartly when daytime heights are in the 70s and below — mostly in the saltation and fall . Expect them to quickly green up in leap when the daylight lengthen and temperature surface . You ’ll likelymow every five to seven daysin spring .

The recommend mow height varies by coolheaded - time of year coinage . Set your lawn mower leaf blade to the higher remnant of the cut compass to promote a lawn with right warmth and drought tolerance .

Raise the Mower Height Setting in Summer

Summer brings a period of slow ontogenesis or sleeping for many cool - season Gunter Wilhelm Grass as they conserve resources . It is not unusual for non - irrigated nerveless - season grasses toturn brown in summer ; the roots are still awake , and the grass will green up again when moisture returns and temperature drop . Increase the mowing meridian in summer by ½ in to 1 inch . If you were cutting grass at 3 in in spring , raise the blade to 3½ inches or 4 inches . The additional height helps shade the soil and encourages the Gunter Wilhelm Grass to develop longer roots , which can better mine for water in a drought .

Prepare Cool-Season Grass for Winter

When cool - season pot begins actively growing again in early fall , lower the cutting height to 3 to 3 ½ in for a consistent appearance . Plan to mow every week until the day length decrease in tardy October and cold temperatures set in . Cool - time of year skunk remains green for weeks when high temperatures are in the L , but growing is minimal . Send the sward into winterat the 3 to 3½ inch top . overly farseeing grassencourages vole and rodent activityin wintertime , yet grass disregard too short is susceptible to cold weather harm .

When mowing , never cut off more than one - third of the tiptop of the supergrass . For illustration , if the turf is 3 inch tall , set the lawn mower to cut at 2 inches . Removing more than one - third of the foliage blade can shock the green goddess plant , resulting in tenuous greensward and a shallow root system of rules . If the lawn is overgrown , reduce the height by removing just one - third of the length at a time . It might take several mowings to get the grass back to its proper stature .

Lawn Mower Height Settings for Warm-Season Grasses

Warm - season grasses are mowed at a significantly shorter tallness than cool - season grasses . The best height to cut grass of this eccentric is between 1 and 2 inches tall . When cut down higher than recommended , strong - time of year grasses are prone to develop adestructive layer of thatched roof . Edward Teach is a buildup of dead stem and leaves on the grime open . It hinders moisture from reach roots and slows growth , leading to a weak , thin lawn .

When the green goddess is growing vigorously in summer , diligently observe warm - season sward at the recommended foreshorten heights . It might be necessary to mow twice a hebdomad to maintain forage at an ideal tiptop . Here ’s the best height to cut tender - time of year grass by species :

Raise the Cutting Height in Winter

Warm - time of year grasses will go into dormancy in crepuscle . When temperatures moderate and days become short , adjust the lawn mower height set to the top of the recommended cutting grasp . Taller grass will promote a deeper root system , which help the pasture pull through wintertime well . In wintertime , warm - time of year grass grows minimally or not at all in some areas . There ’s no need to pout warm - season grass when it is dormant except to superintend weed growth .