Copyright 2010-2011 Updated December 9, 2011 Ultralawn, Inc. 1055 East 260th Street Euclid, Ohio  44132 (216) 731-7756 (440) 951-3738 About • Lawn Care • Trees/Shrubs • Pest Barrier • Questions • Contact Lawn Care   We welcome the opportunity to answer your questions Mowing Mowing is the most basic and frequently practiced of all lawn care operations. Proper mowing is essential in the maintenance of quality turf. Cutting Height: Turf grasses, like all plants, must be able to photosynthesize in order to survive and grow. Close mowing reduces the amount of leaf area available for photosynthesis, reducing plant vigor. As cutting height is reduced, lawns become less tolerant of environmental stresses and more prone to invasion by weeds than a lawn maintained at a higher cutting height. In addition, root systems of grasses usually become shorter and less prolific as cutting height is reduced. Although a closely cut lawn can be successfully maintained, its shorter root system will result in a need for more frequent watering and fertilization to compensate for its reduced ability to obtain water and nutrients from the soil. It is therefore desirable to maintain your lawn at the highest cutting height acceptable for its intended use and aesthetic value. A cutting height of 2 ½ to 3 inches is best for most lawns. Mowing Frequency How fast a lawn grows determines how frequently it requires mowing. In order to avoid stressing turf, no more than 1/3 of existing shoot growth should be removed at any one mowing. If a lawn grows excessively high for some reason, the mowing height should be gradually reduced to the proper height over a span of several mowings rather than all at once. This will minimize excessive buildup of clippings as well as prevent shock to the plant, which may occur when the grass is severely defoliated after being allowed to grow too high. Clipping Removal Unless an excessive amount of clippings remain on the lawn following mowing (because of infrequent mowing), there is no need to remove clippings by bagging or raking. In fact, clippings are a valuable source of nutrients. Clippings returned to a lawn will return nitrogen and other nutrients to your lawn over the course of a season. The addition of organic matter in the form of clippings may help to improve the status of your soil over time as well, especially if it is sandy and/or low in organic matter. Contrary to popular belief, returning clippings to the lawn does not normally contribute to increased thatch formation. Clippings easily break down rapidly and do not accumulate. If you mow the lawn when it is wet, clippings may clump together and make removal necessary. Mowing when the lawn is dry will help to prevent clumping; however, the lawn should not be allowed to grow excessively high merely because the grass is wet. Mowing a wet lawn (assuming no disease is active) will not damage it. Mowing Patterns The direction of mowing should be varied with each mowing in order to promote upright shoot growth. Mowing Equipment Rotary mowers cut the grass by impact (similar to how a machete works). Mulching mowers are rotary mowers, which cut the clippings into small pieces. This allows the clippings to fall down into the turf canopy more easily and to decompose more quickly. It is very important to keep the mower blades as sharp as possible. Dull mowers tear the grass blades rather than cut them, resulting in excessive injury to the plants as well as a brownish cast to the turf.