HOW SHORT SHOULD YOU CUT YOUR GRASS?

As a homeowner, there are a lot of things around the house that you need to maintain and mowing your lawn is one of them. However, did you know the height of your lawn will determine how healthy it will be? There are many theories about how short or how long you should cut your grass, but in reality, during the hot, summer months, it is best to mow your lawn at the right height.

Unless you're going for the natural, prairie-grass look, you probably spend a lot of time mowing your lawn. But, millions of homeowners across the country make the same mistake, limiting the health of their lawn by cutting the grass too short!

Why Shouldn't I Cut My Grass So Short?

 Unlike a short haircut in the summertime, keeping your lawn high and tight, or in this case low, won't keep it cool and comfortable. Although you might be tempted to cut your lawn short to look like a golf course putting green, you shouldn't. In fact, cutting your grass too short can actually damage the soil and the grass itself. By cutting grass too short, you remove a good portion of the grass blade. The grass blade is where photosynthesis occurs, resulting in root and shoots growth. Grass that's too short also struggles to fight and defend against weeds, making your lawn susceptible to overgrowth.  Also, when you cut grass too short, the sun has easier access to the soil. In turn, the hot summer sun will dry out the soil faster, making it a less-than-ideal environment for living, growing things.

How High Should I Cut My Grass?

It might not seem as efficient, but you should mow your lawn as close to your lawn mowers highest setting as possible. This is typically between 3-3.5 inches. The good news is most newer mowers have easy-to-use variable height adjustments so raising or lowering your blade or deck is simple. Taller grass has more leaf blade which is crucial for a healthy, resilient lawn. Longer leaf blades mean more photosynthesis for the grass. In turn, this makes the grass healthier, and more capable of fighting disease and invasive weeds. The easiest way to make your lawn healthier and look better is to mow the grass higher; not shorter. As a rule of thumb, never cut more than 1/3 of the grass at once.

Sharpen Your Blades

Over time, your lawn mower blades will lose their sharp edges. It doesn't matter if you use a reel mower or a zero turn, you'll eventually have to sharpen or replace your blades. The easiest solution is to buy a replacement blade. The sharp blade will clip the grass cleanly, rather than tear it, which damages the grass.

For more information, contact MGM Management at (208) 846-9189 or visit www.gomgm.com.