Mowing your lawn will not only make it look much tidier but will also keep your yard healthy. However, there are mowing practices you'll want to follow to make sure that you do right by your lawn.
Mow Often Enough
With most lawns, you'll only need to mow once a week. Mowing more frequently can stress the grass. You can mow the lawn a few days sooner if you feel that it's getting too high, especially during the spring when the grass grows faster.
Cut to the Right Height
Research the grass species to find out how short you should cut the grass. For most grass species, the ideal height is about three inches, but there might be a different recommended height depending on the species. A good rule of thumb is to not remove more than a third of the grass. You can determine how much of the grass you'll remove by changing the mower deck height.
Take Care of Your Mower
Make sure the mower is in good shape before you mow the lawn. Perform maintenance and repairs. Make sure that the blades aren't dull. Dull blades can tear at the lawn and hurt your grass.
Don't Mow Wet or Stressed Grass
If it has rained recently, do not mow the lawn until the grass has dried. If you mow the grass while it's wet, this will lead to the grass forming clumps. The best time to mow your grass is in the morning right after the dew dries. If you mow your lawn in the afternoon, the grass may be stressed.
Alternate Mowing Patterns
Always alternate the mowing pattern. Otherwise, you'll be likely to damage the grass. Mowing in the same direction will create streaks and striped lines. These will grow back irregularly and will look terrible. If you are mowing on a hill, mow across and diagonally rather than simply mowing up and down.
Leave Grass Clippings Behind
You don't have to remove the grass clippings. They are full of nutrients and will decompose and add nutrients to the lawn. If there are large clumps of grass, you may remove some of the cut grass. However, if you mow your grass frequently, you won't have to worry about clumps.
By taking care of your grass, you won't have to deal with brown patches and your lawn will always look its best. Fortunately, you can avoid this by hiring lawn care services. Professionals will use the most effective lawn care techniques and will also allow you to avoid taking time out of your day to mow your lawn.