Mowing your grass can actually negatively impact it if carried out incorrectly. Some of the side effects include temporary stoppage of root growth, reduction in grass food recycling and storage, the cut leaves can allow harmful organisms to enter the plant and cause disease, reduced water absorption by the roots and a temporary increase in water loss from the cut ends. However if you follow these 4 tips for cutting grass, then you will be able to minimise the negative impact and keep your garden looking like you hired a professional landscaper.
1: Don’t Cut The Grass Too Short
Cutting the grass too short is one of the most common lawn mowing errors. When your grass is cut too short it can result in fewer roots, the grass needing to be cut more frequently, needing more water and fertilizers and being less resistant to insects and disease. It’s tempting to cut the grass incredibly short to get the “putting green” look, but in the long term it does more harm than good. Most types of grasses do best when they are cut between two and four inches in length.
2: Cut The Grass Frequently
Cutting the grass frequently is another key tip for keeping your lawn looking the best that it possibly can. You should follow the ⅓ rule when cutting your grass, the ⅓ rule basically means that you should never cut more than ⅓ of the length of your grass at any one time. So for example if the grass height you are cutting to is two inches, then you should be cutting it when it is 3 inches.
3: Allow Grass Clippings To Fall
Grass clippings don’t take long to decompose and they are a huge source of nutrients for your lawn. When you remove grass clippings, you remove around 25% of the Nitrogen that your grass needs from your lawn. If your grass clippings spill out onto the street or areas surrounding your garden, use a leaf blower to send them back onto your garden.
4: Keep Your Blades Sharp
Using a high quality lawnmower with sharp blades is essential to give your garden a manicured look. Dull blades on your lawnmower means that grass isn’t cleanly cut, instead the grass is left torn, shredded and bruised. This results in your grass turning brown and then white as well as making it much more prone to disease.
When you are going out to cut your grass try to cut it between two and four inches, determine how often you should be mowing it by using the ⅓ rule, allow the clippings to fall to give nutrients back to the lawn and make sure that you are using a high quality lawnmower with sharp blades. If you adhere to these 4 tips for cutting grass then your garden will look its absolute best for the whole summer.
If you have any questions about lawnmower maintenance or purchasing a new lawnmower don’t hesitate to call us on 021-496-5132 or visit us in store today.