There’s a lot more to mowing a lawn than simply hopping on top of a lawnmower, running it back and forth across your grass, and then putting your equipment back in the shed.
Sure, this kind of approach will inevitably result in a lawn that is technically mowed – but it also will result in a lawn that is anything but healthy, anything but attractive, and anything but well-maintained.
Below we include a handful of tips and tricks from some of the best commercial lawn mowers and landscapers in Australia. These are exactly the kinds of tips and tricks that will guarantee you have a beautiful, healthy, green lawn that becomes the envy of your neighborhood!
Finding the Perfect Height for Your Lawn
The first thing you want to do to perfect mowing your lawn the way that commercial landscapers would is figuring out what the perfect height for your specific lawn is.
What you’re looking for is to find the ideal distance from the top surface of your soil (sometimes called the thatch) all the way to the top of the grass blades that will be left behind after you mow. Too many people calculate this height before they mow their grass, only to find that they are either leaving their lawns too long or “scalping” their grass – and killing it along the way.
Your ideal height will be dictated by a variety of different factors, including the type of grass you are growing, the look you want your lawn to have, and the season you’re going to be mowing during. A quick jump online will help you figure out the best height for your specific needs and from there it’s a simple adjustment on your mower to rock and roll.
How Often Should You Mow?
The next most important thing you want to figure out is how often you should be mowing your grass, something that a lot of people struggle with even though they keep to a strict regimen – like every week or so.
Truth be told, your grass is going to grow at a different rate depending on a variety of different factors. Seasonality, local weather conditions, lawn management, lawn species, and so much more will play big role in how often you should be breaking out your lawnmower and giving your grass a haircut.
As a general rule, you should shoot for the “one third” rule when cutting your grass.
If the ideal height of your lawn is set to say 7 cm that you should only be mowing it when your grass has grown to a length between 10 cm and 10.5 cm. This allows you to take off one third of the blade of grass safely, leaving the rest of your grass structure behind to maintain the health and wellness of your lawn.
Other general rules of mowing schedules that commercial landscapers here in Australia work off of include:
- Look to mow every 3 or 4 days during rapid growth seasons
- Look to mow every 6 to 8 days during more moderate growth seasons and
- Look to mow only as absolutely necessary (and sometimes not at all) during drought, dormancy, or winter
Keep these tips and tricks in mind and you’ll be able to keep your lawn healthy, happy, and green!