We all desire a thick, healthy lawn, but sometimes we get caught thinking that it takes money and lots of time to get that lawn. While that may be partially true, here are some tips you can use that cost you no money, and are things you can begin implementing today to get closer to your ideal lawn.
1. Mow at the Correct Height: This may seem like a simple thing, and that’s because it is. Mowing your grass at the correct height will help it remain healthy and help it fight off weeds. We all want our lawns to look like putting greens, and while that is nice, it isn’t practical for lawns that are used for more than rolling golf balls on them. The best mowing height for our cool-season turf is 3.5 inches. Check your mower next time you mow to see what height it is set on. If you aren’t sure, pull out a tape measure and see where your blade is sitting and see where your grass is standing before you mow it. If you don’t have a tape measure, pull out a business card or credit card and stand it on end, that is also 3.5 inches.
2. Don’t Wait Too Long: Sometimes life gets busy and we can put mowing off for too long. If this happens, we end up having to cut off long amounts of the grass blades. A good rule of thumb is to not cut off more than 1/3 of the leaf blades. More than that, and your sacrificing nutrients your grass needs. Mow tall, and mow often.
3. Sharpen: Mower blades are meant to cleanly cut the grass. When blades get used they slowly get dull over time, just like any sharp edge. When this happens, it starts to tear your grass off instead of cutting it off, this can damage the grass. It’s not a bad practice to sharpen your blades at least once a month. Grab an angle grinder, or go to your closest hardware store and pick one up, the corded grinders are pretty affordable. Run the grinder along the blade a few times to get it back to sharp. You don’t need it razor-sharp, and you don’t want to remove more material off the blade than you need to that way the blade will last longer. If you need further assistance with sharpening your mower blades, check out this video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkqnF-E4LM8, Ryan’s a local guy and has lots of great tips when it comes to lawn care.
4. Change It Up: When you mow, try moving it in different directions. We all want the amazing stripes and want to mow the same pattern every single time, I get that. But mowing your grass in different directions will keep it from getting worn down too much in one way or the other. It will expose the grass to sunlight that otherwise wouldn’t be as much if it were constantly pressed down in the same direction.
