Get Lawn Mowing Do’s and Don’ts

Mowing is one of the most important tasks in caring for your Florida lawn. However, there is more to it than simply running your mower over the grass periodically. Mowing properly can improve the overall health of your lawn, helping it grow and thrive throughout the year. Inefficient mowing techniques, on the other hand, carry the risk of actually harming your lawn, making it more difficult for it to maintain the lush, green appearance you love so much.

Follow these simple care tips to keep your lawn in optimal health all year long.

Lawn Mowing Do’s

DO Learn About Your Grass Type – Different grass varieties have unique mowing requirements in terms of height and frequency, so what works for your neighbor’s lawn may or may not work for yours. Take the time to do a bit of research regarding the specific grass species you have. Pay attention to the recommendations for mowing height and frequency, as these are the most important factors.
DO Mow Your Grass Tall – Aim to keep your lawn towards the higher end of its healthy height range. The shorter you mow your grass, the more sun the lower portions will be exposed to, which can stress your lawn. Greater height provides more protective shade for newer blades of grass as they come in, giving them a better chance of survival. Trim no more than a third of the total height at a time, as any more than this can stress your lawn as well.
DO Keep Your Mower Blades Sharp – Dull blades in your lawnmower won’t be able to slice through the grass as easily as sharp ones. Rather than making clean cuts, dull blades are more likely to rip or shred the grass, which is detrimental to both your lawn’s health and its appearance. Aim to sharpen your blades after every 20 to 25 hours of cumulative mower use.
DO Switch Up Your Mowing Pattern – Unless you want your lawn to resemble a golf course fairway or baseball diamond outfield, be sure to mow in different directions each time. Mowing in the same direction will lead to patterns forming in the grass over time. If you typically mow in a horizontal pattern, alternate with vertical and diagonal patterns every few mowings to avoid flattening the grass in a single direction.

Avoid Lawn Mowing Don’ts

DON’T Mow Your Lawn When It Is Wet – As your mower cuts the grass, it also redistributes the clippings back into your lawn as mulch to help keep it healthy. When the grass is wet, these clippings often clump together, potentially clogging your mower. This can make the task of mowing more challenging, as you’ll have to stop periodically to clear any blockages. Water your lawn after mowing instead.
DON’T Rush Through the Job – While it can be tempting to get this chore finished as quickly as possible, you may only be creating more work for yourself in the long run. When you mow too quickly, the mower blades don’t pass over the same area of grass as many times, which can leave some stalks uncut. With slower movements, on the other hand, you’ll have a much better chance of achieving a smooth, even height.
DON’T Mow Over Weeds – It is true that mowing can remove the tops of weeds as it trims the grass, but this can actually do more harm than good. As the weeds get chopped up in the mower, their seeds will be redistributed across your lawn along the the mulch created from the grass clippings. This, in turn, encourages even more weeds to sprout up across your lawn. Instead, pull any weeds out by hand, making sure to get all the way down to the roots, before starting to mow.

Get Your Lawn Back to Health with Fresh Sod

If you haven’t been following these tips previously and your lawn is looking a bit worse for wear, fill in any gaps or bare patches with new sod. For all your sod needs in Florida, Duda Sod is here to assist you. Feel free to reach out to our team at any time to learn more about all the Florida-friendly sod varieties we have for sale.