How to Mow Your Lawn for Maximum Curb Appeal

A well-groomed grass area in front of the home adds instant curb appeal to a property. Learn how to mow your lawn the right way to achieve this look. No, you do not have to hire costly landscapers to achieve the checkered look, either. Even better, you might not even have to go shopping for the best lawnmowers on the market! Save money with the right technique, a bit of grass knowledge, and a few cheap hardware tweaks in the process. Are you ready to mow your lawn like a pro?

Taking Stock of Hardware and Ground Cover - before you mow your Lawn

Turn over your lawnmower and locate the cutting blade. Note that there are different height settings for this lawnmower blade. These settings let you control the height that the grass will be after it is cut. As a general rule of thumb, grass -- notably Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and fine fescues -- should be mowed at a height of 2.0 to 2.5 inches during the spring and fall months. An exception is the tall fescue, which should always be mowed at a height of 2.5 to 3.0 inches, no matter the season. A clover lawn also features different mowing requirements.

In the summer, when water is restricted and frequent use adds stress to the turf grass, allow the grass blades to grow taller. Generally speaking, cut the grass to a height of 2.5 to 3.0 inches for all varieties.

Size matters when it comes to lawn height. The Ohio State University Extension explains that taller grass inhibits weeds from establishing themselves in the lawn area. As the grass blades shade the soil, germinating weed seeds lack the sunlight for photosynthesis and therefore cannot produce the sugars needed for tall plant growth and aggressive root spread. In addition, taller grass has deeper roots than scalped grass. This not only enables the grass to withstand use and traffic, but it also enables the plants to find moisture from deeper within the soil, when shallower root system wither for lack of water.

I heard about changing Directions when I mow the Lawn

It is a good idea to change the direction in which the lawn is mowed at every other occurrence. This protects some areas of the grass from getting scalped, especially when the soil features irregular or slight elevations in some areas. It also eliminates the problem of stray blades that get continuously pushed down when mowing only takes place in the same direction. Go for the desirable checkered look: Go ahead and mow your lawn at a higher setting and do it twice in opposite directions.

How Often Should I Mow?

Frequency is determined by the amount of grass blade length that must be removed. It is ill-advised to wait so long in between mowings that more than one third of the grass gets cut. During summer growth periods, this rule of thumb necessitates sometimes weekly or even twice a week lawn mowing. For example: the homeowner with tall fescue knows to keep the grass at a height of 2.5 inches. This means that the lawn must be mowed when the grass gets to be 3.5 inches in height.

Should I mow the Lawn after it rains?

Determining when to mow the lawn takes into consideration the climate and other environmental factors. When is the best time to mow the lawn:

• In the afternoon, when the sun is going down and will not burn the freshly cut grass
• About a week after applying lawn chemicals
• When the grass is reasonably dry and not weighed down after recent rains or watering

When to not mow the lawn:

• Right after a downpour that leaves the grass bent down and likely to clump
• On the day of a major event when the turf grass experiences a lot of foot traffic
• Just before applying lawn chemicals unless doing so is indicated on the product instructions
• When the lawnmower blades have become dull
• For owners of electric mowers: When the lawnmower battery is not fully charged

Source

The Ohio State University Extension: "Fact Sheet on Lawn Mowing"

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