Maintaining a nice looking lawn does not have to be a difficult affair. To keep your lawn looking great, follow some of these easy tips and you will be well on your way. Perhaps one of the most important tips is to mow regularly. This does not imply that you must mow on the same day every week, but rather, it is important to keep the grass at a consistent height. Allowing grass to grow too high, or cutting it too frequently, will damage the lawn. An evenly cut lawn requires much less effort to mow and is also more visually pleasant.
In general, a lawn should be cut in the cool season when the grass has reached a height of about 3.5 inches. In the warm season, you will want to mow as the lawn reaches about 2.5 inches. No matter the height of the grass, never cut more than a third of the grass height because taking too much off at once may damage the lawn. When grass is damaged, it may die reducing the strength of the lawn overall. When grass dies, it can create patchy spots where there is enough nutrients available for weeds to take hold and grow.
Just as it is important not to cut too much off at once, you must also ensure that your mower blade is not dull. A dull blade does nothing but shred up the grass as it comes into contact with it. When the grass is torn up by a dull blade, dead and patchy spots will begin to appear in the lawn allowing weeds to eventually take hold. Check your blade every time you mow to make sure it is still sharp. Before you do this, however, be sure to disconnect spark plug wires. A recoil start motor may fire up if the blade is simply turned.
Be sure to change up the pattern in which you mow. Mowing in the same direction every time will train the grass to grow in a certain direction, eventually giving it a flat look. Before you actually begin mowing, however, walk over the lawn and look for potential obstacles. Sticks, stones, toys, and other objects can potentially damage the mower or injure someone nearby. Also, be aware of bumps or other spots that stand up in the lawn as these may cause the blade to go into the ground and possibly damage it.
You should also avoid cutting the grass when it is wet. This is a safety issue, and may also result in an uneven cut for the lawn. Wet grass also tends to foul up the mower housing and may clog up grass clipping bags. Absolutely avoid mowing on a hill or sloped grade when the grass is wet because it is all too easy for operator to slip up in these cases. Riding mowers may also lose their traction and tip over in these cases.
