New homeowners often have quite a few questions about proper lawn care maintenance: How high should the grass be cut? When is the best time to cut? Are there guidelines for how long to wait between each lawn mower outing? These questions are pretty easy to answer, and they’ll help today’s homeowners and amateur landscapers ensure the season-long durability and aesthetic quality of their home’s outdoor areas. Before getting started with mowing review these commonly asked questions and their answers for greater clarity on the process and considerations involved.
1. Is There a Proper Length for the Grass?
One of the most common misconceptions new homeowners have is that all grass is the same, and they can simply mow their lawn however they see fit. While technically true, ignoring the basics of mowing height can actually damage the lawn and reduce its ability to withstand disease, heat, dry conditions, and a summer’s worth of growth. Typically, homeowners can divide grass types into warm grasses and cool grasses. Cool grass types, including bluegrass popular in the Midwest and northeastern parts of the country, typically requires a longer length of about 2 inches. Warmer grasses are more resilient, and they can withstand being cut just below an inch in length throughout the summer.
2. How Often Should I Mow the Lawn?
Another common question involves the proper duration between each mower outing. The truth is that there is no set schedule that must be followed when mowing the lawn. Even so, experts recommend that no more than a third of the lawn’s height be removed during any given mowing procedure. That means those who like shorter lawns must mow more often, before their grass doubles in height. Those who like or require longer blades of grass can wait longer between mowing outings to get the right length and appearance, but should still mow frequently enough that the grass retains a roughly consistent height throughout the summer.
3. What Happens if the Rain Stops and My Grass is Subject to Drought?
Extended dry spells can mean trouble for the typical lawn, especially if watering the area is either not possible or forbidden during extended water shortages. The best way to give grass a bit of added resilience is to increase the mower deck height during longer dry spells. Longer grass develops stronger and more resilient roots, and provides shade to the roots that can help keep them vital during dry spells. While browning of the lawn may be impossible to prevent during particularly long droughts, it can generally be delayed by several additional weeks with proper mowing.
4. Should I Water the Lawn? When?
Whether or not a lawn should be watered is largely a consideration based on climate throughout the summer. Generally, lawns require at least an inch of water per week for maximum health, vibrancy of color, and defense against diseases or pests. If frequent summer thunderstorms are doing just fine keeping the lawn hydrated, there’s simply no need to add artificial watering to the mix. If the weather gets quite dry, however, watering the lawn should be a top concern, if permitted by local water authorities, to keep it from browning.
Watering is generally a process that should take place early in the morning. This allows the water to soak in and allows excess water to burn off in the midday sun. Removal of extra water via evaporation keeps the lawn from harboring mosses, fungi, and certain kinds of pests, so it’s essential to start watering early in the day.
5. Is There a General Guideline for Fertilizer Selection and Use?
The type of fertilizer required depends on the grass around the home, the climate where that grass is growing, and the time of year that fertilization is taking place. A general rule for most North American climates and grass types is to fertilizer during the late spring, at least 30 days in advance of the first 85-degree day. This allows the fertilizer to treat the roots sufficiently, but eliminates the risk of the compounds and chemicals burning the turf. As with any procedure that involves chemicals of this nature, homeowners should contact a local professional that can provide greater clarity of composition, proper timing, and other concerns.
6. Is There a Good Way to Prevent Weed Growth?
Removing weeds from the lawn is quite a hassle, and often requires homeowners to “do it the old fashioned way” and manually dig out any plants that don’t belong in their turf. Preventing weeds is the best way to prevent this intensive labor, and is generally done by ensuring the lawn is thick and healthy. Mow regularly, water as needed, fertilize as recommended, and adapt the lawn’s maintenance to changes in the local climate or availability of hydration. Weeds won’t stand a chance.
Find the Best Lawn Care Equipment and Parts at HondaLawnParts.com
HondaLawnParts.com is a valuable resource for homeowners, with a wide range of new mowers and replacement parts that will make turf maintenance decidedly a bit easier to undertake. With a variety of models available and an online parts select for those with existing Honda mowers, there’s a little bit of something for every type of homeowner.
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