Confused about mowing height for grass????

Question

Ive researched this and everyone says "it depends on what type of grass you have". Well, thats like telling the owner of a mutt that you should feed him a certain food depending on what breed he is. In other words, i have no idea what type of grass i have, its probably a mixture of different kinds and a bunch of weeds too! my husband was mowing the lawn with the blades at the lowest setting and i think it was making the lawn worse, so now im mowing at the 3rd setting which im assuming is 3 inches, he says im nuts. any advise??

Answer 1

For some reason (mabye it's SPORT?) people like to cut their lawns way too short.  

The longer you let your grass grow, the healthier it will be.  Longer leaf blades mean more carbohydrates being produced (through photosynthesis) and directed toward more shoot and root growth.  Otherwise, these few carbohydrates being produced (from smaller "solar panels" so to speak) cannot sustain the root system and roots start to die.  

So, it may not look as good and manicured, like todays pro sporting event fields, but it will be healthy and green through the warmest, driest months of the season.

Let him cut it lower (1.5"-2") as temps and humidity decrease in the fall.  :)

Answer 2

I mow just before it seeds on highest mower setting. Never pick up fallen grass as it makes great mulch. Fertilize spring and fall and enjoy your lawn.  Looking a little less manicured is part of the fun of having a yard.

Answer 3

What you need to do to check heights is to measure the blade from the bottom of the deck, then measure from the bottom of the deck to the ground on a flat level surface. Add those two #'s together to get the right height.

Having lived in Va and out by the coast. I'm sure you had the same type sandy soil I did. About 3 inches long is IDEAL out in that area.  

Answer 4

How high we mow the grass isn't really the issue in mowing and maintaining a healthy lawn - regardless of grass species. The main issue of mowing grass is avoiding taking over half the grass height during the mow job. Healthy grass gets light clippings - relative to its height. 'Scalping' grass is very hard on the plants and decrease the health of the lawn.

If we cut short, then we must cut frequently to avoid taking over half the plant during a cutting. This is nice for putting greens and croquet.

If we cut long, then we can delay cutting for longer without 'scalping' the grass. We might even get away with mowing every couple of weeks.

There are a few other benefits of tall grass, other than being able to let it go longer between mowings. Cutting long reduces watering needs, allows lush grass to choke weeds, and feels good on bare feet.