We have had a lot of rain which has made it difficult to mow lawns on a regular basis. The first thought of many might be to jump out and cut the lawn as short as you can to make it so it takes longer to mow again. That would be a mistake. It’s just a lawn-mowing myth that says the shorter you mow grass, the less often you’ll have to cut it. That misguided concept lays a foundation for a problem-prone lawn. Grass that’s cut too short is more susceptible to weed invasion, drought and heat damage. In addition to that if you cut off too much at once stresses the lawn and makes it easier for weeds to come in. The general rule of thumb for mowing is to never remove more than one-third of total grass blade length at a single cutting. This might require additional cuttings on your part when it clears up to get to your desired height but it will help keep your grass healthier. As far as heights you generally mow St. Augustine and Bermuda to 3 inches tall, zoysia to 2 inches tall and buffalo grass to 5 inches. There might be some variation with lawns during the year. For example, I mow my Bermuda lawn in stages down to 2 inches in early spring but let it grow out to 4 inches by summer and that is where it seems to do best in the heat. In the month of October, you should also apply a winter fertilizer, which will be utilized by the lawn for winter hardiness and a fast green-up in the spring. I hope these tips will help you in maintaining a beautiful lawn.
