Mowing 101: What is the Proper Mowing Height for Your Lawn?
Mowing 101: What is the Proper Mowing Height for Your Lawn?
Each type of grass demands special care whenever you run a lawn mower through it. When cutting the grass, you'll want to make sure you're not cutting too much of the blade at once. Doing so will expose the blade, causing grass to shrivel and turn brown. We've created a list of the most common types of grass and their preferred height.
|
Grass Type |
General Grass Height (in.) |
Bent Grass | 1/4" - 3/4" |
Bermudagrass | 1/2" - 2" |
Buffalo Grass | 2" - 3 ½" |
Fine Fescue | 1 ½" - 2 ½" |
Kentucky Bluegrass | 1" - 2 ½" |
Perennial Ryegrass | 3/4" - 2 ½" |
St. Augustine Grass | 1 ½" - 3 ½" |
Tall Fescue | 2" - 4" |
Zoysia | 1/2" - 1 ¾" |
Mowing Tricks to Consider
- Temperature - Warm-season grasses tend to do best when cut nearer the lower end of the range at the beginning of their season to purge dead blades. Conversely, cool-season grasses thrive near the upper end of their range.
- Droughts - If you're going through a bit of a drought, trim near the upper end of the range for your type of grass.
- Region - Specific regions will vary the cutting height. Check with a local sod or seed supplier to get the right height for your area.
- One-third rule - When you're unsure as to how to low to cut your lawn, it's best to remove no more than a third of the grass blade at once. This will reduce instances of scalping.
