Grass Mowing Height: Pro Tips

Mowing your grass at the proper frequency and height are an important part of maintaining the health and appearance of your lawn.

The first step in determining your mowing height is identifying the type of grass you have. Most lawns in the Raleigh area are either fescue, bermuda or zoysia. Fescue is a cool season grass that stays green year round. Bermuda and zoysia are warm weather grasses that go dormant (turn brown) in the cooler winter months.

Fescue grass grows rapidly in the spring and fall when the temperatures are warmer during the day with about a 20 degree drop in temperature at night. Growth slows down in the heat of the summer. Fescue grass performs best when cut at about 3 inches. Cut as frequently as needed to keep the grass at 3 inches without taking more than a third of the grass blade off at a time.

Zoysia and bermuda perform best when cut shorter, at about 1 inch. These warm season grasses thrive in full sun during the hot Raleigh summers. Mowing bermuda and zoysia often during the summer (every 5-7 days), will actually promote growth and thicken your lawn as these grasses have rhizomes that grow sideways to fill in bare areas.

Always "grasscycle" the clippings when you mow, leaving the clippings in the lawn. Grass decomposes quickly and restores vital nutrients back into your lawn