Cutting the lawn

[Plainsman]

What is the purpose, on the first lawn cutting of the year, to make is to short? I see folks doing it all over the place.

 

[eaglejim]

Re: Cutting the lawn

Because if you are boating the next weekend you can put off mowing the yard till Monday.Maybe lawn maintenance will chime in

 

[FBPirate95]

Re: Cutting the lawn

I'm an extreme novice when it comes to lawn, but I actually did cut it short on the first cut this year. I cut it short, then raked all the thatch out. Then I added an all season fertilizer, over seeded the yard, and watered it. That was about 2 weeks ago. Since then, the seeds have sprouted and the yard has gotten green and off to a good growing year. From what I've read, that's the only reason you'd want to cut it short....for fertilizing, thatching and seeding. After that its recommended to cut it as tall as you can. It allows the grass to choke out the weeds.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Cutting the lawn

down here you are only suppose to cut 1/3 of the leaf off. so you have to keep up with it. they say more than that the leaf bleeds, and is not healthy.

i pay the neighbors kid, and he uses my motor.

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Cutting the lawn

I've never heard of that. Cutting real low damages the grass. That's well known.

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: Cutting the lawn

I've never heard of that. Cutting real low damages the grass. That's well known.

Nope....as TD says above, you only cut 1/3 of length. The way they get away with how short they cut golf greens is they cut them daily, but it's just a light trim...

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Cutting the lawn

Sir, I do believe golf course grass is a different species of grass than St. Augustine, your regular lawn grass. At least that's regular lawn grass down here.

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/turf/publications/staug.html

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Cutting the lawn

My philosophy on grass cutting.
If it's green.........cut it.
If it's not green.......cut it.

If it looks like it needs cutting then it will be even more ready tomorrow after you have been boating.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Cutting the lawn

I absolutely hate grass cutting and think that having a lawn is a waste of time.

I will not fertilize........ I cut as LOW as possible every cut......

I am a somewhat religious man and if the man up above wants my lawn to live he will take care of it

I would personally IGNORE any lawn advice from the "South" since we have different species of grass and different seasons.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Cutting the lawn

I think we are on the same page there Bob !!

 

[dwco5051]

Re: Cutting the lawn

Grass should only be cut on days it is too windy to fish.

 

[Stachi]

Re: Cutting the lawn

I hate cutting the lawn to , yesterday was first cut of the season,.... took it WAY down low....next weekend, its work on the boat !!!

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Cutting the lawn

I absolutely hate grass cutting and think that having a lawn is a waste of time.

I will not fertilize........ I cut as LOW as possible every cut......

I am a somewhat religious man and if the man up above wants my lawn to live he will take care of it

I would personally IGNORE any lawn advice from the "South" since we have different species of grass and different seasons.

Bob, I just KNEW you were an alright guy! This is EXACTLY how I feel! My dream is to concrete my entire yard!

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Cutting the lawn

Bob, I just KNEW you were an alright guy! This is EXACTLY how I feel! My dream is to concrete my entire yard!

+1 Concrete or blacktop that's why I play Powerball with the dream of doing that ......... among other things

 

[Vlad D Impeller]

Re: Cutting the lawn

Our HOA takes care of my lawn, i pay one of the fellas on the side to care for all the gardening and the pool. I hate doing yard work, like i hate doing the laundry.

 

[Rwebber77]

Re: Cutting the lawn

Each spring the best thing to do is just "top" the grass and do so when the grass is dry, otherwise you damage or burn the grass from sudden exposure. After the first cut then drop down a little but you should never cut off more than a third...if you want healthy and plush grass.

Now there is a house down the block (lot is maybe a 5th of an acre in size) that has river rock and boulder outcroppings on his entire yard, property line to property line. I am guessing the Starcraft in the driveway has something to do with that

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: Cutting the lawn

I cut it during the week after work..... can't stand wasting hours on the weekend to do it.

 

[thurps]

Re: Cutting the lawn

Here at this time of year, if you don't like the way your lawn looks wait two days and it will need to be mowed again.

 

[JaSla74]

Re: Cutting the lawn

I hate cutting the lawn just as much as the next guy, but scalping your lawn does more harm than good. 1/3 of the total length is the general rule of thumb. The longer the stem the healthier/longer the root will be. If your lawn looks brown after you cut it, then you're cutting it too low. I keep my push mover on the highest setting & cut it no more than the guy next door scalping it. However, to each is his own, Whatever floats your boat... Faster

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: Cutting the lawn

I absolutely hate grass cutting and think that having a lawn is a waste of time.

I will not fertilize........ I cut as LOW as possible every cut......

I am a somewhat religious man and if the man up above wants my lawn to live he will take care of it

I would personally IGNORE any lawn advice from the "South" since we have different species of grass and different seasons.

Amen...
But the 1/3 rule seems to be pretty well accepted.

I think that I read on the Interweb that DiamondFire spark plugs in your lawn mower can increase the time between mowings by 15%.