Proper Lawn Mowing Height

When embarking on the search for the right height to cut your grass during the summer growing season, you need to answer three questions. What kind of climate do you live in, which type of soil do you have, and what kind of grass you have or, more importantly, what kind you want, your primary choices being cool or warm weather growth.

Bermuda is a common grass found in yards from coast to coast and east to west. Set you mower deck in the range between ? to 1 ? inches. Opt for the upper end of the range, especially if you are experiencing a hot season, droughts or heat waves. The reason has to do with the root system. The longer you allow your grass to grow, the deeper and more stable the root system becomes, which will keep your lawn looking its best when it comes to withstanding extreme weather. Cut too low and you risk a shallow root system that turns into brown, cruddy spots when it gets hot.

Perhaps the most common lawn grass in the United States, the odd thing about Kentucky Blue Grass is it didn't originate in Kentucky and it's not really blue. Native American legend called it "white man's grass" because everywhere he went he left Kentucky Blue Grass growing behind. If allowed to grow, it would reach 1 to 3 feet tall and it will take root almost anywhere. The best grass height is 2 inches.

If your lawn is predominantly St. Augustine grass, you'll need a little higher grass cut height, in the 2- to 3-inch range. As with all grasses, don't cut more than one-third of the total length of the shoots during any single mowing. Doing so gets down into the stems. Healthy stems are vital to grass looking its best.

This transitional grass was imported from Korea into the United States about 1900. In 1951, a hardier strain was developed that allowed it to grow well in more northern climates. A dense grass, you should set your mowing deck to the lowest setting for the first and last cuts of each year. In between, cut it at about 1 to 2 inches for optimal appearance.