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You know when you are looking for the best Honda lawn mower in Los Angeles, CA, you need to come see Kawaguchi Honda. But once you get the perfect lawn mower, how often should you use it?
You see your neighbor out mowing his lawn two – or sometimes three – days a week. Another neighbor has a lawn service that cuts every other week. You’re lucky if you get out in the yard with your Honda mower every week. But really, which is right? How often should you cut?
Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to that question. It depends on how fast your grass is growing and how tall it should be. Depending on factors, you and your neighbors could all be cutting your grass at the right frequency…or the wrong one.
Most people don’t know that different types of grasses should be cut at different mowing heights. Lawn experts and scientists have studied these grasses, or even bred them, to be healthiest and look their best when they’re cut to the correct height. When there’s not excessive rain, drought, or other weather conditions, we can also determine how often that type of grass should be cut to maintain the ideal height.
If you don’t know what type of grass is in your yard, that’s okay. We’re not all lucky enough that we planted exactly what we want in our yards. You can hire a professional or call our local county extension office to help you determine your grass type.
These are some types of lawn grass with their average ideal heights and mowing frequencies:
Common Bermudagrass
Ideal Height Range (Inches) - 1 - 2
Ideal Mowing Frequency (Normal Growth) (Days) - 5 - 7
Hybrid Bermudagrass
Ideal Height Range (Inches) - 1 - 1.5
Ideal Mowing Frequency (Normal Growth) (Days) - 4 - 7
Centipede
Ideal Height Range (Inches) - 1 - 2
Ideal Mowing Frequency (Normal Growth) (Days) - 5 - 10
St. Augustinegrass
Ideal Height Range (Inches) - 2 - 3
Ideal Mowing Frequency (Normal Growth) (Days) - 5 - 7
Zoysiagrass
Ideal Height Range (Inches) - 1 - 2
Ideal Mowing Frequency (Normal Growth) (Days) - 4 - 7
Tall fescue
Ideal Height Range (Inches) - 2 - 3
Ideal Mowing Frequency (Normal Growth) (Days) - 5 - 7
There are two things you should keep in mind when following this chart:
1. Ideal factors depends on region. Check the specifics for your area.
2. There are multiple species of each type of grass. Follow the recommendations for your species.
Usually, you should cut shaded grasses slightly higher. Because they don’t have as much direct sunlight, they may need the extra leaf area to absorb the sunlight they are able to get in the shade.
As a general rule, you shouldn’t cut more than 1/3 of the grass height at a time. If you remove too much, you could damage the grass. If your grass gets too high, adjust the mower height up so that you’re cutting no more than 1/3 of the blade. Gradually lower the mowing height in the next cuttings until your lawn is within the ideal range.
Use this list, based on mowing height, to see when to cut your grass:
When Mowing Height = 1 inch > Cut When Grass is at 1 3/8 inches
When Mowing Height = 1.5 inches > Cut When Grass is at 2 inches
When Mowing Height = 2 inches > Cut When Grass is at 2 5/8 inches
When Mowing Height = 3 inch > Cut When Grass is at 4 inches
There are times that your lawn is under stress. This might be during a drought or in the hottest months of the summer. When that’s the case, you may want to mow a little higher – or a little less frequently – to help your grass get through the stressful period without damage. When the drought is over or the heat isn’t as bad, gradually adjust so you’re cutting at the recommended height and frequency.
Another time you’ll want to adjust how often you cut your grass is when there’s been a lot of rain. The grass is probably growing faster, and you should cut more frequently. Of course, you shouldn’t mow your lawn when the grass and ground are wet, but keep an eye on the height of your lawn and adjust as needed.
You can see that a lot that goes into deciding how often to cut your grass, and it’s not the same for everyone. Then, you can watch how quickly your grass is growing, and mow at the right time to have the best-looking lawn in your neighborhood.