If you mow your lawn properly, you will dramatically improve the overall health of it at the same time. Simply following the 1/3 rule is really all you need to know. Never remove more than 1/3 of the leaf blade per cutting. You’ll never have to bag your lawn again and you will greatly improve the overall root structure of your lawn.

In Maine, we have cool-season grasses. This means that we should be mowing our lawns around 2.5 to 3 inches. If your regular mowing height lets say 2 inches, let the lawn reach 3 then mow it back down to 2 inches. If you remove more than 1/3 of the blade you are robing energy from the plant. Grass plants store their energy in the “crown”, which is just above the soil surface. If you continue to “scalp” your lawn the energy/food storage of the plant gets depleted and weakens the lawn as a whole. If this happens too many times your lawn will begin to show real signs of stress and this will make it a prime target for fungus and insects.

Cool-season grasses have two growth spurts. Springtime and fall time. We understand that it’s difficult to keep up with your mowing habits during these times of the season. You must try for the sake of your lawn. Mow by the growth rate of your lawn, NOT THE CALENDAR! Most healthy well-fed lawns in the springtime should be cut approximately once every 4 – 5 days.

Keep in mind, the higher you mow, the deeper the roots will grow. The deeper the roots grow, the more nutrients and moisture they can pick up on their own. This means less watering and less concern about losing turf grass.