Mow Like a Pro: 8 Essential DIY Lawn Mowing Tips for NC Residents

You want a clean-cut lawn that’s lush and thick, but you aren’t sure if you’re mowing too much… or not enough. It can be hard to find the right mowing balance, but once you do, your lawn will thank you. There are some tactics the professionals know that will give you a healthier, greener lawn, especially when you implement our summer lawn maintenance tips. Here, we’ll divulge a few of the ways the professionals get gorgeous lawns and let you know how you can, too. Here are our top lawn care tips:

1: Understand Your Grass Type

In much of North Carolina, homeowners opt for warm-season grasses like Zoysia, centipede grass, or Bermudagrass. These grasses thrive in full sun and tend to stay green throughout the summer months. However, they do require maintenance, just like cool-season grasses. Often, NC homeowners will combine warm- and cool-season grasses to accommodate sunny and shaded areas of the lawn during their growing season. However, it’s important to remember that each type of grass has different mowing needs. For example, tall fescue needs to be cut at the highest setting on your lawn mower. Other grasses prefer to be cut shorter and thrive that way. The key here: know before you mow.

2: Know How Often to Mow Your Lawn

Are you mowing too much or not enough? It’s possible to do either, and you’ll likely notice if you’re at an extreme by the way your turfgrass responds. Regular mowing is important, but in summer, it usually helps to scale back on the frequency to reduce stress on your lawn. Most of the time, we recommend a mowing frequency of every 5-7 days in the summer, but not more often than that.

3: The Optimal Lawn Mowing Height

Mowing height is just as important as mowing frequency. In the summer, the heat places stress on your lawn and can leave it brown and dry if you keep it mowed too low. Here’s our recommended mowing height for your summer lawn care schedule:

• Mow warm-season grasses between 1-2.5 inches
• Mow cool season grasses like tall fescue to 3.5 inches
• Follow the 1/3rd rule, which indicates that you shouldn’t remove more than a third of the grass blades in a single cut

4: Mowing Patterns and Techniques

You don’t have to get overly complicated with your mowing patterns, but it is important that you vary how you mow your grass during the summer season. We recommend alternating between mowing patterns every week (or every mowing session). Mowing in different directions prevents your grass from growing in one single direction and helps the blades grow straighter and appear fuller.

5: Bagging vs. Mulching: Which is Best?

Some people are baggers, and some are mulchers. Which are right? Honestly, there isn’t a totally “right” answer to this age-old question. It’s really about what works for you and your lawn. Bagging grass clippings reduce mess and can also help mitigate outdoor allergies. If you or your family suffers from grass allergies, this may be the way to go. However, mulching grass clippings is quicker, simpler, and typically better for your lawn, as it returns nutrients to the grassroots and helps nourish them. We suggest that you follow the 1/3rd rule, as mentioned above, and leave the clippings on the lawn. By mowing just the tops of the grass blades, you create a bit less mess, and it’s easier to leave the lawn clippings where they can do the most good.

6: Mower Maintenance to Keep Your Lawnmower in Good Shape

A green and lush lawn gets all the glory, while lawnmowers are often neglected and forgotten when they aren’t doing their job. However, a well-maintained lawn mower is the key to a greener, healthier lawn. You should be taking the following steps to keep your lawn mower in great condition:

• Change the air filter and spark plug once a year
• Sharpen the mower blade several times a year
• Clean out grass clumps regularly with a wire brush
• Check the oil frequently for signs of debris or discoloration

Remember that every lawn mower is different, but a sharp blade is always key. When in doubt, reference your manual to make sure you’re giving it the maintenance and attention it requires.

7: Mowing Safety Tips to Know

Lawnmowers are a tool, but operating that tool correctly is critical to maintaining your safety. To protect yourself and ensure your lawn mowing experience is enjoyable and risk-free, take the following steps:

• Dress properly for mowing in long pants, closed-toe shoes, and safety glasses or goggles
• Remove large rocks and sticks from the yard before you start mowing
• Push the lawn mower forward at all times rather than pulling it back
• Take out the spark plug before working under the mower or working on the mower blade
• Don’t mow over areas covered in gravel or debris
• Stick to a regular mower maintenance schedule
• Never disable the safety handle or kill switch on your mower

These safety tips are important whether you have a push mower, a self-propelled mower, or a riding mower.

8: Avoid Common Mowing Mistakes

Finally, keep these tips in mind to steer clear of some of the biggest “don’ts” of mowing:

• DON’T mow wet grass, as it will clump and clog the mower
• DON’T cut too short thinking you’ll give yourself longer between mows
• DON’T mow when you have a dull blade
• DON’T mow when the sun is peaking (between 10 am-12 pm)
• DON’T mow in the same direction every time

And now that you know the “DON’Ts,” let’s take a look at the biggest and most important “DO” for a healthy lawn.

“DO” Trust Eastern Turf Maintenance for Lawn Care Tips to Help Maintain a Healthy Lawn

You take pride in your lawn, and so do we. At Eastern Turf Maintenance, we’ll be your trusted partner for lawn care in the Triangle. You DIY the mowing, and we’ll use our list of services, from core aeration to mosquito control, to set you up for success. Get even more lawn care tips, check out our available lawn care services, and contact us for a free quote!