Mowing your lawn can seem deceptively simple, especially for grass types that are generally easier to manage like the fescues we see often here in Indiana. However, you may be unwittingly sabotaging the progress of your lawn by making three simple mistakes while mowing. If you're not changing the direction you mow every time, your grass may begin to lean in the direction you mow rather than develop strong upright growth. Using dull blades that haven't been sharpened in a long time can rip and pull your grass blades when you mow, damaging the plant. Not following the 1/3 rule and cutting your grass at the right length, even when your grass is overgrown, can stress the grass. If you keep these principles top of mind when mowing your lawn, you'll see much better results in the long run!

1. You're Not Changing Mowing Direction, Causing Leaning

It's easy to fall into a mindless habit of the route you take to mow, but it's important to change it up every time. If you mow in the same direction over a long period of time, the grass blades will begin to develop a grain in that direction and start to lean that way as the blades grow. When you shift mowing direction, you're encouraging upright growth which will improve your lawn's appearance.

Changing mowing direction also helps prevent rutting or soil compaction in your lawn from the wheel tracks or weight of the mower.

2. You're Not Keeping the Blades Sharp, Causing Damage

Sharpening a blade near Zionsville, IN.

Since you probably don’t mow every day, it can be easy to forget that the blades become dull over time. Just like a kitchen knife, it's important to sharpen those blades to keep them in good shape. With sharp blades, you will have a clean slice through the blades, which will be much easier for your grass to heal and recover from. With dull blades that haven't been sharpened in a long time, the cut will be harsher, causing ripping and pulling of the grass blades every time you mow.

3. You're Not Cutting at the Right Length, Causing Stress

We've all missed some mowing sessions when life got in the way, but even when it's overgrown, you'll still want to avoid doing a huge cut just to get caught back up. To get back to the right length, you’ll want to follow the 1/3 rule for any given mow, which is to only cut off the top 1/3 of the grass blade. By cutting off more of the grass blade or routinely doing big chops to the lawn, you risk causing stress and damage to your grass. It also reduces the actual surface area of the blade, which your grass needs to perform sufficient photosynthesis. By mowing according to the 1/3 rule, you ensure that you won't be stressing your grass.

Let us do the worrying for you. Call us today to enroll in our mowing service!

Lawns can be extremely fickle and making refinements based on weather, growth stage, and grass species add complications – but that doesn't have to be your job. Let us figure it out so you can live worry-free, knowing that your lawn is being nurtured exactly as it should! At Precision Cutz Lawn Care, lawn care and maintenance are our passions. Our experienced, professional team provides mowing services to residential, commercial, and HOA properties in Carmel, Fishers, Westfield, and surrounding cities in Indiana. With our deep commitment to quality results and customer satisfaction, backed by our 100% ironclad, money-back guarantee, we’re the company you've been looking for. Call us today at 317-965-7868 to enroll so we can care for your lawn the way we care for our own!