Let’s face it, there is nothing more satisfying than going out to enjoy a freshly mowed lawn during summer. Besides, mowing not only keeps your grass short but also keeps weeds and wildflowers tame around your yard.
No lawn owner wants those pesky heads around their lawns anyway. Still, if you want to keep top of lawn maintenance and make your lawn stand out, you might be wondering whether you can mow your lawn every day.
Lawn Mowing is an activity that you can enjoy doing, especially on a free weekend. It allows you to forget the hustle and bustle of the whole week. Indeed, it is therapeutic. So, can you have your lawn looking excellent by mowing every day?
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Can I Mow My Lawn Every Day?
The answer to how often you should pass the mower over your lawn is based on the type of grass, the season, and of course how long the grass is. Lawns vary in growth rates, some grow slowly, some have a moderate growth rate and others grow quickly.
To be precise, most lawn grasses do not grow quickly enough for everyday mowing. Besides, how fast your lawn grows depends on environmental factors like nutrients, water, and sunshine.
If your lawn grass grows very quickly, however, you can mow every day. Yes, but maintain the height of the grass at least 3½ inches. More importantly, mowing every day requires an adjustable deck to cut only at this required height. Cool-season grasses should be left with a large top growth for them to thrive.
This not only keeps the lawn moisturized by reducing evaporation but also shades weed seeds. Always ensure to water such a lawn down to at least 4 inches deep (you can check with a shovel). Moreover, for you to move your lawn every day, you have to keep up with all other lawn care practices, I kid you not.
The lawn also requires regular mulching, aeration, and fertilization. You can also read about if it is illegal to Mow Your Lawn at Night to understand more.
How often you move your lawn also depends on the status of the grass:
- A New Lawn:
if you start a new lawn, you should give it time to develop before you start mowing every day. A healthy and established root system takes time to develop. Remember that roots are vital for any lawn, they are responsible for the absorption of nutrients and water. On the other hand, the blade is the leaf of the lawn.
Lawn mowing simply means cutting the blade of the grass. After mowing a new lawn, it focuses all the available resources on growing back the blade instead of developing the root system. As such, a new lawn should be left without mowing until the grass is at least 3½ to 4 inches in height.
- An established lawn:
Lawns with a fully developed root system can handle the crisis of being mowed more often. Nevertheless, even established lawns have varying growth rates.
That is; some lawns have fast-growing rates and thus their blades can be cut frequently. If your lawn grass grows slowly, you should cut the blades less frequently.
How Often Should You Mow the Lawn?
Just like watering and fertilizing, mowing your lawn helps the grass blossom and become a fully lush green cover. A lot of lawn owners still wonder how many times to mow their grass – and for a good reason.
Overcutting your grass blades can potentially lead to more harm. Again, leaving your lawn too long without mowing increases the chances of disease and fungal infections, grass clippings, and thicker debris, among others. So, how often should you mow your lawn?
To keep your lawn healthy and attractive, you have to get your choices right when it comes to mowing. The number of times you need to mow depends on the rate of growth of your lawn. Besides, the desired height of the grass and the season also count.
As part of the regular lawn care routine, you should mow your lawn at least one time a week – during the growing season.
If you have Kentucky Bluegrass, Tall Fescue, or any other type of cool-season lawn, you should use your mower two times a week in the spring and fall seasons. Following a schedule when mowing often is great. This helps control the length of your grass hence making your lawn attractive.
Also Read: Can You Use Autumn Lawn Feed in Spring?
Can I Mow My Lawn Two Days in a Row?
As a lawn owner, you might have probably thought if you can mow your lawn two days in a row. Well, the answer to this not only depends on the finances but also the type of grass and the season.
For one, the type of grass determines the growth rate of your lawn. For grass species that grow slowly, mowing twice in a row may damage the lawn. Overall, mowing your lawn two days in a row is not considered a healthy lawn practice. As you can see, this may lead to:
- The lawn can die due to the grass being too short
- Extremely short grass is susceptible to fungal infections and diseases
- More cost is involved
Does Frequent Mowing Thicken Grass?
Although it’s obvious to mow your lawn for aesthetics, it is also healthy for the grass. Frequent mowing thickens the grass and increases its density thus giving you a better-looking yard.
Specifically, the tip of the grass blades has hormones that encourage vertical growth and in turn suppress the lateral development of your lawn. Mowing helps cut out the glass tips containing this hormone, therefore, allowing the grass to spread.
Nevertheless, there are still some conditions that may prevent your grass from thickening even after frequent mowing. For instance:
- Mowing the grass on a low setting
- Using a mower with a brunt blade
- Cutting the grass too short
If you are looking to reap the benefits that come in handy with frequent mowing – thicker and healthier grass, you should keep the above points in mind. First, if you cut your lawn grass too short, there will be no photosynthesis. Secondly, delaying your lawn mowing schedule may lead to a thin-looking turf.
Can I Mow My Lawn in the Morning?
Lawn owners have different mowing schedules throughout the day. Some prefer early morning while others prefer mid-morning. But the real question is, Can you move your lawn in the morning? To answer this question, read on! Believe me, you don’t want to make any common lawn care mistake.
- Early Morning (6 am to 8 am):
This is probably the worst time to mow your lawn. During this time, the grass blades are covered with morning dew. As such, your mower can clog at any time. What’s more, the grass blades are cut poorly.
Mowing wet grass is indeed nothing compared to mowing dry grass. When you mow when there is dew, the grass blades tear out and are cut poorly. Here is the deal, damaged grass is the main entry for lawn diseases and fungal infections.
- Mid-Morning (8 am to 10 am):
This is the optimal time of the day for mowing your lawn. During this time, the dew dries off and the grass stands at its actual height. Better still, the day’s temperature is fairly good since it hasn’t yet peaked.
By cutting your grass in the mid-morning, you give your green turf ample time to recover. Plus, you avoid tedious activities under the hot sun.
Overall, for a healthy-cut lawn, you should ensure that the grass is free from dew before mowing.
Pro Tip: Wait until the dew dries off or use any lawn care tips to remove dew from your turf – for instance, using a long garden hose to dry the dew.
Can I Mow My Lawn in the Middle of the Day?
Mowing your lawn in the middle of the day is probably the worst idea. Cutting the blades at this time of the day will no doubt leave your lawn dry and damaged. In addition, you’ll have a hard time under the hot sun – who knows, you might even get a nasty sunburn.
You should definitely avoid mowing at midday unless the weather is cool. Besides, you have to set your mower blade to a regular cut – cutting less than 2/3 of the grass. Nevertheless, if you have delayed your mowing schedule for quite some time and need to mow more than this height, you are risking damaging the lawn.
Can I Mow the Lawn on a Hot Day?
During hot and dry days, you need to take extra precautions for your lawn, especially when you have cool-season grass in your yard. It’s no doubt that sometimes we find ourselves in a heat wave – where a day’s temperature may rise to as much as 80° F to 100° F.
Mowing your lawn on a hot day subjects your grass to a crisis. It can potentially cause damage to the grass for example by burning. Nevertheless, even a hot summer day has its coo-off time. On a hot day, you should plant to mow during the evening hours when the temperatures are a bit lower.
Most importantly, you’ll need to raise the mower blades so that you do not cut more than 1/3 of the grass.
Conclusion:
Lawn mowing is one of the most enjoyable yet tiring chores in your garden. While lawn mowing comes in handy with a lot of health benefits to your grass, it also has its share of flaws.
For instance, mowing your lawn every day may be a nuisance to your neighbors. Besides, it is also a way to battle against the weeds, wildflowers, and mushrooms on your lawn. However, you might want a little of those pesky spots on your lawn to attract some bees. Yes, bees are natural pollinators crucial for the growth of your lawn.
