The age-old question, “How often should you mow your lawn?”. The short answer: as frequently as you can.
A beautiful lawn is dependent on several factors, but I’d put proper mowing at the top of the list. This also goes for warm-season grasses.
For both warm-season grass and cool-season grass, the recommended mowing height will be dependent on the variety of grass in the lawn, the amount of sun, nutrients, and water the lawn receives, and the time of year. For example, I will mow my turf-type tall fescue around 3.5″ in spring and fall, but 4″ – 4.5″ in the summer months.
- Kentucky Bluegrass: 3″
- Perennial Ryegrass: 3.5″
- Tall Fescue: 4″
Table of Contents
- Mow Frequently for a Healthy Lawn
- Don’t Mow More Than One-Third
- Don’t Mow Wet Grass
- Use Sharp Mower Blades
- Lawn Mowing FAQs
Mow Frequently for a Healthy Lawn
People ask me all the time how I keep my lawn healthy and lush. If I had to give only one piece of lawn care advice to a green lawn, it would be proper lawn mowing – aim for mowing once a week.
Most problems can be mitigated or sometimes even solved by increasing the mowing frequency. Improper mowing can become a big deal, so try to follow these mowing tips as much as possible.
Don’t Mow More Than One-Third
Follow the one-third rule and never mow more than 1/3 of the grass blade off at a time. Be sure to read all the details in my 1/3 grass cutting rule post. Mowing an overgrown lawn will cut off too much grass at once, shocking and stressing the plant. This can leave the lawn looking sick (not a good sick, either). It will quickly lose the green color, and start to take on a yellow/brown haze on the top.
Mowing frequently helps promote growth and tillering. It also allows for proper mulching. You can confidently mulch and return the grass clippings (and add nutrients) back into your lawn and soil with sharp mower blades and frequent mowing. Mow too much
Dull mower blades will never get a clean cut and almost always damage the plant. The tips will quickly become brown, causing a hazy look to your turf. Full mower blades also tear the grass blades which promotes lawn fungus and diseases
How often should you mow your lawn in the spring?
For a healthy lawn, you should mow your cool-season grasses at least once per week in the early spring (cool months like in April), and twice per week when the grass is more actively growing in the mid to late spring (warmer months like May-June). Cool-season grasses grow very fast this time of year. The perfect outside and soil temperatures, coupled with feedings of nitrogen fertilizer will lead to fast growth. Gas up your mowers and get ready to mow!
How often do should you mow your lawn in the summer?
Cool-season lawns should mow about once every 10 days in the hot months of summer. Excessive heat and full sun can often cause lawns to go dormant. Those healthy, well-irrigated lawns will still see slower growth than cool temps in the spring and fall.
How often should you mow your lawn in the fall?
You should continue to cut the grass twice per week in the fall. However, if you’ve overseeded your lawn in the early fall, you need to wait until the new grass height is tall enough and mature enough to be mowed. And once the new grass has been mowed 2-3 times, you can begin to spoon feed and nitrogen blitz your yard (if desired) which will thicken your turf even more.
Don’t Mow Wet Grass
Whenever possible, wait until the yard has dried from rain or watering. If you mulch, or even side discharge, the wet clippings will clump and leave a mess on your yard. If left for too long, these clumps of wet grass can smother and kill your lawn.
Cutting wet grass can also lead to damage, especially when using a ride-on, zero turn mowers, or a standing mower. The weight of the wheels and turns on the grass can easily slip and rip the grass.
Use Sharp Mower Blades
Clean and sharp blades will leave the tips of the grass clean. As previously mentioned, dull blades can tear the leaf tissue, leaving a hazy appearance, and open it up to lawn fungus and disease. So always cut grass with sharp blades.
Does frequent mowing thicken grass?
Yes, frequent mowing is key to a thick lawn. Frequent mowing cuts less of the leaf blade. This promotes not only top growth, but also deeper roots, and lateral growth in rhizomatic cool-season grasses like Kentucky Bluegrass. A thick turf can begin to crowd out weeds and weed seeds.
How many times a week should you mow your lawn?
Find a mowing schedule that works for you, but aim for a minimum of once per week. Sometimes you have to work around mother nature’s schedule, but more mowing can help lead to a beautiful lawn.
How often should you get your lawn mowed?
You should have your lawn care company mow your lawn at least once per week during the growing season. If you have time to get a second mow in, particularly during the peak growing season like mid-to-late spring, that would be optimal. Set the desired height on your mower and try to never cut off more than one-third of the grass at one time.
Other questions to ask yourself:
- What is my grass type?
- What is the optimal height for that grass type?
- How long does it take to mow my yard?
- Can I schedule 1-2 days per week to mow?
Lawn Mowing FAQs
How often should you mow your lawn?
| Type of Grass | Optimal Mowing | |
| Mowing Frequency in Peak-season | Fast Growing | 1-2 times a week |
| Slow Growing | 1 time a week | |
| Mowing Frequency in Off-season | Fast Growing | 0-2 times a Month |
| Slow Growing | 0-1 Times a month |
4 thoughts on “How Often Should You Mow Your Lawn?”
Oh wow, thank you for making me realize that it’s better to mow the grass when it’s dry to prevent the unneeded mess. My husband has been thinking of cleaning the backyard next week. I’ll ask him to keep this tip in mind so the process will be done smoothly later.
This is such great info that every DIY homeowner can use and implement! I am such a big proponent of sharp blades! Thanks LawnPhix for this super helpful post! Happy New Year!
I found it helpful when you said that you must have your lawn mowed at least once a week to achieve a beautiful lawn. This is what I will share with my mother because she mentioned the other night over dinner that she wants to shop for a lawnmower. What she wants is to keep her lawn maintained since it is where she usually entertains her house visitors.
This is a great guide for any lawn mowing question. The layout is great and easy to read.