How often and why should I mow my lawn?
Many of us love nothing more than getting outside on the weekend and mowing the lawn. That fresh grass smell and the satisfaction of a beautiful finish really is magic!
But whether you love the experience of mowing your lawn or not, it is an important part of maintaining a healthy, lush green lawn.
Why do I need to mow my lawn regularly?
There are many good reasons to get outside with the mower on a regular basis.
- Leaving your lawn too long casts shade on the lawn leaves, which prevents it from absorbing the sunlight it needs to create energy to grow. This can cause your lawn to die off.
- Consistent lawn leaf height throughout the entire lawn area means nutrient absorption will be consistent across all areas, helping your lawn to look its best.
- To avoid stressing your lawn, you should only mow one-third of the lawn leaf height at a time. If you are inconsistent with your mowing, you may end up mowing off more than this, which can cause your lawn to go into shock. Regular mowing ensures that lawn leaf height is reduced gradually, avoiding stress and maintaining good health.
- If you get out there and mow regularly it will be an easier task, as the mower won’t struggle to push through the lawn.
- For all the above reasons, if you don’t mow regularly you will compromise the health of your lawn, leaving it more susceptible to disease, heat stress, pests, and weeds.
How often do I need to mow my lawn?
Mowing requirements depend on the variety of lawn as well as the time of year, so we will consider each of our lawn varieties in turn.
Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo
During the fast-growing months of September to May we recommend mowing every 7–14 days. During the slower-growing months of May to August you may not need to mow at all.
Tif Tuf
Tif Tuf is a low-profile grass that enjoys frequent mowing when it is in full growing season. During the fast-growing months of September to May we recommend mowing every 4–7 days, and during the slower-growing months of May to August you may only need to mow every 14 days.
Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu
Eureka Premium is a very active growing grass, fantastic for self-repairing and high traffic areas, but this means it requires frequent mowing. From September to May we recommend mowing every 7 days, and during the slower-growing months of May to August you may only need to mow every 14 days. Eureka Premium has more growing activity during the cooler months than our other grasses, so it is important to keep an eye on it and mow regularly to make sure you don’t take too much off at a time.
Sir Grange
Sir Grange is a tough lawn, and is the slowest growing of all our varieties. Therefore, it requires the least amount of mowing. From September to May we recommend mowing every 14–30 days, and during the slower-growing months of May to August you may not need to mow at all.
For all lawns, if you are ever in doubt whether to mow, just do it! Simply set your mower on the highest setting and give your lawn a mow, even if you only take off a small amount of leaf. Your lawn will enjoy the small trim, and it’s better than risking leaving it too long.