Mowing and Watering the Lawn: Do’s and Don’ts

For a lush, green lawn all summer long, proper mowing and watering techniques are essential. Find out if you know all the do’s and don’ts of summer mowing and watering.

Summer Mowing Do’s

• Do mow when the grass is dry and the sun is not directly overhead.
• Do mulch clippings to return nutrients to the soil.
• Do sharpen mowing blades every three months if the lawn is 1/2 acre or less in size.
• Do change the mowing pattern every so often. Switch between horizontal, vertical, and diagonal.
• Do follow the correct mowing height suggestions. Higher mowed grass will have long, deeper roots that will be able to find moisture during the hottest days.

Summer Mowing Don’ts

• Don’t cut the grass too short! Mowing cool season grass too short will result in shallow roots.
• Don’t cut more than a third of the grass blade at one cutting. If the lawn gets too tall, break it down into multiple cuts with about three days in between.
• Don’t leave clumps of grass on the turf. The clumps will block the light and turn the area yellow.
• Don’t mow in the hottest part of the day or when the grass is wet.
• Don’t mow if the turf is showing signs of stress like wilting, footprinting, or has a dark, bluish cast.
• Don’t mow with dull blades. Dull blades will rip the grass and make it susceptible to disease and insect feeding.
• Don’t mow in the same pattern or wheel tracks will wear into the lawn.

Summer Watering Do’s

• Do water the lawn early in the day to reduce water evaporation.
• Do make sure the lawn receives 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week through irrigation or rainfall.
• Do allow the turf to dry in the afternoon to prevent fungus.

Summer Watering Don’ts

• Don’t water every day. Water deeper and less often to allow the roots to grow.