Mowing a lawn stresses the turfgrass. Mowing removes part of the grass leaf. Grass blades capture the sunlight to produce energy through photosynthesis. When you cut your lawn too short it does not leave the grass blade much leaf to capture sunlight and make food. So when the level of energy production is down while the energy requirement stays the same the grass is forced to use stored up energy.

During good growing conditions, the grass will most likely overcome the shock of being cut too short and start producing new leaf tissue within a couple of days. This is especially true if the grass is cut within its recommended cutting height which depends on season and type of grass. Generally, the cutting heights are between 1.5 inches to 4 inches and you can tell if you are cutting it too short because it will look kind of yellow if you are shocking the grass.

If you can’t remember all the different grass heights then just remember the 1/3 rule. The 1/3 rule is that you never want to mow more than 1/3 of the blade of grass or it can cause the grass to be shocked and turn yellow, and possibly kill the grass. So if you stick to the 1/3 rule it will minimize stress on the grass a lot.

Another good lawn mowing recommendation is to mow with really sharp blades. If you visit your local small engine shop they will most likely offer mowing servicing and blade sharpening. It is inexpensive (around $6-$10) and should be done every couple of months. A sharp mower blade cuts grass blades cleanly and with less physical damage than a dull blade. If you cutting your grass with a dull blade then it is not getting a clean cut and is being pulled ragged look. The blades of grass cut with a dull blade will usually turn brown because of the excess water loss from the damage from the dull blade. Damage caused by mowing with a dull blade can also create a higher potential for some disease organisms because of the excessive tissue trauma of the grass blades.

So in closing remember to sharpen your blades regularly. You should check every week or two by running your finger along the blade carefully to check to make sure it still has a sharp edge. It is also important not to remove more than 1/3 of the grass blade so that you leave the grass blade with enough leaf to gather the sunlight it needs to stay healthy and look good.

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