How Low To Cut The Grass

I like to cut my grass as low as I possibly can because then I don't have to cut again so soon. I have never been a fan of cutting grass so I like to do anything I can in order to not have to cut that much.
 
I don't know what I was thinking by cutting the grass so short last fall. I cut it at the height many have recommended here all summer, and then decided to cut it low, really low, on the last cutting of the season. I doubt that I'll make that mistake again since I'm reseeding my yard this spring because of it.
 
Although it would seem counter-intuitive, cutting higher actually increases the time you can wait between mowings. The rule of thumb for healthy grass is to not cut more than 1/3 of the length at a time, so if your grass is cut 1" high you should cut again at 1.5". On the other hand if you cut to 3", you can wait until it's 4.5" inches high which means you can sit on the sidelines for one full inch more growth. In my experience whether cut high or low, the lawn takes about the same amount of time to start looking raggedy again anyway, so it was that and the lawn health thing that got me cutting higher some years ago.

There's a pretty good overview of cutting height here.
 
I used to cut mine lower and smartened up a few years ago. Now I cut mine at 4 inches in the summer and wait for it to get about 6 inches before cutting. It does look better after a couple of years doing this.
 
I like to keep my grass longer. I think it looks better and I've heard that it helps cut down on the weeds.
I think the setting is 3.5 or closer to four.
Some people on my street scalp their grass and I think it looks terrible, in my opinion.
 
fry said:
I like to keep my grass longer. I think it looks better and I've heard that it helps cut down on the weeds.
I think the setting is 3.5 or closer to four.
Some people on my street scalp their grass and I think it looks terrible, in my opinion.
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I agree scalping is very bad. There are two types of lawns I cut I have my regular lawns where I cut at about 3" then I have my golf course green lawns where they put so much water and weed control plus I put a hardy amount of fert down I cut between 1" and 2"
 
fry said:
I like to keep my grass longer. I think it looks better and I've heard that it helps cut down on the weeds.
I think the setting is 3.5 or closer to four.
Some people on my street scalp their grass and I think it looks terrible, in my opinion.
Click to expand...


Scalped grass does look terrible and it's not healthy for the root system, it exposes the root system to decease and insects especially St Augustine grass.
 
I would suggest you cut your grass at around 3 inches. It's important that you don't cut it too short, especially throughout summer months when it is very hot. This can cause more problems than its worth as it tends to encourage moss and weeds to grow. I'm sure you don't want the hassle of having to deal with them!
 
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