Lawn cutting height: How to set the optimal cutting height for a healthy lawn
To ensure you can enjoy a beautiful lawn all year round, the right cutting height when mowing is extremely important. If you leave your lawn too long, the lawn is often not even and looks chaotic. At the same time, a lawn that is cut too short can burn more quickly. As you can see, the right length of the grass blades is crucial.
In this article, we summarize what the best cutting height is for different types of lawn and how often you should mow your lawn. You will also learn what to consider when mowing and how RasenExpert products can help you.
What is the optimal cutting height for my lawn?
The optimal cutting height for lawns varies between 2 and 6 cm - the decisive factor is the type of lawn.
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How often should I mow the lawn?
You should mow your lawn once or twice a week, depending on the type of lawn.
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When should mowing take place?
Avoid mowing when it is raining or in strong sunlight; you should also not cut your lawn in winter.
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Tips and Tricks: What is important when mowing the lawn?
Before mowing, check that your lawnmower blades are sharp and replace them if necessary.
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What is the optimal cutting height for my lawn?
Before you mow your lawn, you should consider the correct cutting height for your lawn. Every type of lawn has different needs that you should take into account when mowing the lawn . So check the setting on your mower and adjust it if necessary.
We summarize for you which cutting height is recommended for your lawn:
Sports & Play Lawns:
Sports and play lawns are usually subject to heavy wear and tear. It is therefore best to leave them at a height of 3 to 5 cm - this makes them particularly strong. If you mow them too low, however, this type of lawn will also be more susceptible to weeds and unwanted grass.
Ornamental lawn:
For ornamental lawns, we recommend a cutting height of 2 to 3 cm. This will give you an even cutting result that looks particularly attractive. A heavy cut also stimulates growth, so that a dense ornamental lawn can develop.
shade lawn:
You should let shade grass grow significantly longer than other types of grass. We recommend a cutting height of 5 to 6 cm. Shade grass does not tolerate cutting particularly well and should therefore never be cut deeper than 5 cm.
Reseeding:
If you have re-seeded grass, you should wait a few weeks before cutting it back for the first time. It is best to be patient until the young grass has reached a height of 8 to 10 cm. Then cut it in stages to 5 to 6 cm or, depending on the type of grass, carefully to 2 to 3 cm.
As you can see, there is no rule of thumb that applies to all types of lawn. The best thing to do is to follow the recommendations in this article: This will help you give your lawn exactly the trimming it needs for healthy growth.
How often should I mow the lawn?
How often you should mow your lawn also depends on the type of lawn. If you have a sports and play lawn in your garden, you should mow it once a week. This will give it the desired length and also encourage it to grow particularly vigorously. This is important because lawns that are used for everyday use need a particularly dense turf to be able to withstand the stresses of everyday life.
The same applies to shade lawns: you should also mow these once a week. This lawn also benefits from regular trimming and a dense turf. This is important to prevent moss from forming on the usually damp lawn area.
The only exception to this rule is ornamental lawns. You should mow these once or twice a week, depending on the season. Since they are cut shorter than other types of lawn, you should not let them grow too long - because drastic cutting is not good for your lawn in most cases.
Would you like to learn more about lawn mowing? You can find lots of helpful tips and tricks on our blog:
When should mowing take place?
Once you have set the right cutting height for your lawn, you should consider the ideal time for mowing. There are also a few things to consider regarding the weather and the time of year.
The best time of day depends on the season. If the temperature is moderate, you can mow the grass in the morning, at midday or in the evening: as long as you stick to the rest periods, you can mow whenever you like.
If it is very hot, however, you should try to mow early in the morning or late in the evening. The sun's rays could burn your freshly mown lawn. You should also avoid mowing wet grass . Wait until it is completely dry, otherwise you will get an uneven cut and could even damage your lawn. You should mow the lawn when it is dry: this is the best approach.
As a rule, the grass in your garden needs to be cut between spring and autumn. As soon as the first frost arrives, you can store your lawnmower. The best way to care for your lawn in winter is to avoid mowing and give your lawn a rest period.
Will it harm my lawn if I let it grow too long?
Yes, it can be a problem if you let your lawn grow too long. This means that few side shoots will form and weeds and moss can spread. Therefore, try to mow your lawn about once a week. If you are on vacation, it is best to mow shortly before you leave and immediately after you arrive.
Tips and Tricks: What is important when mowing the lawn?
You now know that both the cutting height and the timing of mowing the lawn are crucial. There are a few other points that are important and can help you optimize your lawn care .
One question, for example, is what you do with the grass clippings. You can, for example, collect them in the grass catcher of your lawnmower and then compost them. After a few months, you will have valuable soil that is full of nutrients and can be used for fertilizing.
If that's too much work for you, you can mulch your lawn. The cut grass stalks are chopped into small pieces and spread over the lawn as a natural fertilizer. This is no substitute for fertilization, but it can certainly have a positive effect on your lawn.
In addition, you should check the condition of the lawn mower blades before mowing. If they are blunt, they will not cut the grass, but will simply tear it off. You will get a poor result and your lawn may be damaged.
Have you decided to mow your lawn regularly? Then you can order the right lawn mower blades for your mower from RasenExpert:
Lay a good foundation with high-quality grass seeds
If you want to enjoy a neat and clean lawn in your garden, the choice of seed is often crucial. Many cheap mixtures contain weed seeds: If you sow these mixtures and care for your lawn intensively, you will still have problems with weeds and poor growth.
That's why we recommend that you only plant high-quality seeds in your garden. This will ensure that the lawn can grow healthily and develop a dense turf. These are the most important prerequisites for a long-term beautiful lawn.
You can find the best lawn seeds for a well-kept lawn at RasenExpert:
Frequently asked questions about grass clippings, lawn mowers, etc.
The best cutting height for lawns is between 2 and 6 centimeters, depending on the type of lawn. If you have a sports or play lawn in your garden, then three to five centimeters is optimal. A shade lawn, on the other hand, should be five to six centimeters. So adapt the cutting height to your individual lawn areas.
The height of the lawn that helps to control weeds depends on the time of year and the local conditions. If you want to effectively control weeds, you should not mow your lawn too low. This will stunt new growth and allow weeds to spread in the bare patches.
In summer, you can leave the grass a little longer than in spring and autumn. This will prevent the blades of grass from drying out. Set the cutting height for your ornamental lawn to about four centimeters and leave your sports and play lawn one to two centimeters longer.
Conclusion: Ensure a healthy lawn with balanced lawn care
Mowing is one of the most important tasks in your garden: The cutting height is crucial for your lawn to grow healthily. Make sure you adjust it to the type of lawn in your garden. Also check regularly whether your lawnmower blades are still sharp.
Once your mower is ready, all you have to do is choose the right time to mow the lawn and nothing should stand in the way of a lush green lawn. We wish you much success in caring for your lawn!