How tall should I mow my lawn?

A common question that homeowners ask is "how tall should I mow my lawn?" 

The answer to this question depends on a few things:

• Type of Grass
• How tall the grass is before you cut it
• Time of year

TYPE OF GRASS
The most common types of grass found in lawns in the south, like where we are, Prattville Alabama, are Bermuda, Centipede and Zoysia. 

Bermuda Grass
Bermuda Grass should be mowed to a height of 0.5 - 2.5". A short cut gives a very manicured look but makes it a bit more difficult to control weeds. Remember that one of the most effective methods of weed control is having a thick lawn, mowed a little tall, that drowns out the resources that weeds are competing for. 

​Centipede Grass
Centipede Grass should be mowed to a height of 1" to 2.5". 

Zoysia
Zoysia should be mowed between 0.5" to 3.0". Keep in mind that there are multiple types of Zoysia so there is no one size fits all solution. Be sure to research specific height requirements for your type of Zoysia for the region where you live. 

A good rule of thumb is to never mow off more than 1/3 of the total grass blade length. So mowing frequently enough to maintain this rule of thumb is recommended. Mowing off too much at one time also creates excessive lawn clippings that have to be bagged or raked and discarded. 

A few other tips: 

• During prolonged periods of limited rainfall or drought, keep your lawn taller to help it retain moisture and avoid burning out
• At the beginning of spring, mow your lawn short to remove dead grass blades
• Allow grass in shady areas to grow taller than those in the sun
• Dethatching and aerating are great methods to help improve the health of your lawn. (We'll cover those topics in a later post)

Hopefully this article was helpful for the DIY'er. If you'd rather leave it to your expert local lawn care service, give us a call at Prattville Lawn Pros and leave the worrying to us! (334) 315-0500

Until next time... Remember, "the grass really is greener on the other side!"
​