Are you mowing your lawn too short? Biggest grass-cutting mistakes to avoid for a healthier yard

There are several mistakes that people often make while caring for their lawns. Out of all those mistakes, the most harmful one is cutting the grass too short. Frank Rossi, associate professor of horticulture at Cornell University’s School of Integrative Plant Science, has said that grass blades are like solar panels, according to online platform Good Housekeeping. Rossi further stated that they absorb energy from the sun and send it down to the roots. When that foliage is cut off, the grass is forced to live off its energy reserves, and a stressed-out lawn is not going to look very good.

Taller grass is a big requirement for a healthy lawn, as it is more disease-resistant and performs the job of blocking out weeds better. It means fewer dandelions to deal with. Besides that, it also provides a thicker shade cover for the soil, reducing evaporation and helping the lawn through dry spells.

The 1/3rd rule

According to Rossi, the 1/3rd rule comes in handy to avoid scalping of grass. The 1/3rd rule states that you never take off more than 1/3rd of the height of the grass. That’s probably longer than you’re used to, but besides reducing plant stress and water loss, it means you won’t have to mow as often, "about 25% to 35% less frequently," says Rossi, according to Good Housekeeping.

Math behind 1/3rd rule

Several lawn care experts often recommend that one should let the grass grow to a little more than 5 inches, then cut it back to around 3.5 inches, removing about 1/3rd of the blade.

Now compare that to someone who cuts their lawn down to two inches. To follow the one-third rule, they'll need to mow when the grass reaches 3 inches. That means just 1 inch of growth between mowings, compared to 1.5 to 2 inches with best practices, so they'll end up mowing every 5 days instead of every 8 or 9. Multiply that over an entire growing season, and you get a few extra Saturdays back.

Other mistakes to avoid

Avoid these mistakes to ensure a lush and healthy lawn:

Mowing with a dull blade

A dull blade will tear at the grass blades and leave behind jagged edges that lose water and invite disease. According to Good Housekeeping, experts have recommended that the blade be sharpened every 10 hours of mowing.

Bagging instead of mulching

Lawn clippings naturally provide nutrients that can cut down your need for fertilizer by 25% or more. Instead of bagging them (which takes extra time and effort), switch your mower to mulching mode and let the clippings fall back onto the lawn.

Pulling every last weed

Don’t stress about having a perfect, weed-free lawn. It’s hard to get without loading your yard up with chemicals. Plus, some weeds are good for your grass; clover, for example, pulls nitrogen from the air and adds it to the soil.

Watering every day

Giving your lawn a light daily watering won’t help its roots. Instead, a deep soak once a week (or every few days in peak summer) works better. Lawns need about one inch of water per week, rain included, and an empty tuna can is a handy way to measure.