New Landscape Makes a Yard Feel New Again

There are few landscaping maintenance tasks that you will have to do more often than mowing the lawn. While mowing the lawn is a routine chore that many homeowners will have to complete to keep their landscaping looking its best, they may make some assumptions about this that will make it harder to get good results.

Assumption: The Grass Should Always Be Cut As Low As Possible

A particularly common assumption about mowing the lawn is the belief that the lawn will need to be cut as low as possible. While this could delay the frequency of needing to cut the mow, it can also lead to some sizable health problems for the lawn. An example of this could be the grass struggling to produce enough energy to grow. This could lead to the grass taking much longer to grow as well as increasing the risk of it developing disease or even fungal infections. The ideal height for the grass will depend on the particular species of grass that you are growing. However, most will need at least a couple of inches of height in order to remain healthy. As an added benefit, this height can also make it harder for weeds to successfully germinate.  

Assumption: You Should Always Take The Same Path When Mowing The Lawn

When mowing the grass, it can be tempting to simply follow the same pattern every time. This may allow you to be as efficient as possible with the amount of time needed to mow the grass, but it can create some problems for the grass. In particular, the wheels and weight of the lawnmower could start to compress the soil. Over time, this may make visible tracks through the landscaping, and it can even lead to the grass dying. Using a different pattern each time that you mow the lawn will avoid these issues so that you can keep your grass healthy regardless of needing to mow it weekly or more.

Assumption: The Blade Of The Lawnmower Does Not Require Major Maintenance

Over time, the blade of the lawnmower will start to become dull. As this occurs, it will potentially lead to significant performance problems with the lawnmower. More specifically, it will be less effective at cutting all of the grass that it passes over, and this can lead to the mowing results being fairly uneven. Additionally, a dull blade could produce rougher cuts on the grass, which could delay the grass recovery from this maintenance. Contact a residential landscape contractor for more information.