Is Mowing Your Lawn In August Really A Good Idea? Here's What To Know

You may have heard that you should mow your lawn frequently, maybe even weekly, as long as it's growing. But is it really a good idea to mow that often in months that have fluctuating weather conditions, like August? The short answer is — probably not. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't continue to mow your lawn. It is still growing after all, just a little slower than it did in mid-summer. There are much better methods for mowing your lawn efficiently, if you want to keep your turf healthy. Primarily, it's important to pay attention to what the grass is telling you. Instead of mowing at regular intervals in August, only mow when your lawn actually needs it.

You may find that there are surprising benefits to mowing your lawn less frequently, aside from the extra time you have on your hands. Depending on your local climate, fluctuating temperatures can cause stress on the turf. Ultimately, it comes down to grass height. If you cut it too short or too often, your grass won't be able to adapt to the stress easily. However, if you allow it to grow long enough so that you can easily maintain a height of about 3 inches, you can keep it looking lush and green well into the fall.

The actual length of time between mowing will vary depending on heat, rainfall, and your lawn's health. In most climates, lawn growth declines in late summer and early fall (if you're growing a warm season grass species), which means that you will probably mow less frequently. In August, there is generally less rainfall, but temperatures can also fluctuate drastically, impacting growth rate.

So, what's the right length to mow your lawn at? For a healthy lawn, you don't want to cut your grass lower than 2 1/2 inches in colder weather conditions, but 3 1/2 inches may be more ideal if temperatures are still above 85 degrees Fahrenheit. However, you don't need to mow as soon as it gets longer than that. In fact, it can do more harm than good if you don't allow it to grow enough before mowing again. You will want to mow when you can cut about ⅓ of the length off and still achieve the desired height. Ideally, consider mowing when the grass is about 5 inches tall, to reduce any unnecessary stress and keep your grass lush and healthy.