Exactly How Often You Should Mow Your Lawn (And Why It Matters)

One of the many perks of owning a home is the private yard that often comes with it. It's no wonder homeowners take such pride in creating beautiful backyard oases to relax in, or lush, green front gardens to welcome them home. Maintaining these spaces, on the other hand, can be complicated, especially when it comes to caring for the grass. Of all the surprising ways you've been killing your grass without knowing it, mowing your lawn too often or not often enough can make a significant difference in its overall health and appearance.

However, figuring out the right approach can be confusing, since there is no universal rule for the frequency with which you should be trimming your grass. Instead, it depends on a few key factors, including the type of grass you have, the current season, and your grass's growth rate. While most lawns can be mowed once a week during the growing season, this can vary because of these factors. So let's break down the different types of grasses and the other variables that determine exactly how often you should mow your lawn.

There are many popular types of grass people use for lawns, but they all need the most frequent mowing during their growing season. Popular cool-season grasses, like Kentucky bluegrass and fescue, show more rapid growth in spring and fall. During those seasons, mowing your grass every five to seven days is a good idea, while reducing frequency in the summer. Warm-season grasses, like Bermuda or Zoysia, thrive in the late spring and summer and should be mowed every three to five days when the hotter months cause more rapid growth.

Outside of the growing season, mowing every other week is a better rule of thumb. As the growing season ends, you can begin to decrease the frequency until you create the last cut of the year, which should fall about a week before the first frost of the year. When your grass is growing slowly or not at all, during the colder months or if you are in an area experiencing a drought, you do not need to mow it.

When in doubt about frequency, look at the height of your grass and use the key principle in lawn care, which is the "one-third rule." This rule states that you should never cut more than one-third of the grass blade's height at once, since it can stress the plant and make it more susceptible to disease, pests, and drought. For most lawns, keeping the grass at around 3.5 inches tall is ideal because it helps shade the soil, retain moisture, and discourage weed growth.

There are plenty of great methods for mowing your lawn more efficiently, but knowing how frequently your particular grass needs to be trimmed is essential. Regular mowing matters for a number of reasons — it encourages denser growth and reduces the risk of thatch build-up (that layer of dead grass and roots that can block nutrients and water from reaching the soil). Not to mention, overgrown grass can harbor insects and diseases, leading to a whole bunch of time-consuming and expensive fixes. On the other hand, mowing your grass too frequently, or cutting it super short to avoid the chore of mowing every week, can lead to a weakened root system and make your lawn more susceptible to disease, weeds, and heat stress. 

If you aren't sure if you're mowing your grass too often, some key signs are yellow or brown tips, bald patches, and excessive thatch. You will know you're not mowing enough if you see clumps of long grass clippings after mowing, slower recovery after each trim, patchy thin areas, or scalping. You should be paying close attention to your lawn's patterns and know what seasons it grows in. Finding the right mowing schedule is a simple and smart way to improve your lawn without spending a dime.