At what height should I maintain my lawn?

For home lawns, the height of cut can be maintained between 2 and 3 inches. The new, improved turfgrasses on the market today can tolerate a lower height of cut, but at a height of at least two inches, the grass is not as stressed and is better able to tolerate weed invasion as well as insect and disease problems.

It is important to keep your lawn as healthy and as dense as possible. Proper mowing practices help keep the lawn dense and attractive because the grasses can actually crowd out troublesome weeds. During the hot, dry summer months, the mowing height should be raised to help the plant survive against moisture stress. It is also important to keep the mower blades sharp so that the grass tips are cut and not torn. Tearing of the leaf tissue and/or unnecessary wounding of the plant allows turf diseases easy access and will cause greater damage to your grass plants.