Taking care of your grass can be a lot of work, but it is worth it to have a lush, green lawn surrounding your home. Once you’ve committed to and invested in seeding or getting new sod for your lawn, you should also spend the time and energy to learn how to take care of it (or hire a great lawn care company). The needs of your lawn are going to change depending on the type of grass and the time of the year. Changing the height that you cut your grass to by as little as an inch can have a big effect on the health of your lawn. Read on to learn the ideal heights for your grass each season.

Is Your Grass Warm- Or Cool-Season Grass?

There are two main types of grass (not to be confused with varieties of grass) and these are cool-season grasses and warm-season grasses. Cool-season grasses include things like Kentucky bluegrass, perennial, ryegrass, tall, fescue, and creeping bluegrass. Warm-season grasses, include Bermudagrass, centipedegrass, and zoysiagrass. These different types of grasses have different needs.

Cutting Height In Spring

In the spring, any winter-burned strands or dead pieces of grass need to be cut off, so a short spring cut is the way to go. Cool-season grasses should be cut to a height of about 3 inches with warm-season grass being mowed as short as an inch and a half.

Cutting Height In Summer

During the summer, the heat, the sun, and the occasional drought all put a lot of stress on your grass. You should not make this worse by cutting it too short. Generally, during the summer, your grasses should be allowed to grow a little longer. You’re cool-season grasses should be about 3 1/2 inches, with those fescues or ryegrasses being allowed to be up to 4 inches. Warm-season grasses should be left about 2 to 2.5 inches tall.

Cutting Height In Fall

In the fall, when temperatures drop, cut those grasses fairly short again. Cool-season grasses can go down to about 2.5 inches in height, and warm-season grasses can go back down to 1.5 to 2 inches. Cutting the grass a little shorter is a good way to prepare it for the coming winter. You should make sure that you’re getting these final fall cuts in before the first frost.

Cutting Height In Winter

Finally in winter: don’t bother cutting your grass. Generally, most grasses go dormant during the winter and it really is not necessary to mow dormant grass. If you have a super unseasonably warm winter and the grass seems to be growing, you might have to cut it, but try not to overly stress your lawn.

Contact Sposato Landscape

For over 25 years, Sposato Landscape has been beautifying and nurturing countless landscapes throughout the Delmarva area. We offer many services, including landscape design, installations, residential maintenance, hardscape, commercial maintenance, and turf nutrient management.

Visit our website to see what we can do for you, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest, and YouTube.