Why listen to us?
We are Kansas City and the surrounding area’s leading farm and ranch equipment dealer. Our locations provide full service from the time of equipment purchase to parts and servicing your machine after. We’ve seen it all and have the experience to point our customers in the right direction.
Cut Height and Scalping
Do not cut your grass too short.
Even more important for cool season grasses (Kentucky Bluegrass, Fescue, Bermudagrass etc. ).
Higher heights usually provide for a deeper root system, looks better, and is less likely to have weeds invading, particularly crabgrass. Our recommendation is 3” to 3.5” in the spring and 3.5” to 4.5” in the summer. Your conditions and preference may vary, but this is a great starting point.
You should not remove more than one third of the grass leaf at any one cutting. If circumstances arise that a lawn gets too tall (such as leaving for a trip etc.) and you just have to lop a bunch to get caught up, bite the bullet and break it down into several mowings till you get caught up. Our recommendation is 2-3 days between cuttings.
Avoid scalping your lawn! Cutting too short will destroy your grass’s root system. Your mower deck will also be too close to the ground allowing the deck to scrape in some areas when turning. This destroys the aesthetic of your lawn and is overall unhealthy for the grass. Too short of grass in the summer can get scorched and die with sunlight and lack of water.
Cut Quality
The first step to a lawn that looks great is having your mower in good working condition. Make sure you get your mower serviced and ready to go, prior to mowing season. The grass does not care if your mower is in the shop, and will continue to grow, thus leading to more work later on.
Make sure your mower blades are sharp. This will mean you will have to sharpen them several times throughout the season, or have your local dealer do this for you. It’s also advised to have an extra set of sharp blades on hand to ensure you always have a set in good working order. Sharp blades cut the grass cleanly and keep mulch clippings in small pieces which break down quickly.
Cut in alternating directions each time you mow. This is especially important with lawns of shorter grass types. Altering the direction ensures a more even cut since grass blades will grow more erect and less likely to develop into a set pattern.
Should I Bag or Mulch?
Bagging vs. mulching is generally an overrated and overly discussed process of mowing. Don’t spend more time than needed contemplating this. Adding a bagging system or a mulching kit adds more cost and setup time to your machine, and then you are married to this system. If you want to go back to normal blades and cutting, you will have to remove this equipment each time.
Grass clippings do not contribute to thatch buildup or increase the chances of disease on your lawn. If you mow your lawn at the right height, without removing any more than a third of its total height, clippings will quickly break down without a trace. These clippings contribute additional nitrogen and other nutrients to the soil and supply it with organic materials.
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