Have you noticed the difference between your neighbor's lush, thick, green grass and your slightly...
What is the correct height to mow a lawn in Northeast Ohio?
If you are asking that question, then excuse my answer when I say...It is probably higher than you think. It is probably higher than you are already doing. And it is probably the reason why you still desire better grass results from your efforts.
I once got a call to do a quote for a couple who moved from California. And another from Florida. When I told them the height I cut at, they asked "Why so high?"
There are 2 answers to that question, although I never mentioned the first.
- The lawns at our home are not a gulf course that is fertilized like crazy and watered like crazy.
- We in Northeast Ohio have what is considered cool-season grass, and the cutting height affects the way it grows.
If you want to know what cutting height is best for our lawns here in Northeast Ohio, read on. From my personal experience of cutting many lawns for many seasons in Euclid, Ohio, and the surrounding area, I myself will stand by the words written in this post.
If your lawn is relatively healthy, maintaining the cutting heights outlined in this post will help your grass thrive even more.
If your lawn is struggling, you may need to adapt several other lawn care and lawn mowing tips in addition, but adapting this mowing height strategy now will be beneficial to turn the health of your lawn in the right direction.
Between spring, summer, and fall, there are different cutting heights to remember. And there are times to look out for (I call them triggers) to know when to switch cutting heights.
Enjoy the read!
Lawn Mowing Height In the Spring
Once temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees, it is time to pull out the mower. Don't try to give the grass the eyeball height test, or measure the grass blade with a ruler. It is time!
At the start of spring, and depending on if you finished the fall at the correct height (more on that below), I suggest starting right away at 3.5 inches. Many other articles or lawn care providers may say to cut it shorter the first mow, but I advise against this.
It is usually in the months of April and May that your grass is developing root growth. The longer the grass on top, the longer the roots below. This helps with water storage needed to fight the upcoming summer heat and also allows the grass to better compete and fight off weeds, which have some mighty strong roots.
Every week counts big time when it comes to establishing strong grassroots, so why set the process back? Weed seeds will be coming, and the shorter grass height could pave the way to weed infestation, ruining your lawn for the entire growing season.
Mow it at 3.5 inches from the jump. Trust me.
Following the 1/3 rule, however, this would mean waiting until your grass reaches close to 5.25 inches, correct?
That I do not suggest.
Even if the grass is a smidge over 3.5 inches to start the mowing season, go ahead and cut the lawn, making this the only time you should also bag the clippings until late fall. Complete your spring cleanup also at this time. After this, mulch the clipping back onto the lawn.
You may be worried after the first mowing, however, that waiting until the grass is 5.25 inches to cut, will make it hard to do with the rapid spring growth. Rest easy. If you are following the proper mowing frequency for our area, the grass shouldn't reach that height to even worry about.
Lawn Mowing Height In the Summer
Now, just as important for the grass to be cut at the correct height to start the spring cutting season, the height you mow the lawn in the summer is even more important. It's critical to make sure you are cutting at 4.0 inches during the summer. Why?
Because it is during this time of year that droughts and high temperatures will attempt to wreak havoc on your lawn. Lawns are prone to go dormant, thin out, turn brown, and all this leads to an increased chance of lawn diseases, insects, and weeds settling in, although most may not manifest fully until fall.
To combat this issue, do not wait until Summer is officially on the calendar, but raise the mowing height when one of the following first happens:
- There have been 7 days without rain, and rain is not forecasted again in the next week or
- The forecasted temperatures will average above 80 for a week
In 2023, for all my customers this meant raising them to 4 inches in May! But this is the best thing to do. Waiting too late does nothing but deplete whatever resources the grassroots have built up to this point prematurely.
By raising the mowing height to 4 inches at the right time, you will enjoy a greener lawn than your neighbors when these situations happen. They will envy your lawn, and ask you what it is you do so special.
Just as a side point: There is NOTHING wrong with raising the mower height to 4 inches well before those 2 triggers I mentioned above. However, chances are that until those triggers are met, the grass will be growing at a pretty swift pace and you'd likely be mowing twice a week if you raise the cutting height early.
No matter if it begins to rain somewhat in the Summer, or there are a few days under 80 degrees, once you switch to 4 inches, keep it there until October.
Lawn Mowing Height In the Fall
Once October rolls around you do not want to make the mistake many homeowners make. They stop mowing!
If you have followed me up to this point, no doubt you've noticed how September brought about some periods of fast growth. But now, at the beginning of October, it is time to lower the mower to 3.5 inches again.
This is also a good lawn mowing height for mulching leaves, so mulch whatever early leaves are falling granted they are not too thick to fall back into the soil. Do this for the first few weeks of October.
Around October 15th, it will be time to lower the mower down to 3.0 inches. Continue to mulch the leaves, and grass if possible, and keep it at 3.0 inches until the last mowing of the season. On the last mowing, bag if you want, but it's not a deal breaker. Just don't stop mowing too early. Mow until:
- 1 or 2 weeks after the first frost, or
- temperatures are consistently below 50 degrees.
The 3.0-inch mowing height helps prevent the grass blades from bending over from being too high during the winter causing snow mold. It will also make it easier to do fall cleanups at this height. But because the grass will grow slowly until those 2 above fall triggers are met, don't stop mowing too early.
Once those triggers are met for the fall, follow any maintenance plans there are for storing your mower. Now you can relax over the winter. Once spring hits again, it's time to rinse and repeat.
When Breaking These Mowing Heights Are Needed
There will be times when mowing lower than 3.5 inches is necessary. If you are undergoing a dethatching and overseeding, or aeration and overseeding project, cutting the lawn to 3.0 inches is needed in this case.
However, I would not dare to take on such projects until the fall for our cool season grasses, for the same reason I would never cut it lower than 3.5 inches for the first mowing of spring.
In the spring there is a greater risk of weed seeds finding their way into the soil and taking root. Although not completely gone, this risk is vastly minimized in the fall.
And did you notice I placed overseeding after both detaching and aerating?
That's because they both expose the turf soil for weed seeds. So, please always overseed after detaching and aerating within 48 hours.
Wrapping it all up!
Now that you know that it is best to cut your grass between 3.5 and 4 inches throughout the year, a word of caution is never to let the grass grow to where you get a ticket for high grass from the local authorities who enforce regulations on lawn maintenance, or unwanted attention from policing neighbors.
Simply google "Lawn Mowing Height Ordinance Euclid Ohio", or make the search fit for your area of residence to know the mowing height laws where you live.
Other than that, following these mowing heights, is just one of several things you need to do to have a lush, thick, green turf.
Begin mowing in the spring at 3.5 inches, raise it to 4 inches once those summer triggers happen, and lower it to 3.5 and 3.0 inches slowly during fall.
Don't begin the mowing season too late, and don't end it too early and this mowing height strategy will work out for you for many mowing seasons.
Happy cutting!