At Sprout Lawn & Landscape, we love mowing lawns, but we know that for many people, it is not their favorite thing to do. In fact, a lot of those people tend to mow their lawns as short as possible to avoid mowing the grass more frequently. However, this is not a good practice to start, because cutting your lawn too short can end up killing the grass.

Learn how you can irreparably harm and even kill your lawn in Noblesville, Carmel, Westfield, and nearby Indiana areas by cutting it too short during the growing season.

Why does it hurt your lawn to cut it too closely?

A Noblesville, IN home lawn dying from being cut too short.

In order for your grass to effectively absorb nutrients, the blades have to be kept at a certain height. When they are too short, the grass is harmed by the heat of the sun and is exposed to too much sunlight. Additionally, the shorter grass then allots more energy toward growing the blades instead of creating a deeper root system.

In turn, this weakens your grass, blades, roots, and the overall structure of the lawn. A weakened lawn will then be much more susceptible to catching lawn diseases or falling victim to insect infestations. It also will not be able to fight off weeds and can be overtaken by those invasive plants.

Lawn disease, insects, and weeds all have the potential to quickly kill off your lawn, destroying the hard work you put in to cultivating it.

How tall should your grass be during the growing season?

Stand-up mower cutting a lawn in Westfield, IN.

The prescribed height of grass blades varies by the type of grass you have in your lawn. In our area of Indiana, we primarily have cool-season grasses such as fescue and Kentucky bluegrass. During the growing season, they should be kept at certain heights:

  • For most cool-season grasses, keep them at 2.5 to 3 inches in height.
  • If you're trying to fight off weeds, the blades should be a bit higher to block out the weeds from getting sunlight, generally at 3-3.5 inches.

A good rule of thumb to use when mowing a lawn is to adhere to the one-third rule, which basically states that you should not cut off more than a third of the height of the grass at a time.

To keep your grass at the proper height during March through November, it is recommended to mow your lawn weekly until the heat of summer is at its peak. At that point, lawns should be mowed biweekly to keep the grass protected from the heat.

Are you worried that you may not be cutting your lawn properly? Call our lawn company to set up a consultation.

At Sprout Lawn & Landscape, we have many years of experience when it comes to cutting lawns in Noblesville, Westfield, Carmel, and the nearby cities of Indiana. If you are worried about the condition of your lawn, we can help! We offer professional lawn mowing services that will help keep your lawn in tip-top condition throughout the growing season. Call our company today at (317) 900-7151 to set up a consultation.