Simplicity ZT2561 Lawn Care & Mowing Information, Tall Grass Requires Incremental Cutting, Inch

Lawn Care & Mowing Information

HOW HIGH TOCut less than

MOW THE GRASS	1/3
Often cutting height is a
	Optimal
matter of personal prefer-
	cutting point
ence. Typically, you should
	at less than
mow the grass when it is is
	1/3 from top
between three and five
	of grass blade
inches high. The proper
cutting height range for a	Cutting down to this
specific lawn will depend
upon several factors,	area contributes to
including the type of grass,	thatch problems
the amount of rainfall, the
prevailing temperature, and
the lawn’s overall condition.
Cutting the grass too short
causes weak, thin grass
plants, which are easily
damaged by dry periods
and pests. Cutting too short
is often more damaging
than allowing the grass to be slightly higher.
Letting grass grow a bit longer—especially when it is hot and
dry—reduces heat build-up, preserves needed moisture and	1/3

protects the grass from heat damage and other problems.
However, allowing grass to grow too high can cause thin turf
and additional problems.
Cutting off too much at one time shocks the plant’s growth
system and weakens the grass plants. A good rule of
thumb is the 1/3 rule: to cut no more than one third of
the grass height, and never more than 1 inch at a time.
The amount of grass you are able to cut in one pass is also
effected by the type of mowing system you are using (for
example, broadcasting with side discharge decks can
		1 inch
process a much larger volume of grass than mulching does).
NOTE: We cover some specific mowing instructions for
mulching and broadcasting later in this Lawn Care section.	Proper Cutting Height

Cut Here On	Cut
First Pass	Here On

Second

Pass

Tall Grass Requires Incremental Cutting

For extremely tall grass, set the cutting height at maxi- mum for the first pass, and then reset it to the desired height and mow a second or third time.

Don’t cover the grass surface with a heavy layer of clippings. Consider using a grass collection system and starting a compost pile.

LC-2