Most cut grass too short.

[Saltheart]

In my area , WPRO is the biggest news radio station. Been that way my whole life. Back when Salty Brine was on PRO it was like no other station even existed in RI.

Anyway , they have a new lawn service sponsor who runs adds each week giving advice on different topics. This week , all week all I heard was how people almost all cut their lawns too short. His big negatives about cutting them too short is that cutting short means a shallow root system will develop and that being surrounded by short grass rather than long helps the weeds like crabgrass tremendously.

He said most people should set their mowers at the highest setting they have or at most , one setting down from max. To me that sounded like the lawn would look like hell after mowing. I did try it though on the second highest setting of my craftman ridearound and in fact the lawn looked just as well groomed as it did 2 settings lower where I used to set it for many years. I figure I'll try the higher setting for the whole season this year and see if the lawn gets better.

My lawn is like a in between lawn. Its not the nicest in the neighborhood but it is far from the worst. Maybe like in the 75th percentile. It will be interesting to see how cutting it longer goes.

Last week or so , this guy was pushing the idea of not collecting the clippings. He said you should not leave big clumps of clippings but if chopped good by the blade and evenly distributed so they sink into the grass , they return lots of nutrients to the soil. I always collect my clippings but if his longer is better trick works out , I may try the no clipping collection thing next.

[PRBuzz]

I haven't bagged grass clippings in over 20 years, don't bag leaves either as I just mow them over leaving ALL clippings into the yard. Key is to not let things get away so the clippings smoother the grass below. At times I'll even mow 2X in a day: cut once let clippings dry then mow again to disperse clippings. I mow med/high.

[striperman36]

I set my mulcher as high as it can go . I am also moving to Pearl's Premium whichs grows to 4 inches and stops. good stuff.


My neigbhor's hate it, they always ask when I am going to mow my lawn.

[Backbeach Jake]

^^^ Hmmmm! Thank-you,thank-you,thank-you!!
Timing is everything..not you Karl but Striperman36

[Backbeach Jake]

I've been cutting to about 3" and bagging lately. I was shocked at how much stuff winds up in the bag. I have a tiny yard to mow, 30 minutes flat for a mow and wack, I get over two bushels of clippings every time.

[Karl F]

middle of July, still green, one down from max height

[Karl F]

yes..and maybe...

leave it taller..3 inches is ideal..but be prepared to mow more often..
leave the clippings..well.. than be prpared to mow even more often, or get a high end mulching machine...watch for more insects and fungus if you leave long clippings clumped around... I am leaving it taller but still bagging.. tried not doing it for half a season... and did not like the look.. or all the extra thatch that I broke my back getting rid of that fall..
whatever works best for you..

if all else fails, use bassmasters patented lawn cure.. a 50/50 mix of gasoline and bleach applied liberaly and often until anything green disappears...the perfect lawn for fish junkies.

[Swimmer]

Been cutting mine 3"s high for years. Lawn guy was giving an estimate next door about spraying chemicals on the lawn and he says to me the easiest way to make your lawn thick or at leats make it look thickly planted is toleave it long. Cutting it that way for 25 years. I do vacuum up the clippings and use it as compost though. Dont vac the whole acre but most of it.