Now that it’s spring, it’s tempting to break out the mower and get your grass back in shape. But is it ready? Learn more about when to start mowing your lawn and gently wake it from its dormancy.

Best Time for Mowing Your Lawn

It’s the right season, but not necessarily the right time. Ideally, you want to wait until the grass reaches the right height. Cutting when it’s too short can injure the grass and invite disease. You also don’t want to wait too long when it’s too high. Wait until the grass reaches at least two inches tall before mowing. Also, remember not to remove more than a third of the grass height. Then the roots are still protected.

What to do Before and After Mowing

The steps you take before and after you mow are just as important as the task itself.

Before: make sure the mower is in working order with sharp blades. Mow dry grass to help prevent slipping and tearing blades and increasing the chance of disease. If you’re going to overseed, do so before mowing and fertilizing.

After: fertilize early in the season for a boost of nutrients—like breakfast for your grass. Then again late in the season before it gets too hot to help keep it nourished. Just give the nutrients a chance to sink in before you mow again.

Other Conditions to Consider

Where you live impacts when you mow. If the ground is still freezing at night and thawing during the day, this puts added stress on your lawn. Cutting it too short under these conditions can kill it, so you can mow it longer and more often than usual.

A very wet spring tends to rush growth that becomes more difficult to mow. It’s better to wait until the grass dries out before tackling the yard.

Also, are you ready to mow? Once you start the process, you’ll have to keep up with it to maintain the healthy growth process. It’s best to wait until you can devote more time to your lawn.

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