By not mowing, the longer grass can create more ideal habitats for beneficial insects to live and eat. Not cutting your lawn also allows what are often considered weedy plants like dandelion, clover and little violets to actually flower and be a source of food for bees, butterflies and other pollinators.
Somewhat longer grass is often in better shape than short grass, but mowing very infrequently is harmful. When you allow grass to grow long and then suddenly cut it, the mowing can send grass into shock. Grass roots become diminished and your lawn weakens, making it susceptible to insects and diseases.
Never remove more than one third of the grass blade on any one mowing. If your lawn mower is set for a 1” cut then you must mow at or before the grass gets to 1 ½” whether that's 4 days or 8 days between cuts. That means you only remove one third of the grass blade.
The history
No Mow May was first popularized by Plantlife, an organization based in the United Kingdom, but is now gaining traction across North America. The goal of No Mow May is to pause mowing during the month of May, allowing flowers to bloom in your lawn to help early season pollinators.
The grasses will set seed, wildflowers can bloom and provide nectar, and the longer stems will create a sheltered microclimate. Avoid using strimmers too, as they can injure hedgehogs, frogs and insect larvae. If you can resist mowing your lawn until late summer, this will mimic the hay meadows of old.
It's a question we all face when mowing the grass: Should I bag my clippings or leave them on the lawn? In most cases, the answer is easy. Recycle the grass clippings by leaving them on the lawn. Doing so will not only save you time and energy, but will also return valuable nutrients to the lawn.
"Grass clippings are made of very soft tissue that decomposes rapidly," Mann said. While letting grass clippings lie is best, there are two reasons you might want to retrieve them. First, if your grass has lawn disease, it's best to remove clippings so the disease doesn't spread, Scotts Lawn Care notes.
No Mow May is a national campaign to encourage people not to mow their lawns until the end of May in order to boost the flowers, and nectar, available to pollinating insects such as bees, butterflies and moths. It also allows spring flowers to set seed and plants to establish themselves in advance of the summer.
If the grass is too wet, you shouldn't mow and if it's too dry you shouldn't either. Remember, mowing is a stressful event for your lawn. If you mow when it's already under stress, such as during dry spell or drought, then it will become even more stressed. You don't like to be stressed and neither does your poor lawn.
If you must mow your lawn after a frost, the best practices are to ensure that your lawn does not have a lot of moisture from snow or ice and make sure to not mow the lawn when the temperatures are below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mowing actually helps make your grass grow thicker because the tip of each blade contains hormones that suppress horizontal growth. When you cut the lawn, you remove these tips allowing the grass to spread and grow thicker near the roots.
Cut your lawn to possibly the shortest height you have all season. The ideal height is around 2 1/2 inches. Cut it too low and the grass might not be long enough to photosynthesize and provide nutrients to the roots. Too high and the frost might become matted after a snowfall.
It starts growing leaves faster so that it can replace the leaf you cut off or make up for being in the shade. This means the closer you mow the faster the grass grows! The grass plants future survival depends on it manufacturing food, which it can't do without an adequate amount of leaf.
It also reduces weed and insect pest problems. The higher a lawn is mowed, the deeper the grass roots grow into the soil. Deep roots can take up water from deeper in the soil profile, meaning that you may be able to cut back on how often you water.
Letting the plants grow a bit unruly, especially if you have a lawn, is actually a big help for insect wildlife. The mini jungle created by long grass gives them a safe haven to hide in, and if there are wildflowers in there, it's good for bees too.
Fewer Weeds
Once turf adapts to growing at increased heights, it fills in and becomes dense and lush, crowding out weeds that normally invade when turf is weak and stressed. Longer grass also means that the ground is more shaded, so that weed seeds do not get the sunlight they need to sprout.
It's best to wait for wet grass to dry before mowing. Wet grass clippings can clog your mower, causing it to choke and spit out clumps of wet grass that could smother and kill your lawn if left unraked. It's best to wait for wet grass to dry before mowing.
Grass Goes to Seed
In periods of stress such as unusually hot weather or being allowed to grow too long, grass can go to seed. This results in the grass looking more like a weed with its small white flowery stems.
Perform the first grass cut of the year in spring, around mid-March. From there on, mow the lawn at least once every week. Try to keep your grass' height the same all throughout spring. For most lawns the ideal height would be 2.5-4cm (1-1.5in).
However, be mindful that mowing too close to nightfall (between 6 and 8 p.m.) will not give your grass enough time to recover, making your lawn more susceptible to fungus and turf disease. It's recommended to avoid cutting your grass in the early morning and midday.
Mower Height
A mowing height between 2.5 to 3 inches is best for most of the season, except during summer stresses when the lawn mowing height should be raised one-half inch to mow at 3 to 3.5 inches. Raising the mowing height provides more insulation from summer heat and reduces water loss from your soil.
Late Afternoon (4–6 PM)
Once the temperatures of mid-day have dropped a little, mowing takes less of a toll on your grass. Cutting at this time will still give it a few hours to recover before sunset. Also, your neighbors could still be on the way home from work, so you may avoid bothering them.
The speed that your grass spreads usually depends on your type of grass. Some grasses spread quickly by sending out runners. Other types of grass don't spread as fast. Either way, cutting grass encourages it to put it's energy into roots and new shoots instead of height.
Do Grass Clippings Help Bare Spots? Dry grass clippings help bare spots to regain a layer of grass through the supply of nutrients and protection from high temperatures. They can also prevent insect infestation.
By leaving clippings on the lawn after mowing, you're adding nutrients (especially nitrogen) to the soil and stimulating biological activity. Research has shown that leaving short clippings (one-half inch or less) can supply up to 40 percent of a lawn's annual fertilizer needs.