Taking care of your lawn and how it looks is always a challenging task. In addition to the tedious part of the process, the final results aren’t always what we expect. For example, should you mow the grass in the same direction each time, or does it matter if you cut your grass in different directions?
Is It Good To Cut Your Grass In Different Directions?
The short answer to this question is “yes,” cutting the grass in different directions is very good for your lawn and is considered superior to cutting in the same direction for many reasons.
For starters, when you mow the lawn the same way every time, the grass is trained to grow on one side faster than the other, which causes the grass to lean or bend in a specific direction.
This bending grass makes your lawn look weak and unhealthy even if the soil is well fertilized. Not only that, but your lawn loses its density and feels compacted.
In addition to the leaning of the grass blades, when you mow the grass in the same direction over and over, you’ll go over the same areas every time you mow the lawn.
Since you’re applying consistent pressure on the ground, you create prominent grooves or rutting marks on the lawn, which makes the lawn look pretty worn out with time.
Moreover, the soil compaction will also prevent air and water from reaching the roots adequately, which leads to malnutrition of the grass and shows a yellowish tinge on the lawn.
What Are the Benefits of Cutting the Grass in Different Directions?
Mowing the lawn in different directions comes with various benefits. For starters, it’s much more interesting than simply going through the same pattern repeatedly.
Since the grass is cut from different angles every time, the tips of the grass will all grow at an equal rate, which makes the grass grow straight up.
This creates a thick, healthy-looking lawn that fills in the gaps nicely and is much easier to maintain at a steady height.
Moreover, you’ll avoid rutting and soil compaction, leading to healthier roots and a more vibrant lawn!
Can You Fix a Lawn That Shows Bending Effect?
If you have been cutting the lawn in the same direction for a while now,. You might notice that your grass blades are starting to lean and grow horizontally rather than shooting up.
Luckily, the easiest way to fix this problem is to get a rake and run it lightly over the entire lawn before you start mowing.
This will allow the grass blades to stand horizontally for a considerable amount of time. Then, as you start to approach the grass from different directions, you’ll notice that the grass blades will stay in their position.
How Often Should You Mow the Lawn?
Some people might want to rush the mowing process due to their busy schedules, so they simply mow the lawn on a steady schedule. However, if you want a healthy looking lawn, you shouldn’t abide by a schedule, as the grass actually varies in growth rate throughout the year and depends on various aspects.
For example, the grass is at its peak growth rate during the spring season, so you might need to mow more often than in summer, as heat might slow the grass growth down.
Based on that, it’s better to mow your lawn once it has reached a specific length that isn’t too short.
What is the Best Length to Mow Your Lawn?
The ideal length to mow your lawn is anywhere between 2.5 to 3 inches high. Within this range, the grass is usually at its fullest and looks relatively healthy.
However, as you mow the lawn, you shouldn’t immediately set the lawn mower to the desired length, especially if your grass is already long enough.
This is because the grass is only the plant’s stem, and there’s a vast root system underneath the soil.
Since the roots are responsible for the healthiness of the plant and help it withstand drought, pests, and rough conditions, it’s essential to ensure that your root system is in the best shape.
To avoid stressing your roots while mowing, following the 1/3 rule when mowing the lawn is essential. This rule specifies that you should never cut off more than 1/3 of the length of the grass to preserve the health of its roots.
The best approach here is to maintain your lawn at a length that allows you to cut it back between 2.5 to 3 inches while they’re still within the 1/3 rule.
However, if you’re already past this height, the next best thing to do is cut the grass at about 1/3 of its length, then wait a few days to allow the grassroots to adjust to the new length, then cut it again with a maximum of 1/3 of its length until you reach the desired height.
How Often Should You Replace the Blades of the Lawn Mower?
Not only do you have to choose the right direction to mow, to get a beautiful lawn. But the sharpness of the mower blades also plays a significant role in the quality of the results.
With time, your mower blades will become dull, which causes them to tear the tissue of the leaf instead of cutting it clean. This tearing makes the leaves susceptible to infections and causes them to look frayed and brown.
For that reason, always ensure that you replace your lawn mower’s blades. Once at the beginning of every season or when the quality of the cut starts dipping below acceptable levels.
Should You Cut the Grass While Dry or Wet?
While cutting the grass, always make sure that the lawn is relatively dry. This is because small moist grass clippings will end up sticking to each other and clumping, which can end up clogging the lawn mower and stressing its engine.
The best way to test the dryness of the lawn before starting is to run your fingertips over the lawn’s surface, and they come out with no moisture.
If you live in a rainy area where it’s almost impossible to get a dry lawn, make sure that you cut the grass slowly to avoid grass clumping. Additionally, remember to stop occasionally to clean the blades from moist clippings.
Conclusion
Continually mowing in different directions will not only help your lawn look amazing, but it will help ensure the longevity of your mower.
If you notice that your grass is bending over, remember to rake it lightly before approaching it to fix that problem.
Also, starting a journal would be ideal for logging the direction you’ve mowed the lawn the last few times to avoid the bending effect. But, of course, you won’t need the journal once the habit of changing directions is engrained.
And your grass will become the envy of the neighborhood!
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Sources
https://www.rcpw.com/rip/how-to/lawn-care/is-there-a-right-or-wrong-way-to-cut-my-lawn.html
https://blog.davey.com/2019/08/should-i-alternate-directions-each-time-i-mow/