What is The Ideal Mowing Height? | DuPont and Olympia Lawn Care Company

Mowing heights can vary for different turf uses.  Closer mowing increases leaf density but creates shorter roots.  Taller mowing decreases leaf density but creates deeper roots.  Athletic fields and sports turf can require daily mowing to maintain the correct height of play.  Areas like undeveloped fields only require monthly mowing.

We mow our lawns weekly March through October, bi-monthly in February and November and monthly in December and January.

An important consideration when selecting the mowing height of cut has to do with not removing too much of the grass plant at one time.  A general target is removing 1/3 of the leaf surface per mowing.  Once you have established a regular mowing schedule that keeps up with the 1/3 target, you can choose the height of cut.

The goal is to keep the turf even and attractive and avoid scalping.  Scalping can happen when you mow too much of the grass plant at one time or if you’re mowing too low on uneven ground conditions.

Height of cut is determined on a solid level surface (not in the lawn), by measuring the distance between the level surface and the cutting edge of the blade.

We’ve found that the best mowing height is 2.5-2.75 inches all year. This height:

-Reduces scalping on uneven ground conditions

-Develops deep roots for drought tolerance

-Maintains carbohydrate reserve for recovery, regrowth and deep green color

-Establishes a dense stand of turf to keep weeds and moss out