Maintaining the health and appearance of your turf requires regular lawn mowing. However, some people make mistakes while mowing their lawns themselves and actually wind up doing more harm than good. One of the most common mistakes is not changing the mowing pattern every time the lawn is mowed. If you do not change the mowing pattern regularly, you can create ruts in your yard from the wheels constantly rolling over the same spots. Another mistake is not adjusting the mower's deck height according to the turf type found on your lawn in Tennessee. Failing to do so could result in cutting too much or too little grass at once. Mowing with dull blades and bagging your clippings are also common mistakes!

Mowing With the Same Pattern Each Week

One common mistake homeowners make when mowing their own lawns is not rotating their patterns. Each time your lawn mower passes over an area, it compacts the soil. Mowing over the same exact area every week will further this compaction and create ruts throughout your lawn. This not only decreases curb appeal but blocks essential resources like water and sunlight from reaching the roots of your grass. This can also cause your turf to lean in one direction. Mowing in a different pattern from the previous week will ensure that the same spots in your soil don't keep getting compacted by your mower.

Cutting Your Grass Blades at the Wrong Height

Another common mistake people make when mowing their lawns is not adjusting the deck height based on their turf type. Each grass type has a particular height that it needs to be for optimal health. Mower deck heights are not one-size-fits-all; make sure you are checking your grass type and what it requires. Cutting too short can put stress on your turf by exposing more of the stem and blade than needed. Your mower's deck can't be too high either; otherwise, you could attract pests that are drawn to long grass!

Turf-type tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass are common grass types here in Tennessee.

Working with dull blades can rip your grass.

One other common mistake people make while mowing their lawns is not sharpening their mower blades frequently enough. When mower blades are sharp, they effortlessly slice through the grass, resulting in a clean cut. However, when the blades are dull, they tend to tear at the grass, which negatively impacts your lawn's health. You should be sharpening your mower blades about every 20-25 hours of use.

Bagging Your Grass Clippings Each Time You Mow

It is a common mistake to bag grass clippings each time you mow to dispose of them easily and keep your lawn looking tidy. However, doing so deprives your turf of valuable nutrients that are present in the blades. As the grass clippings decompose, they release essential nutrients back into the soil, which is beneficial for the health of your lawn. You should only bag your grass clippings when your lawn has a disease or insect infestation. This will help prevent the issue from spreading.

Call us to schedule our lawn mowing service!

If you have decided that DIY lawn mowing is not for you, then call us and get signed up for our lawn mowing program! By enrolling in our program, you'll receive weekly visits from April to October, during which we'll provide a comprehensive range of lawn maintenance services.

Our lawn mowing program is available for both commercial and residential properties, as well as HOAs, in Memphis, TN, and other nearby areas like Midtown Memphis and East Memphis. To schedule our lawn mowing service today and get your lawn whipped into shape, give us a call at (901) 246-7656.