How Short Can You Cut Your Grass?

If you want to know how short you can cut your grass, a general approach is to cut cool-season grasses 3 to 3.5 inches short and warm-season grasses 2 to 3 inches short. This keeps a neat, healthy lawn for most turf types.

However, the best mowing height depends on the grass species and cultivar (especially for summer grasses), the lawn’s health, season and personal preference. We cover all these factors in our guide.

How short can you cut cool-season grasses?

A 3 to 3.5-inch mowing height is best to keep your cool-season lawn healthy while still looking neat. 

David Smitley, professor emeritus at the Michigan State University Department of Entomology, recommends using the taller mower setting.

“The top setting for most mowers gives a cutting height between 3.25 and 4 inches. This is best for your lawn, but at a setting of 4 inches, you may sometimes see some ‘laying-over’ of turf blades that some people find undesirable. For this reason, some people prefer to mow at 3 or 3.5 inches.” Dr. Smitley says.

Cool-season grass cutting height chart

Below are the standard cutting heights recommended for common cool-season grasses. Aim to mow 3 to 3.5 inches tall, near each turf type’s maximum recommended mowing height. The low end of the interval is the shortest you can mow without risking damaging the grass.

Name	Standard Cutting Height for Home Lawns
Fine fescue	2 – 3.5 inches
Kentucky bluegrass	2 – 3.5 inches
Perennial ryegrass	2 – 3.5 inches
Tall fescue	2.5 – 4 inches

Mow the turf before it reaches 4.5 inches tall to keep it at 3 inches. For a 3.5-inch cut, don’t let it grow over 5.25 inches. This way, you keep the one-third rule (you’ll only cut a maximum of 30% of the blade length) and avoid scalping the lawn.

How short can you cut warm-season grasses?

The general recommendation is to mow warm-season grasses 2 to 3 inches tall. However, it is important to know your grass-type requirements since it’s quite a diverse group. For example, Bermuda does well at 1.5 inches, while some St. Augustine varieties should never be cut lower than 3 inches.

Warm-season grasses cutting height chart

Grass type	Optimal Mowing height
Bahiagrass	3.0 – 4.0 inches
Bermudagrass	0.5 – 1.5 inches
Buffalograss	2.0 – 4.0 inches
Carpetgrass	1.5 – 2.0 inches
Centipedegrass	1.5 – 2.0 inches
St. Augustinegrass	2.5 – 4.0 inches
Zoysiagrass	1.0 – 3.0 inches

Experts say to mow the lawn tall

According to the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, the best approach is to keep the lawn close to the highest recommended mowing height for the specific grass species and cultivar. Taller grass comes with valuable benefits:

• More blade surface for photosynthesis
• Deeper, more robust root systems that can better handle heat, drought and root pests like grubs
• Shades the soil, keeping it cool and moist
• Keeps weed seeds from germinating and weed sprinklings from growing.

Can you mow shorter than that? You can, and many homeowners do, but ensure you do it for the right reasons and at the right time.

Good reasons to cut grass shorter:  

• To prevent mold
• To overseed the lawn
• To cut off damaged blade tops

Good times to cut grass shorter: 

• During the growing season
• When the weather supports healthy growth and doesn’t stress the lawn
• When weeds are under control

Here are some related articles on mowing:

• “How to Mow Your Overgrown Lawn”
• “Do You Really Have to Mow Your Lawn?”
• “How Much Does Lawn Mowing Cost in 2024?”

What determines the mowing height

Experts at the University of Florida explain that mowing height is determined by the leaf width and the growing habit of each turfgrass species:

• Low-growing grasses that spread horizontally (Bermuda, Zoysia) can be mowed shorter than bunch-type species that grow upright (tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, Bahia)
• Turfgrasses with narrower blades (Bermuda) can be mowed closer to the soil than grasses with wider blades (St. Augustine).

According to Kansas State University, grass health and environmental factors also count:

• If the grass is healthy and actively growing, you can cut it shorter at the lowest recommended level.
• You should raise the height to a higher level when the grass is stressed by drought, heat, shade, cold, disease, insects, or traffic.

How short to mow each season

If you hit a soft spot where your lawn is thriving through the year without you making any changes in mowing height, keep it up and don’t change a thing. This often happens in states with milder summers and winters, with less snow. 

If you’re still struggling to keep the lawn healthy and testing trimming heights, here are a few tips that can help.

Mowing height during spring 

During spring cool-season grasses are actively growing. Keep the lawn 3 to 3.5 tall or cut it a bit short if you want. However, don’t go below 2 inches. Short grass has shallow roots and less surface for photosynthesis, making grass weaker, thinner and less resilient to pests, drought and diseases.

For warm-season grasses, the University of Missouri recommends mowing at 1.5 to 2 inches right before green-up to increase the green-up rate, remove dead leaves, and reduce thatch. 

Mowing height during summer

You can keep the warm-season lawn at 2 to 3 inches or mow a bit lower. Experts at Oklahoma State University say a shorter cut makes for a more attractive, “tight” look since, during the growing season summer species respond by lateral spreading and improving density. 

However, as soon as a heat wave and the drought season approaches, increase the mowing height to improve stress resistance.

Keep cool-season grasses 3 to 3.5 inches tall (you can even mow at 4 inches) during summer. Winter grasses are more vulnerable to heat, and tall mowing helps them grow deeper roots and better tolerate high temperatures and drought.

Mowing height during fall

As you prepare for the last mow of the season, gradually increase the mowing height for warm-season grasses. Aim to reach a 2 to 2.5-inch mowing height before winter and dormancy. Warm-season grasses are more sensitive to cold and a taller canopy protects the roots better from winter temperatures.

To prepare a cool-season lawn for winter, gradually decrease the mowing height to reach 2 to 2.5 inches by the time of the first frost. In the northern states, winter is moist and snowy and tall grass is more exposed to snow mold and other fungal diseases.

Here are some related articles:

• “Lawn Care Calendar for Cool-Season Grass”
• “Lawn Care Calendar for Warm-Season Grass”

FAQ on how short to cut your grass

How short should you cut new grass?

Let new grass grow ⅓ higher than the regular mowing height for your grass species. Then, mow at the standard mowing height.

How do you mow the lawn correctly?

To mow the lawn correctly, follow these rules:

• Don’t mow wet grass.
• Keep the blades sharp.
• Alternate the mowing pattern.
• Mow early morning or mid-afternoon.
• Only mow during the growing season.

How much does lawn mowing cost?

Professional lawn mowing costs $35 to $100 per visit, depending on the lawn’s size and how tall the grass is.

Get the perfect cut with lawn care professionals

Leave it to our lawn care pros to mow the lawn at the perfect height every time. Find a lawn care company near you with Lawn Love and enjoy perfectly cut grass year-round!

Main Image Credit: rh2010 | Adobe Stock Free | License