Indiana Lawn Mowing & Maintenance
Driving across Indiana, when you’re not looking at corn or soybean fields, you see lawns. A lot of people have at least a small lawn they are charged with caring for. At Lawn Love, we understand how much time a healthy and hearty lawn takes, which is why we offer a variety of services to address all that your lawn needs, such as:
- Lawn Mowing
- Gardening
- Lawn Fertilization
- Lawn Aeration
- Weed Control
- Lawn Seeding
- Yard Clean Up
- Leaf Removal
- Gutter Cleaning
- Snow Removal
- Christmas light installation
You can find us in and around the Indianapolis area in:
- Fishers
- Greenwood
- Carmel
- Noblesville
- Avon
- Greenfield
- Beech Grove
- Broad Ripple
- Cumberland
- Lawrence
- Marion County
- Plainfield
- Speedway
- Zionsville
- Brownsburg
One of the most important ways you can contribute to the overall health and happiness of your lawn is by mowing it properly. The problem is not everyone understands how mowing the lawn the right way makes a big difference. Here are some of our best lawn mowing tips to help you care for your Indiana lawn.
What Kind of Grass Do You Have?
Before you can understand what your lawn needs, you need to know what kind of grass is growing in it. There are several different types of grass that grow in Indiana’s climate. In most of the state, cool-season grasses are found. In some of the southern parts of the state, some warm-season grasses may be found too. The most common grasses found in Indiana are:
- Kentucky Bluegrass
- Ryegrass
- Fine Fescue
- Tall Fescue
- Zoysiagrass
If you live anywhere but the very southern portions of Indiana, you likely have one of the first three kinds of grass on the list. Southern Indiana is considered a transition zone, which is why you’ll likely find tall fescue and Zoysiagrass growing there. If you need help identifying the grass in your lawn, this turf identification tool can help.
Ideal Mowing Height
Your new mowing mantra: Mow it often and mow it tall. Each type of grass has an ideal height it should be mowed to. The grasses in your Indiana lawn have a mowing height of:
- Kentucky Bluegrass – 3.0 to 3.5 inches
- Ryegrass – 1.5 to 2.5 inches
- Fine Fescue – 1.5 to 2.5 inches
- Tall Fescue – 1.5 to 3.0 inches
- Zoysiagrass – 0.50 to 1.0 inches
Mowing at the high end of the ideal range is best. When you let your lawn grow higher, you’re allowing the roots to grow deeper, which improves its tolerance to drought and heat. Taller grass also provides better shade for the soil so weeds won’t have a chance to germinate and more leaf area so it can produce all the food it needs.
How often should you mow? That depends on your lawn. Let your lawn guide you instead of mowing on a schedule. Growth may slow down during certain points of the year requiring fewer mows, while it may skyrocket at other times of the year. As long as you don’t cut off more than one-third of the height of the grass at once, you’re doing it right!
A Few More Tips
Remember, your safety should always come first when you mow. Make sure you only mow when its dry outside. Wet grass is a slipping hazard for you and won’t cut very well either, resulting in an uneven and unattractive cut. Wait until the grass is dry before attempting to mow.
It’s also important to keep the blades of your mower sharp. Sharp blades cleanly cut the grass, while dull blades tear the grass, causing water loss and making your lawn more susceptible to environmental stressors. It’s a good idea to have two sets of blades for your mower so you can easily switch them out to ensure you always have a sharp set on your lawn mower.
To make cutting your lawn more exciting, change the direction and pattern you mow in each time. Aside from making the route more exciting each time, changing things up helps to keep your grass healthy. When you mow in one direction too frequently, the grass will eventually start to lean in the direction you mow. This will make the cut uneven and will make the grass look kind of funny. Combine that with the fact that your mower’s tires can compact the soil and that makes a pretty good cause for changing your mowing routine up!
Understanding the grass growing in your lawn is the key to caring for it. If you need help figuring out what your lawn needs to stay healthy and grow strong, the pros at Lawn Love are here to help!
