Maryland Lawn Mowing & Maintenance
Maryland is in an interesting position, climate-wise. From Baltimore to Annapolis to Garrett County, it's an agriculturally diverse state — and that can make growing and mowing a perfect lawn a bit of a challenge.
Luckily, Lawn Love knows what it takes to create and maintain beautiful and healthy lawns all across Maryland. We offer our services in:
- Baltimore
- Glen Burnie
- Towson
- Bel Air
- Lutherville-Timonium
- Dundalk
- Parkville
- Ellicott City
- Middle River
- Owings Mills
- Columbia
- Cockeysville
- White Marsh
- Bowie
- Laurel
- Catonsville
We also offer a variety of services all year, 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
When it comes to improving the appearance and health of your lawn, mowing is one of the most important tasks you will perform. That's why it pays to know a few important things about lawn mowing.
The Grass Growing in Your Lawn
The first step to mowing your lawn doesn't start on your mower, it starts with your grass type. In Maryland, the common types you'll find are:
- Tall Fescue — This type of cool-season grass may take a little while to establish itself, but once it does, it is very resistant to heat, drought, salt, and wear very well. it also requires less maintenance than other types of grasses.
- Kentucky Bluegrass — This cool-season grass can damage easily and doesn't tend to do well in drought or heat. It's also less salt resistant and higher maintenance than other types of grasses.
- Ryegrass — A cool-season grass, this type have good heat resistance. It does tend to be prone to disease to doesn't tolerate freezing very well. It's designed for full sun areas.
- Fine Leaf Fescue — Another cool-season grass are great in the shade and can tolerate a high soil pH, but it can be difficult to mow due to how fine its texture is.
- Zoysiagrass — This warm-season grass is the only one grown in Maryland. It will stay brown well into spring and can creep easily into neighboring lots.
If you're unsure what type of grass is growing in your lawn, then you can use this identification tool to help figure it out!
Ideal Mowing Height
Once you know what type of grass, or mixture, you have, you can determine what height is ideal for it. Remember, mowing too low will cause deterioration of the lawn and put a lot of stress on the root system. That's why it's never recommended to cut more than one-third of a blade of grass off at a time. Mowing at the proper height reduces the lawns susceptibility to weeds and disease too.
The ideal mowing height for Maryland lawns is:
- Tall Fescue — 3.0 to 4.0 inches
- Kentucky Bluegrass — 2.5 to 3.5 inches
- Ryegrass —
- Fine Leaf Fescue— 3.0 to 4.0 inches
- Zoysiagrass — 0.5 to 1.0 inches
It's recommended you raise the mowing height by about a half inch to an inch during the hottest, driest parts of the year.
Frequency of Mowing
So, how often do you need to mow your lawn? In Maryland, that depends on a few factors. The type of grass you have, the weather, soil fertility, season, and moisture conditions all play a role. At some points of the season, your grass may grow fast and require mowing one to two times per week. At other points, when it's dry and hot, it may require less. Just don't allow your grass to grow too high or you may remove too much of the blade and shock your plants, damaging them and causing browning.
Do Some Grasscycling!
Grasscycling is the fancy term for leaving the clippings on your lawn after you mow it. Some people believe that this practice is damaging to the lawn, contributing to thatch, but in most cases, that's simply not true. Leaving the clippings returns micro- and macronutrients to your lawn and reduces the amount of fertilizer you need to add. Plus, it makes less work for you, so it's really a win-win situation for both you and your lawn!
A Few More Tips
To mow your lawn properly and effectively, you must remember to:
- Sharpen your mower blades at least once a year
- Mow on a regular basis
- Mow only when it's dry out
Mowing your lawn the right way may sound complicated, but if you arm yourself with the facts and know what you need to do, then it's a cinch! Of course, if you'd rather enjoy your summer days by spending time with family or heading to the beach, then the pros at Lawn Love can take care of it all for you!
