Mississippi Lawn Mowing & Maintenance
Mississippi can get hot — but we don't have to tell you that! Because it gets so sticky in the Magnolia State, there are some special techniques to be aware of when it comes to caring for and mowing your Mississippi lawn.
At Lawn Love, we consider ourselves experts in all things lawn-related, which is why we offer a variety of services, 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 our services in and around Jackson, too!
Regular lawn mowing is critical to maintaining a lush and healthy lawn, but it's a task that takes a little know-how in order to do it right. Here are our best mowing tips for your Mississippi lawn!
Get to Know Your Lawn
Mississippi falls into a region where warm-season grasses will do better than cool-season grasses in your lawn. The most common types of turf growing in Mississippi lawn is:
- Centipedegrass
- St. Augustinegrass
- Bermudagrass
- Tall Fescue
- Zoysiagrass
It's important to identify the type of grass you have so you can learn what it needs to thrive. If you're unsure what type of grass is growing in your established lawn, then this identification tool can help.
Ideal Mowing Height
Now that you know why type of grass you have growing, you can understand how frequently to mow it. What you're aiming for is to keep your particular type of turf within its ideal mowing height. For Mississippi lawns, that height varies:
- Centipedegrass — 1.5 to 2.0 inches
- St. Augustinegrass — 2.5 to 4.0 inches
- Bermudagrass — 1.0 to 2.0 inches
- Tall Fescue — 3.0 to 3.5 inches
- Zoysiagrass — 1.0 to 2.0 inches
Mowing is simply pruning on a large scale. When you mow properly and to the right height, it increases the density of your lawn, which then decreases the chance weeds have to take root. That's why mowing height is so important.
Grass will start to grow in Mississippi around late March or early April, meaning you need to start mowing regularly at that time. It's important to remember that you want to cut the grass frequently because you never want to cut off more than one-third of the height of the grass at once. Neglecting to mow your lawn when it needs it will make it more susceptible to environmental stressors such as disease, pests, weeds, and drought. Plus, cutting off more than one-third of the blade at once can do a lot of damage, so try to resist! If you get behind and need to cut more than you normally would, then cut a little off the top, then go back a couple of days later to cut the rest!
More Mowing Tips
Now that you know what kind of grass you have and what height to mow it to, it's time to talk about what you're mowing with. It's important to have your mower blades sharpened at the beginning of each mowing season. This will help to keep your lawn healthy because sharp blades cleanly slice the grass while dull blades tear it. Dull blades lead to water loss, stress your grass, and make it look unattractive.
You must also vary the direction in which you mow, not only for your benefit (to keep from getting bored!) but also for the benefit of your lawn. When you mow in the same direction each time, the grass will develop a grain based on the direction you're cutting it. That will cause the grass to lean in the direction you mow. Alternate your direction and pattern so that the grass can grow upright and strong.
The grass should only be cut when it's dry, making it less likely to clump and to be cut cleanly by the mower blades. Don't worry about getting rid of the grass clipping, either. They're actually very healthy for your lawn since they decompose quickly and return essential nutrients back to the soil. With the frequency you're mowing, you don't need to worry about the clippings smothering the grass or contributing to problems with thatch.
Also, you should avoid mowing during the hottest part of the day. That will only make the experience more traumatic for you and your lawn! Don't put that kind of stress on yourself.
Mowing your lawn properly increases its density, providing you with a lush carpet of green grass that is more resistant to weeds, disease, drought, and pests. Mowing is essential to the continued health of your lawn, but it's time-consuming. If you need help, never forget that Lawn Love is just a phone call away!
