Average Lawn Mowing Rates

The One-Third Rule

• There is no one average rate of mowing frequency that can apply equally to all species of grass, so experts use what is sometimes called the "one-third rule." For any species of grass that you grow in your lawn, the lawn should be mowed frequently enough that no more than one-third of the leaf blade is ever removed in a single mow. For example, if your lawn grass blades are 1 1/2 inches long, only 1/2 inch should be taken off in a single mowing. If your grass is 3 inches, on the other hand. no more than 1 inch should be cut off in a single mow.

Species Selection

• Since mowing frequency is primarily determined by blade length, the rate at which a blade of grass grows determines how often you will need to mow it; and each species of grass grows at a different rate. Clearly it would make no sense to take a ruler to the front lawn and measure your grass blades to see how often you need to mow it, so ask a local university extension office or a landscaping company as to the growth rate of the species of grass that grows in your lawn and design your mowing schedule in light of how quickly your grass grows.

Seasonal Mowing

• An important way to improve the health of your lawn is to adopt different mowing schedules at different points throughout the growing season. For example during the hotter summer months when soil moisture becomes more scarce, it is beneficial to allow your grass to grow a but longer than during spring and fall to encourage deeper root systems and an overall increase in total root mass. For instance, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and fine fescues that respond well to mowing heights of 2 to 2 1/2 inches in spring and fall generally show an improvement in health when they are allowed to grow up to 3 inches in the summer.

Other Considerations

• Mowing frequency also depends somewhat on what homeowners desire from their lawns. Mowing at the ideal frequency can give your lawn health, vigor and a deep-green color. But note that for some grass species, this ideal frequency could require mowing more than once per week, and it can be hard to justify that investment of effort for anyone but the most meticulous lawn owner. Therefore the amount of time that you can reasonably invest in the health and look of your lawn is another important factor that has a bearing on ideal mowing frequency.