Home Garden
# Home & Garden >> Garden & Lawn >> Lawn Maintenance

What Is the Correct Height to Cut Grass in Zone 5?

The proper height to cut lawns in zone 5 areas is dependent upon a variety of factors. The type of turf grass, the sun exposure and time of year dictate the appropriate mowing height. During the growing season, no more than one third of the height of the turf should be cut in a single mowing.

  1. Zone 5

    • Hardiness zones do not follow any man-made boundaries such as state lines.

      Hardiness zones are established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. They are based on the average low annual temperatures experienced in a region. Zone 5 lawns are those that may experience temperatures as low as minus 20 to minus 15 degrees F for zone 5a and minus 15 to minus 10 degrees F for zone 5b. This is a swath that extends from the tip of Maine through the mid-Atlantic states including New York and Pennsylvania and continues through the Midwest and up through the Pacific Northwest into Washington State.

    Turf Types

    • The blend of grass seed used should be appropriate for zone 5 climates.

      Turf varieties that are most common to zone 5 lawns are cool-season grasses and include such species as Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrasses and fine and tall fescue varieties including red fescue and chewing fescue. Do not attempt to cultivate warm-season grasses such as Zoysia grass, centipede grass and St. Augustine grass in zone 5 lawns, as they will not survive the winters. Annual ryegrasses may be components of seed mixes used in zone 5 lawns, but these are only to hold the soil in place while the perennial grasses germinate. They will not come back the following spring.

    Exposure/Site

    • Shady lawns do not photosynthesize as fast as sunny lawns.

      The site conditions and nutrient levels of zone 5 lawns dictate mowing height as well. Lawns growing in sun and high in fertilizer value grow faster than poorly fed and shady lawns. Lawns in full sun can be maintained at 2 to 2 1/2 inches depending on variety. Shady lawns, and lawns not fertilized, grow slower and should be mowed at a height of between 2 1/2 to 3 inches throughout the growing season.

    Time of Year

    • The final mow of the year can help to prevent lawn diseases in the spring.

      During the spring and fall months, bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and fine fescue lawns should be cut to a height of 2 to 2 1/2 inches. These same lawn types should be allowed to grow to 2 1/2 to 3 inches during the summer months when there is more stress on the lawn. Lawns composed of primarily tall fescue should be maintained at a height of 2 1/2 to 3 inches all three seasons. The last cut of the year on all turf types in zone 5 should be lower, between 1 1/2 to 2 inches, to avoid such diseases as snow mold in early spring.

Previous:

Next:

Lawn Maintenance
  1. What Is the Correct Height for a Crib Mattress?
  2. Low-Mow Lawns in Zone 5
  3. What Can Be Done to Weed-Infested Lawns in the Spring?
  4. What Is the Herb Crawl Grass?
  5. What Is the Correct Height for Bathroom Wall Sconces?
  6. The Correct Desk Height
  7. What Affects the Growth of Grass?
  8. What Length Should a Lawn Be Cut To?
  9. Height of Lawn Grass in the Winter
  10. What Is the Correct Way to Lay Sod on Existing Lawns?
  11. What Is the pH of the Soil in Zone 9?
  12. What Is the Correct Height Placement for Door Knockers?

Home Garden © https://www.98905.com