Best Mowing Practices to Beat the Summer Heat

 

With spring now officially in swing, homeowners and yardkeepers will begin ramping up to bear the increasingly hot weather. It can be a hassle – and even a constant responsibility – to keep your grass in tip-top shape as the temperature rises. But, here at Catoe’s Power Equipment, we’re happy to guide you on that journey to complete peace of mind, even when the sun is shining strongest. With experienced professionals in our corner, we’ve got all the know-how when it comes to this specific task. The following are a few go-to practices that’ll help protect your lawn against harsh, hot conditions on a yearly basis.

Raise Your Deck

One of the most important steps you’ll take to accomplish this will be taken before you ever turn your mower’s key. Raise your mower deck! By lifting the deck to cut at 3-4 inches, you will shade your soil to an additional, helpful degree, reducing the weather-wrought stress that a less roomy height may have on your yard. This is an easy change, and one we, at Catoe’s, recommend right from the start of the season.

Shorten Mowing Frequency

This may seem counterintuitive at first – as grass typically grows rapidly in the warmer months, but cutting it less often and less aggressively.  By simply delaying your cut until you see growth again and, when cutting, ensuring that you remove no more than one-third of your grass’ total height, you can maintain the strength of your lawn’s roots.  To boot, these rules help keep weeds at bay and altogether avoids any extra stress on your yard. It’s a win-win, even if it means paying a little extra attention.

Mow During Cooler Periods

Not only is it beneficial to mow less often, but avoiding the hottest time of the day when you do mow can also go a long way.  This practice can help maintain moisture in your grass and, given the sun isn’t at its peak when you’re cutting, you can also avoid freshly-trimmed grass from burning this way. Target either mid/late-morning or earlier in the evening before the sun sets (of course) for the best result. You can avoid a sunburn this way, too!

Leave Clippings (Mulch) Behind

Although it may look odd at first, leaving fresh clippings – also known as mulch – behind after a session can both return nutrients to your soil and help the grass retain moisture.

By returning essentials like nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus to the ground, you can both avoid the need for extensive use of a commercial fertilizer and give your grass the natural defenses it needs to beat the heat.

This may be the easiest step of them all, too! You’ll just have to accept the potentially messy look in favor of long-term yard health (a fair trade, it seems to us).

You Can Call Catoe’s!

Visit Catoe’s Power Equipment at 4012 W Beltline Blvd, Columbia, SC, or give us a call for any additional mower tips and tricks that you may need this summer!

Whether you want help with your current machine or need a new one entirely, our staff is built for situations and seasons like these. We love your yard as much as you do, and we know exactly what it takes to keep it in shape; all the way down to the individual blade.