What height do you cut your grass at?

Doc

Doc

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Is there a best height to cut your grass at? I guess if your mower does not tell you the inches, just say low medium or high.
I think high would be around 4 inches. I'm starting to cut more at that level as I read it's better for the grass, but is it really? I know if I cut to short this time of year I have more clumps. The unoffical tidbit I saw said to cut at 4 inches all year long. Normally I would drop down around 3 inches mid summer, but maybe that is not such a good idea. :confused:

So, if we have any pros please speak up ... but I'd like to hear what everyone who cuts grass does.
So, how high do you cut it? Do you leave it the same all season or change partway through?
 
3 inches for the yard all season and about 8 inches (with the bush hog) in the front pasture by the road. Just cut the pasture in the spring, it grows faster than the horses can keep up with it.
 
I like to keep it at 3". My "lawn" is not a show piece so I'll try to cut it another half inch lower next mow. That might be 3.5"
 
with the deck down, as high as the adjustment allows...

on my conquest this says '6', but i dont think its correct, if it is supposed to be 6".

looks to be around 4"
 
I'm no expert but how short you cut it really depends on the type of grass and what region of the country it is grown at!

Below is a North/South thing, in my area we have some of each and am now cutting around 10 acres :pat: the lawn part 3 acres is cut real short in the spring (stops the weeds) then increased to 2 " in summer with irrigation then left at 3-4" in late fall / the field part I baled about 600 sq bales last year and vowed to just keep it short this year (I use it as an RC airfield) and I just scalped it, second cut with a bush hog <2" and the fine grasses are already starting to take over (non irrigated) so will try to keep it around +or-6" this summer except for the runways which will get cut the same as the lawn!
  1. South = Bermuda, Centipede, Bahia, St. Augustine, and Zoysia.
  2. North = Kentucky Bluegrass, Bent grasses, Fescues, and Ryegrasses.
 
Lawn - 2 1/2 inches...
Pastures - 6 to 8 inches when the horses get behind in their grazing...:rolleyes:
Hay Fields - I cut it right to the bottom setting of my Haybine...which is REAL SHORT...:D
 
I cutting it at 4 inches this year, and seeing if I have to mow more often because of it. My theory is that no I won't have to mow more often. Time will tell.

Do you think cutting it at 2 1/2 inches gives you more time between cuts? I used to think that, but I'm doubting that theory now and that's the reason for my 4" cuts.
 
Doc said:
I cutting it at 4 inches this year, and seeing if I have to mow more often because of it. My theory is that no I won't have to mow more often. Time will tell.

Do you think cutting it at 2 1/2 inches gives you more time between cuts? I used to think that, but I'm doubting that theory now and that's the reason for my 4" cuts.
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:sorry: I don't understand your question because you didn't say how high you will tolerate it!
If you meant that you used to cut it when it grew from 2 1/2 inches to 4 inches and now you will cut it when it grows from 4 inches to 5 1/2 inches the same time would be = for the grass to produce the extra length unless it is a creeping turf variety like the southern areas have.

I believe approx 6" of grass in a lawn will not respond well to a rotary mower IE. tire matt tracks/and an overall rutted appearance not to mention a haven for bugs and etc!

Then again perhaps I missed the whole idea! :hide:
 
After rereading it myself I agree it is poorly worded and not well thought out Dean.

In other words if you mow every 7 days when you set you mower at 3 inches, do you think that by changing the cut to 2 1/2 inches you could wait longer between mowings.
However, if you cut at 2 1/2 inches and wait 10 days to mow, I suspect you would get lots of clumps and a messy looking yard.
So I don't think you extend your wait between mowings by cutting shorter cause your mower can only handle so much grass.
So I'm hoping that cutting at 4 inches I'll still have a good looking yard just as long, plus I won't have to mow any sooner than if I had cut it at 3 inches. My reason for cutting at 4 inches is I think the yard looks healthier and thicker that way. I just hope I can do that and not have to mow more often. I'll keep you posted.
 
I cut mine short enough so that the deer can not hide in it. Makes for hunting them way to hard. :pat:
 
I let mine get long, and then just top it off. Seems to be more resistant to driving on it that way.
Used to cut it @ 2" and it would be reduced to mud with a couple trips across. Now @ 4" it takes a good few trips to make it muddy.

Keep your grass long and it should be more resistant to weeds growing.

I think cutting it higher makes it look like it needs cutting sooner. Whether it grows faster or not I don't know.
 
I cut tonight. 4" seemed to high so I backed it down to 3 1/2. Seemed like a good healthy length. I don't think it will grow faster, but will it start looking like it needs cut sooner than 7 or 8 days. It was 8 days since my last mowing. So, I'm going to try to go 8 days again after this cut.
I'll let you know the outcome next Thursday or Friday.
 
Down here people run the gamut. Some like it short, some like it long and then there's those in between. St. Augustine grass is pretty much prevalent unless you're right on the coast where bermuda can take the salt a little better.

Some like buzz cuts - real short and real often. They usually have problems curing hot summers and have to water to save their turf. They also get sun and heat damage to tops of the root systems and suffer from bermuda encroachment. The further you get from the beach the more bermuda gets considered a weed.

Cut long and cut often for the rest of us that like good looking lawns. Longer grass protects the base and roots from our hot summers. The sun and wind can't dry out the soil underneath, so less watering.

Bottom line is about 3 inches or so. Cut this height St. Augustine will form a dense mat that weeds can't get a start in. It also looks real good, too. But don't drop a high speed needle valve in it.:wink:

Ted
 
We've had 6" of rain in the last week. I just cut the front yard and it is covered with long clippings. We cut the front pasture again too. cut to @6 inches last Wednesday, well over a foot tall this morning. Should have used the mower-conditioner so it would be in windrows ready for the baler.

You can almost hear it grow :yankchain:
 
I cut mine right about 3 1/2". Any higher & yard doesn't look as good. Lower & I find little rocks in the rough spots. Remember, on a dairy the cows get out now & then and they ALWAYS head to the yard, and it's always after a rain...makes for a rough yard at times.
 
PaulChristenson said:
I'm still waiting to cut...Grass just finally started growing up here...:D
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Ditto. When I finally cut my "lawn" I will use the highest setting on my rider (~5"). I will keep a perimeter cut on my lower field with my rotary cutter at around 5", and when I finally rotary cut the entire field I usually cut at ~8". I think the higher height helps keep weed growth in check somewhat and the higher cut in the field helps animal habitat. Jay
 
I cut mine at 4" all season.

I was under the thought that the shorter you cut the harder it is on the grass to resist drought. And the longer grass helps to keep weeds chocked out.
 
cj7 said:
I cut mine at 4" all season.

I was under the thought that the shorter you cut the harder it is on the grass to resist drought. And the longer grass helps to keep weeds chocked out.
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Yeah I find that if I cut too short that it is very prone to dying out in spots with a little drought. And then the weeds are more likely to fill in. Also with the grass being a little thicker and lusher it really does choke out the weeds. Just by mowing a certain height, I have converted the area around my house from 50% weeds to basically all lawn over a few years.

BTW, I mow at 3.5" all year.
 
I have a corner lot in town (sadly) and use a pushmower on my yard. Starting this year I set my deck as high as it allows (maybe 3.5"?) I used to just (roughly) match the height of my neighbors lawns but decided that they cut it way too short. So far I don't need to mow any more often (maybe even less often) than my neighbors and the grass stays within a mangeable height.
Then when I bag I use it to mulch the garden so I don't need to water as often. Everything's happy, from the grass to the cucumbers. :)
 
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