[grassy]

Do you trim your lawn to a nice short length or keep the grass blades a bit longer?

 

[Ingersoll444]

I keep mine nice and long. Just looks better to me.

 

[Brad]

I leave mine about 2-3 inches after cutting. Some neighbors around here really cut it short, maybe 1 inch or less. Really looks bad, in my opinion. (But mine probably looks bad in theirs.) When I leave it a bit longer it seems to tolerate dry conditions a bit better. I don't mulch or bag when I mow. Sometimes I use a lawn sweeper if there's a lot of residue left. I probably should use Gator Blades on my John Deere riders. I have one on my Lawn Boy (Lawnboy ?) Dura-Force. That really does a nice job. I think that in addition to giving a good cut, when you hit some tall grass the heavier mower blade acts like a flywheel, helping a bit to cut the taller grass, be it Fescue, Bahia, crabgrass, bluegrass, etc. It always helps to "seed" a bit, for a better showing lawn.

 

[Ken in NJ]

I cut the front yard and leave it long .. BUT the back yard (Weeds) gets hacked off low ..

 

[gcbailey]

keep it long... I've always heard the longer above ground, the deeper the roots... The way everything dries up around here I need green as long as possible...

 

[Kingwood990]

I keep mine at 4inches and 3inches in the front by the oak trees.

 

[NoRider]

About 3 inches is what I set for. It seems to hold water better and not burn in the summer.

 

[baron]

I keep mine at 3 inches. Like everyone else says, tends to hold up better at that height. I think it looks better and is better for running around in as well. Now, I have St. Augustine, which is great at that height, but we have a lot of folks around here with different types of Bermuda that really shine at a fairly low height. It comes down to the type of grass you have and the look you are going for I suppose.

 

[Wayne195]

I keep mine at 3 inches. I agree the higher it is the more resistance to heat and I've also heard that it keeps weed from taking over...???

 

[Fireman993]

I keep mine shorter, around 2 inches and I still have to cut it a lot!

 

[canadianstrom]

depends

I set mine bota for 2 1/2 " and the areas that I scalp lower (maybe 1 1/2 - 2" ) tends to come weedier in the midsummer. I think that cutting shorter has given the weeds an advantage. I may start the year out at 2 1/2 then move to 3 or 3 1/2 in June.
I have several types of grass. Some areas are beauty, just like a golf green, it seems to tolerate a lower cut.

 

[mrbeal]

I keep mine at about 3", usually helps with keeping the grass healthy but not this year. Today is the 5th(?) day of rain that I can remember this summer!! Even my weeds are brown!! I went on vacation for 2 weeks and didn't cut it until I was home for a week and hadn't cut it since a week or 2 before I went on vacation. Bad year for grass in my area.

 

[Lan4cr]

I mow at 3" during the summer and then change to 2" for my last mowing before winter sets in. This way I don't have to worry about the voles moving in and trailing throughout my yard giving me more work in the spring.

 

[BillTheTractorMan]

3-4 inches in summer and 2 inch on last mowing.

 

[lugnut]

Cut mine 4" ,stays green longer,

 

[Kansas Slim]

I set my deck for 4.5, which I think is really about 3.5. This is a new yard for me and it's mostly Bermuda. I've always cut taller to hold in the moisture and hopefully crowd out the weeds, but this is my first Bermuda. When I moved here I thought it was all crab grass! (I have a little of that, too) Should we taylor our cutting height to the type of grass, or just stick with the one third rule and our own personal preferences?

 

[Juggler]

I have my lawn tractor set at 4", helps promote deep roots, and the taller grass shades young weeds, making it harder for them to grow. My push mower only goes up to 3", so that's where I have it set. I use it to trim around my pine trees primarily.

 

[kdursus]

I have my lawn tractor set at 4", helps promote deep roots, and the taller grass shades young weeds, making it harder for them to grow.

Have to agree with you and some others here 100% on this one. I mow my lawn with a walk behind mower set at the highest setting. Since I've started this practice (several years ago now) my lawn's been much better off for doing so. At first the mower would lay the grass over when cutting it since the grass was so long but over time and by alternating the direction in which I mow each time the lawn grass has done very well thus far.

 

[Boudreaux]

Like many here, We cut our lawn at 3-3/4". Yes we feel if looks better as well.

Besides, the wife insists on it....LOL....!!!

 

[Mark / Ohio]

I cut 2.5" spring and fall, 3-3.5" June through August. My Bluegrass falls over flat in the shady areas if I cut any higher.