The Biggest Mowing Mistakes Memphis Homeowners Make in Summer
Here's a secret that surprises most people: our owner Cullen doesn't cut the fescue in his own yard during the hottest stretch of summer. He just lets it grow.
Believe it or not, it's a strategy. And it points to something most Memphis homeowners get wrong this time of year.
Summer is when good lawns get damaged by well-meaning owners. The mower comes out every weekend like clockwork, the blade stays set where it's always been, and the grass slowly pays the price. Here are the mistakes to watch for.
Mistake #1: Cutting too short.
The single most common summer error. Scalping your lawn exposes the soil to brutal sun, dries out the roots, and invites weeds into the bare spots. In the heat, taller grass is healthier grass. Longer blades shade the soil, keep the root zone cooler, and hold moisture in. Raise your mower, don't lower it.
Mistake #2: Breaking the one-third rule.
Never remove more than one-third of the grass height in a single cut. Take off more than that and you shock the plant right when it's already stressed by heat. If your lawn got tall between mows, bring it down gradually over two cuttings a few days apart instead of scalping it back in one pass.
Mistake #3: Mowing fescue that's trying to survive.
This is Cullen's point. Fescue is a cool-season grass, and when Memphis temperatures climb into the 90s, it goes semi-dormant to protect itself. Pushing a mower over heat-stressed, semi-dormant fescue just adds insult to injury. When fescue does need a trim in summer, keep it tall — 3½ to 4 inches. Often, the kindest thing you can do is let it ride until the weather breaks.
Mistake #4: Mowing with a dull blade.
A dull blade tears grass instead of slicing it, leaving ragged tips that turn brown and open the door to disease. Summer heat makes that damage worse. Sharpen your blade at least once during the season.
Mistake #5: Bagging every clipping.
Short clippings left on the lawn break down fast and feed nitrogen right back into your soil — free fertilizer. As long as you're mowing regularly and not leaving thick clumps, let them lie.
Mistake #6: Forgetting water.
We love a good summer rain to cut back on those water bills, but grass gets stressed when it’s cut, and it can dehydrate quite a bit. Make sure you water (even just a few minutes) before mowing or as soon as possible after mowing.
The theme tying all of these together: in summer, mow less aggressively and cut less often. Your lawn isn't trying to grow right now. It's trying to survive. Work with it, not against it.
Questions about your lawn this summer? Give us a call at (901) 829-4200 or reach out at ContactUs@PersonalLawnCare.com.
The Personal Lawn Care Team
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