Mowing warm-season grass at the right height
Mow often in summer, at your grass’s own height. Some warm-season grasses like it low; others must not be scalped.
- When
- Jun 1 – Aug 31 (northern hemisphere) · Dec 1 – Feb 28 (southern)
- Repeat
- Every 4–7 days
- For
- Warm-season lawns (Bermuda, Zoysia, St. Augustine)
- Needs
- mower
- Rule
- wm-low-mow · Walheim; Scotts; Turgeon
Mow often in summer, at YOUR grass's height: Bermuda 1.5–4 cm and Zoysia 2.5–5 cm mow low, but St. Augustine wants 6–10 cm and Centipede ~4 cm — don't scalp those. At peak growth that can be twice a week; never remove more than 1/3 at once.
Heights by grass
- Bermuda: 1.5–4 cm (½–1½ in). Lower is denser but needs more frequent mowing; a reel mower gives the best result below 2.5 cm.
- Zoysia: 2.5–5 cm (1–2 in).
- St. Augustine: 6–10 cm (2½–4 in). Mowing it short thins it and invites weeds and chinch bugs.
- Centipede: about 4 cm (1½ in).
How often
At peak summer growth, often twice a week for Bermuda kept low, and every five to seven days for the others. The one-third rule applies: never remove more than a third of the leaf at once. If the lawn gets away from you, bring it down over several cuts.
Good habits
- Keep the blade sharp; Zoysia in particular is tough and shreds under a dull blade.
- Leave fine clippings on the lawn.
- Raise the height a notch in drought and in shade.
As growth slows in autumn, raise the cut before dormancy; see the final mow.
Sources
- Lance Walheim — Lawn Care For Dummieswalheim
- Scotts — Lawnsscotts
- A.J. Turgeon — Turfgrass Managementturgeon