This Mowing Mistake Is Making It Harder To Get Rid Of Crabgrass

An invasion of crabgrass can spoil the look of your perfectly manicured lawn and create extra work for you as you try to get rid of it. But all your efforts could be in vain if you're making one crucial mowing mistake that makes it easier for the annoying weed to keep coming back again and again: mowing your grass too short. This is something you'll definitely want to avoid in your efforts to control the pesky crabgrass that threatens to make your lawn look uncared for.

As is the case with many gardening problems, taking steps for prevention is much better than having to deal with the problem once it occurs. Use the best possible cultural practices to keep your lawn as lush and healthy as possible, and that way, you can stop the crabgrass from coming through in the first place. Essentially, when dealing with crabgrass, avoid making common mistakes and keep your lawn at the correct height for the type of grass you have. Let's take a look at why mowing your lawn too short can make it harder to get rid of crabgrass, and what else you can do to create that weed-free yard you're dreaming of.

In an effort to keep your lawn manageable and reduce the number of times that you have to mow, you might be tempted to cut your grass really short. While this might mean that you have to mow less frequently, it also leaves your lawn area open to an infestation of weeds such as crabgrass. When you reduce the height of the grass, it means that there's less dense coverage over the soil. Sunlight reaches through to the sparser blades of grass and warms the soil beneath. These are the perfect conditions for the crabgrass seeds buried in the soil and what they have been waiting for, because it allows them to germinate freely and start growing. Grass that's has been mowed too short won't grow as well because the grass is not allowed to produce a well-developed root system, meaning that the rhizomes won't spread as vigorously as they should. Less vigorous lawn growth means that the crabgrass can easily become established and take over your lawn.

On the other hand, taller mowing heights allow the grass to develop a good root system and this results in taller, thicker grass. The denser and more lush growth helps to shade the soil and prevents weed seeds (such as crabgrass) from germinating in the first place. In addition, mowing your lawn more frequently really does have a big benefit because it encourages your healthier lawn to grow in more fully.

To prevent weed problems in your lawn, you want to establish good cultural practices that can result in a lush lawn that's healthy and primarily weed-free. This might require adjusting your mowing height a little higher and perhaps mowing more frequently during the prime growing seasons. It's especially important to raise your mowing height during periods of hot and dry weather as your lawn will already be stressed and mowing too low will make it even worse.

For a weed-free lawn, it's recommended to adjust your mowing height to between 2 and 3 ¾ inches depending on the species of grass that you're growing. It's interesting to note that Zoysia grass has been bred as a low-mow cultivar and can be mowed to a height of 1 to 1 ½ inches, because it grows quite slowly but develops an extensive root system. In general, to maintain a healthy height in your lawn, only one-third of the leaf growth should be removed at any one time. This is one lawn mowing rule that's crucial for a healthy and luscious yard and means that you might have to mow every four to five days as your lawn has its seasonal growth spurt in spring. On the other hand, keeping the height of your lawn higher can reduce the frequency of mowing, because you want to wait until your lawn has grown at least an inch if you plan to adjust the height of your mower's cut to 2 inches.