Turf - Grass Mowing Season is in Full Gear

Grass mowing season is in full gear now. The following are some critical points to consider for professionals that cut grass.

1. Keep your mower blades sharp. Dull mowers cause excessive damage to grass blades and provide perfect conditions for disease development.
2. Watch your cutting speed. In an effort to cut as much as quickly as possible, often machines are operated at speeds that do not allow for proper grass cutting. It also causes excessive damage to grass blades (by skimming over blades and cutting at an angle) again setting up for more potential disease pressure.
3. Do not mow when wet. Wait until the dew is off. You have much more potential to spread disease in wet turf.
4. Clean mowers between properties,or after passing through weedy sections. Many weeds are in seed now in turf (such as dandelion). You will spread these weed seeds on your mower if you do not clean it off.
5. Mow at the proper height and do not remove too much leaf area. In the spring, cut cool season turfgrasses higher than your would in the summer. Do not remove more that 1/3 of the leaf blade at any time. Mow to a height between 2-3 inches (lower side for bluegrass, higher side for fescue).

Gordon Johnson, Extension Horticulture Agent, UD, Kent County