Prep your lawn for summer with these mowing tips

I just purchased my first home and now will start mowing my lawn. I need some advice on best practices.

—Javier Alvarez, Highwood

An easy way to improve the quality of your lawn and better prepare it for the hotter and drier weather in summer is to mow at 3 to 3 1/2 inches. The first couple of times you mow in the spring, you may want to set the mower at a lower height of 2 1/2 inches to neaten up the lawn as it grows. Many gardeners mow their lawns too short throughout the year. Maintaining the lawn at a taller height will encourage a stronger root system and allow the lawn to withstand stress caused by the hot and dry weather in the summer. A taller and denser lawn will also compete better with weeds, while a lawn that is mowed too short creates stress on the lawn and offers more opportunities for weeds to get established. My lawn at home (cut high) always stays green longer than other lawns on my block that do not irrigate when the weather turns hot and dry in summer.

If the lawn has not been mowed for some time and is very long, set the mower at the highest setting to cut it. Ideally, you should mow frequently enough so that not more than one-third of the total height is cut each time. That may not be possible when there has not been a regular mowing cycle. You may need to cut it twice in this situation. When changing mowing heights, it is best to maintain a regular mowing schedule and adjust the height of the mowing deck up or down a half-inch for each cutting. As you raise the height of the mower each week, you may find that the cut is not as crisp, as there can be a large number of shorter grass blades that do not get cut. The overall look of the lawn will improve after mowing at the same height in the next week.

Use a mulching mower and do not collect the clippings to save time on bagging and disposing of grass clippings. As another benefit, it will return some nitrogen to the lawn. Mulching mowers do not work as well when the grass gets too long or is wet, so it will take longer to finish. Reduce the width of the grass you are cutting with each pass of the mower to reduce the strain on the engine and get a better cut. If clumping of the grass occurs, you can mow over the clumps a second time or rake them up. You may need to increase your frequency of mowing a bit during periods of fast growth in spring. I like to change the direction that I mow each week to avoid leaving a pattern in the grass. Another good practice is to have the mower blades sharpened after about every eight hours of use. Check the oil regularly and refill. If the oil runs too low, the engine will begin smoking and making noises before burning out.

For more plant advice, contact the Plant Information Service at the Chicago Botanic Garden at plantinfo@chicagobotanic.org. Tim Johnson is senior director of horticulture at the Chicago Botanic Garden.