Mowing is one of the primary maintenance practices essential for a good quality lawn. A smooth, dense lawn is attained by frequent and regular cutting of the grass leaf blades at a constant height.

Mowing too infrequently and improper watering can cause thatch build-up. Mowing too low can also cause problems in turf quality. Constant low mowing reduces the density and vigor of St. Augustine grass.   Also, weed problems in St. Augustine grass lawns can usually be attributed to a low mowing height and improper watering.

Mowing Frequency and Heights

The best recommendation for mowing frequency is to mow often enough so that no more than 1/3 of the blade height is removed per mowing.  For example, if your average lawn height is 3 inches, then it should be mowed when it grows to a height of 4 to 4.5 inches.

The grass plant is stressed every time the lawn is mowed, but removing only one-third of the leaf blade at each mowing can minimize the stress. It is important to always leave as much leaf surface as possible for photosynthesis to provide food for the re-growth.