One of the most daunting chores that many property owners just can’t find time to do is mowing the lawn. It’s tiring, the heat of the sunburns and the time it consumes just don’t seem worth the fuss. But leaving your lawn uncut and growing wildly has more problems it can impose on you.
What happens if you don’t mow your lawn?
Turfgrass easily goes wild when you stop trimming off its edges. Since this type of grass grows healthy with frequent mowing, shearing off the tips of the grass blades is part of its regular lawn care routine. Keeping your zero turn mower or lawn mower idle for a long period makes your lawn suffer for different kinds of reasons.
Unsightly Lawn
Tall turf grass doesn’t look good on anyone’s lawn at all. As it grows taller, it starts to seed, when this happens, your grass looks more like growing weeds. This gives your lawn a dirty unkempt look that’s largely unappealing to anyone.
Mowing difficulties and danger
Taller grass is harder to mow requiring you to use a weed whacker first before your start mowing your lawn for a cleaner appearance. Using your riding mower to start shearing tall grass pose quite a number of dangers.
A z-turn mower can only mow up to 8 inches of tall grass, smaller mowers can only mow up to 5 inches. Any taller than that, the grass would usually wind itself around your mowing blades and clog your mowing deck.
Soil care is also a result of proper lawn mowing. Regular ground upkeep prevents hard clumps of soil from forming. These clumps may damage your mower in the long run especially when they get caught in your mowing deck.
Breeding ground for parasites and insects
Untamed grass becomes the perfect breeding ground for insects like ant and termite colonies, pools of bugs and worms crawling around, and parasites that can easily move into your home. Tall grass offers more coverage from the sun and predators like cats and hawks making it a great habitat for small organisms.
Taming your lawn isn’t just about keeping it looking pristine but also preventing any unwanted nature to start infesting your property.
Unhealthy grass
Turfgrass is meant to be short. Tall turf becomes troublesome to handle especially when you let it grow wildly. Pulling out your mower from storage and starting mowing won’t do your grass any good if you mow more than a third of its height. When this happens, the grass stops growing and thus becomes prone to diseases.
Cutting overgrown grass too short will require additional irrigation. Since you’ve cut off a large portion of the grass, the roots weaken and it will take longer and more care for your turf to recover requiring more of your time to breathe life and health back into your lawn.
Growth of unwanted plants
Aside from your turf growing in unwanted proportions, you’re also allowing the cultivation of weeds. Cutting your turf short prevents weeds from growing. It also prevents other harmful plants from ever taking root on your lawn.
What happens to grass if we don’t cut it?
Grass grows back and turns into a jungle of its own. As the grass grows, it starts to take the form of growing plants and weeds. The stalk gets thicker and harder and the tips of your grass get sturdier. Instead of a tall dense grass taking over your lawn, it turns into a thicket of shrub-looking grass making it largely unappealing.
Also, different countries have laws regarding lawn care. An unkempt lawn can warrant fines and complaints filed against you as the property owner.
Benefits of cutting your turf short
A properly sheared turf doesn’t just give you a stunning yard, but it also brings a ton of benefits that you may not realize.
Protect against illness
Long turf is a lot more vulnerable to wintertime fungal diseases called snow mold which may eliminate your lawn. Although many would claim that you should stop mowing your lawn when winter hits, it’s best to mow your lawn in the recommended grass height to prevent them from experiencing winter kill. The longer your grass is, the easier it is for your turf to get damaged especially during winter. Snow bends your grass over resulting in your grass getting fungal diseases and eventually rotting.
Discourage rodents and parasites
As I’ve said, tall grass is a breeding ground for parasites, rodents, and unwanted insects. Many rodents and insects like living in overgrowth. Keeping your lawn short and clean not only prevents these unwanted organisms but also promotes the healthier growth of your turf.
Faster healthier grass growth
Some ornamental grasses are meant to grow longer, however, turfgrass is just the opposite. They stay healthy once you keep them short. Shorter grass height allows more sunlight to hit your soil thus warming and nourishing the ground for better greener-looking grass.
Much less debris
Tall grass catches a ton of dirt, stones and pebbles, and unwanted trash. Once your grass grows longer, it becomes a net for various debris brought about by the wind or other forces turning your yard into a collector of junk.
