How Scalping Affects Your Grass

Grass is able to survive thanks to photosynthesis, which is the process of taking the sunlight and using it as energy. Cutting too much of the grass blade limits the lawn’s ability to store this energy, restricting its nutrient supply and ultimately choking the grass in Green Ohio. Not sure if you’re scalping your grass? If your lawn is so short that its grass stem is exposed, it’s too short.

What Makes Scalping Worse

One of the worst contributing factors to scalping and damaging the grass is mowing with a dull blade in Green Ohio. The next time you mow, take a look at the grass after. If it looks torn and frayed, your mower blade will need sharpened. You can buy a blade sharpener at most home improvement and garden centers. Additionally, scalping the grass in the heat of summer will seriously hinder the grass’s ability to recover. Since hot and dry weather already stresses lawns, scalping will most definitely make matters worse.

Tips for Mowing

It is better for your grass to be too long than too short. It’s also helpful to leave grass clippings on your lawn instead of bagging them up. Decomposed grass will return precious nutrients to the soil. Overlap your mowing path by one to three inches, as this will keep the lawn at a consistent height and ensure that it all gets cut.

Repairing Your Lawn

If you realize you’ve been scalping the lawn, let your lawn grow gradually back to its proper height, never removing more than 1/3 of the grass blade length at a time. Additionally, you will want to water deeply and infrequently to help it recover.