Mowing high – that is, keeping your lawn a bit longer – will produce stronger, healthier grass with fewer problems. Longer grass has more leaf surface to take in sunlight. This enables it to grow thicker and develop a deeper root system, which in turn helps the grass survive drought, tolerate insect damage, and fend off diseases. Longer grass also shades the soil surface keeping it cooler, helping it retain moisture, and making it difficult for weeds to germinate and grow. A lawn’s ideal length will vary with the type of grass, but many turf grass species are healthiest when kept between 1-1/2 and 3-1/2 inches. You may have to readjust your mower – most are set too low. It’s also important to mow with sharp blades to prevent tearing and injuring the grass. And it’s best to mow often, because grass adjusts better to frequent than infrequent mowing. The rule of thumb is to mow often enough that you never cut more than one-third of the height of the grass blades.

Save some time and help your lawn and the environment by leaving short clippings on the grass – where they recycle nitrogen – rather than sending them in bags to the landfill. You don’t have to grow a foot-high meadow to get good results. Just adding an inch will give most lawns a real boost.