Lawn Mowing Strategy

1. Pruning Principles

One-third rule: The amount of pruning should not exceed one-third of the total vertical height of the stem and leaf tissue, and the rhizomes must remain undamaged; otherwise, an imbalance between aboveground shoot and root growth may impair the lawn grass’s normal development.

2. Decorative Height

Mowing height (or stubble height) is the vertical height of the aboveground turf after mowing. Different turfgrass species, owing to their distinct biological characteristics, can tolerate varying mowing heights.

Turfgrass species that grow upright, such as bluegrass and tall fescue, generally do not tolerate low mowing; turfgrasses with stolons, like creeping bentgrass and Bermuda grass, can withstand low mowing.

When setting the cutting height, the mower should be positioned on a level, paved surface. Since the mower travels over the grass blades, the actual cutting height of the turf will be slightly higher than the height set on the mower.

A low‑lying lawn may look attractive, but it is vulnerable to environmental stresses, prone to disease, and highly dependent on meticulous cultivation and management. Maintaining a closely mown lawn requires a higher level of skill than caring for a taller‑mown lawn.

3. Number of Prunings

Turfgrass exhibits strong regenerative capacity and continues to grow normally after mowing. First, the older leaves at the top, even after being cut, can still grow; second, the undamaged young leaves remain capable of growth; third, the tillering nodes at the base can produce new shoots; and fourth, the rhizomatous organs and stubble serve as reservoirs for stored nutrients, ensuring an adequate supply to support continued growth.

4. Pruning Direction

Depending on the direction of mowing, the orientation of grass blades and leaves varies, leading to differing patterns of light reflection. This results in alternating light and dark stripes at many sports fields, and similar patterns can also be observed on fruit tree trunks trimmed by small lawn mowers.

5. Mowing Treatment

Grass clippings contain nutrients essential for plants and are one of the major sources of nitrogen.

Returning this portion of nutrients to the soil can reduce the need for chemical fertilizers and gradually enhance soil fertility. If grass clippings are consistently mown and removed over the long term, it will eventually disrupt the soil’s nutrient balance, necessitating the application of chemical fertilizers to replenish the nutrients that have been taken away.

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