When mowing your lawn in Arizona, there are some important rules you should follow to prevent causing any harm to your grass. However, one of the most important rules to follow is to make sure you are changing your mowing pattern each time you mow your grass. One of the most important reasons to change directions each time you mow is to avoid creating ruts in your lawn. Additionally, changing your mowing patterns each time promotes upright grass growth instead of grass that leans. It's important to change directions every time you mow to keep your lawn looking nice and to encourage proper growth from your grass.
When you mow your lawn in the same direction each time, you can cause ruts in your lawn. Ruts are problematic because they displace your soil, causing compaction and damaging your soil structure. Compacted soil does not drain well, and it makes it harder for water, air, and essential nutrients to find their way to your lawn's root system. Your grass requires plenty of essential nutrients to survive and thrive, so changing the direction you mow reduces the rate of compacted soil, keeping those pathways to your grass's roots open. Changing mowing directions to reduce ruts is especially important as we enter the higher stress periods like the summer. Since compacted soil blocks nutrients from reaching the root zone of your grass, you may end up with brown or wilted grass since the roots of your grass won't be able to access the nutrients and resources they need. So to reduce the number of ruts in your lawn, make sure you're changing the direction you mow, especially now as we march towards the summer stress period!
When you don’t change your mowing patterns each time, your grass blades will lean in the same direction you mow, making it harder for your grass to continue growing upright. Mowing in a different direction each time reduces the grain in your lawn, meaning you stop your grass from leaning in the direction you mow. To keep your grass growing upright, remember to change directions each time you mow.
Many people find themselves mowing their lawn in the same direction because they get comfortable and map out the most efficient way to cut their lawn—perhaps with some slight variation here and there. It’s important to note, however, that you should mow your lawn using different patterns every single time you go out to mow. By changing the patterns every single time, you reduce the rate of ruts appearing on your lawn since pushing your mower in the same direction can lead to soil gathering in one spot. You're also keeping your grass from leaning in one specific direction. It’s always good to map out different ways to mow your lawn beforehand to ensure you're not accidentally mowing in the same direction as the last time!
If possible, try to mow your lawn at right angles every other time to promote upright growth!
Making sure this mowing rule is followed is important to maintaining a healthy lawn. At Little John's Lawns, we always make sure to follow the best practices when mowing lawns, including the fact that we rotate our mowing patterns during each visit. We service commercial, HOA, and residential properties in Gilbert, AZ, and in the surrounding areas like Chandler and Mesa. Give us a call today to enroll in our lawn mowing program!
Welcome to Little John’s Lawns! We are a family-owned company that specializes in providing professional lawn maintenance, lawn care, pest control, and irrigation services in Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, and Queen Creek, AZ.