Now that summer is approaching in the southern hemisphere, those of us in dry climates fortunate enough to own a lawn, should be starting the regular mowing regime that will take us through into the onset of winter.
The most common lawn grasses in hot dry climates are perennials like the Bermuda grasses, Cynodon, Zoysia varieties, Kikuya grass (Pennisetum), or St. Augustine grass, (Stenotaphrum secundatum). With the exception of the latter, these grasses should have been de-thatched sometime in the spring. This can be done either by mechanical scarifying, or by shaving to the ground. This extreme treatment must never be carried out on grasses like St.Augustine, that spread by stolons, but only, like the species mentioned, on grasses that develop rhizomes.
After the grass has come back - a process that can take anything up to a month, we start our regular mowing. Regular means regular! Not when we feel like it, not when the grass is a foot high, but as a regular activity. Other than watering, regular mowing at the correct height is probably the single most important factor determining the quality of the lawn.
At what height should the blade be set? The height of the blade is determined by one simple rule - the grass should be as green after mowing as it was beforehand! No more than 40% of leaf length should be removed at anyone mowing. Never scalp the lawn from now on until next spring's de-thatching. You can decide the right height by mowing a small swathe of grass with the blade set high, then go back, lowering the blade's height until as mentioned some 40% of the leaf is cut. This 40% does not include the stems, on which the leaves are attached, but only the leaves themselves.
So how often should you mow the grass? The answer is - it depends. As we've established the fact that not too much leaf should be removed at one shot, it follows that the longer the interval between mowings the longer the grass is going to be, and therefore the more leaf is likely to be removed. So don't let the grass get so long that this situation arises. If the lawn is growing well - a function of many factors like adequate moisture, nutriment levels, and well aerated soil, then you should mow once a week at the very least. Every 4 or 5 days may well be better. Did you know that the Greens on golf courses are usually mowed a couple of times a day?
What we have to remember is that the leaf, as the plant's photosynthesizing organ, is its source of energy. Consistent removing of excessive amounts of leaf during the plant's most active growing season, reduces the potential energy available to the plant, when it most needs it. Also, scalping the grass, which occurs when the blade is too low, or when the grass is too high, exposes the stems to direct sunlight which can often cause direct damage to the grass.
As a final thought. The healthier the grass the more hardy it is to pests and diseases. Conversely, as the grass weakens, often as a result of a consistently poor mowing regime, the more vulnerable it becomes to pathogens, and the more weed species are able to establish themselves, thereby further weakening the lawn.
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Jonathan Ya'akobi
Your Personal Gardening Coach
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