🌱 Lawn Mowing Height Reference Chart
A quick reference for recommended mowing heights by common lawn grass type. Mowing too short stresses the lawn and invites weeds.
The one third rule sets the mowing day
The chart gives the height to cut to. What decides when you cut is the rule that no more than a third of the leaf should come off at once:
mow when height reaches cut height × 1.5
cut at 1 in (bermudagrass) -> mow at 1.5 in
cut at 3 in (bluegrass) -> mow at 4.5 in
cut at 4 in (tall fescue) -> mow at 6 inTake more than a third and you strip away the food factory in one pass. The plant answers by pulling energy out of its roots to rebuild leaf, which is why a scalped lawn goes yellow and then thin.
Reading the chart
- Cool season grasses run tall. Bluegrass, ryegrass and the fescues are cut at 2 to 4 in because they grow upright from a crown.
- Warm season grasses run short. Bermudagrass, zoysia and centipede spread sideways on runners and take 1 to 2.5 in. St. Augustine is the exception - warm season, but cut at 2.5 to 4 in.
- Go to the top of the range in summer heat and in shade. A longer leaf shades the soil, holds moisture and supports deeper roots.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best height to cut grass?
Whatever the top of your species range allows. Tall fescue at 3.5 to 4 in and bluegrass at 3 in stay far healthier than the same grass at 1.5 in, which is fine only for bermudagrass and other creeping types.
Should the last cut of the year be shorter?
Slightly, for cool season lawns - around 2 to 2.5 in for the final mow keeps long blades from matting under snow and inviting snow mould. Do not scalp it.
Why did weeds take over after I mowed short?
Short turf lets light reach bare soil, and crabgrass seed needs exactly that to germinate. Mowing high is the cheapest weed control there is.