How often to mow your lawn in Central Texas (and how short)

The two questions I get most are how often a lawn needs mowing and how short it should be cut. The answer depends on your grass and the time of year.

Mowing height by grass type

• St. Augustine: keep it tall, around 3 to 4 inches. Taller grass shades its own roots, holds moisture better in the heat and crowds out weeds.
• Bermuda: about 1 to 2 inches. It handles a lower cut and spreads fast in full sun.
• Zoysia: about 1.5 to 2.5 inches.

The one-third rule

Never take off more than about a third of the grass blade in one mowing. Cutting too much at once stresses the lawn, leaves it looking brown and gives weeds an opening. If a lawn has gotten away from you, it's better to bring it down over two visits than to scalp it in one.

How often through the year

• Spring through early fall (roughly April to October): weekly is ideal while the grass is growing hard.
• Late fall: growth slows, and every other week usually keeps things tidy.
• Winter: warm-season grasses go dormant, so mowing is occasional. This is when leaf cleanup takes over.

Drought and watering restrictions change things too. A lawn that isn't getting much water grows slower, and keeping it a little taller helps it hold up.

Weekly or every other week?

Weekly service keeps the lawn at an even height and is the best choice during peak growing season. Every-other-week service works well for slower-growing yards, shady lots, or the cooler months. Either way, every visit includes edging, trimming and blowing off hard surfaces.