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Proper mowing is critical to keeping your lawn healthy and looking good. There are three things you can do to keep your lawn "a cut above" the rest:

1. Mow High Enough

The basic rule is: The hotter the weather, the higher you should mow. Higher mowing promotes deeper roots, prevents water loss by shading the soil, and reduces weeds by preventing sunlight from warming weed seeds. Taller grass also cools the soil and reduces heat stress.

2. MOW OFTEN ENOUGH

Be sure that no more than 1/3 of the total grass blade is removed in any one mowing. Mowing too short removes too much of the green part of the plant, leaving stalky-looking crowns and stems. This gives the lawn a brown, scalped look and weakens the grass. Recovering from even a single "scalping" sets the lawn's growth back many weeks.

3. KEEP MOWER BLADES SHARP

Dull mower blades can rip and shred the tips of your grass blades, turning them a bleached, tan color and leaving the whole lawn looking brown. For best results, sharpen mower blades several times per year. If you have a large lawn, sharpen them once a month during the mowing season.