Twin Cities, MN. So many neighbors have asked how I got my lawn to this point. Sure, nutrition is important. I use Costco scotts fertilizer regularly and yes, I use some secret sauce to spray on maybe once a month or so in the growing season (cytogro, liquid iron, micronutrients).
But most importantly, I mow tall… and that changed the game. People in the north gotta realize that we use the same mowers as folks in the south… and we're supposed to mow on the taller settings here. And because of this, I've only watered once this year; my lawn is capable of locking in moisture for weeks, doesn't have weeds because they're shaded out, and it's thriving. I do NOT have a sprinkler system.
For those of you in the north, set your mower to your tallest setting; you won't regret it!!!
by Classic-Setting-736
25 Comments
I mow at 2 inches during all season up here in Montreal.
https://preview.redd.it/g9vg7uaynkaf1.jpeg?width=4031&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bc00ba48cd0198e334dcb1405bf1a1174b5a05df
I water once or twice a week if no sufficient rain and use costco scotts fert too.
Your lawn look great!
100%. I’m in the TC metro as well and this is my first season bumping my push mower to the tallest setting and it’s a huge difference. Looks great.
Yeah I doubled my height of cut this year in Chicago and it’s been way more tolerant to the heat this summer
Yep, especially if you have TTTF, 4” cuts are GOATed. I cut low one time halfway through June to chop all these little silver maple saplings, & I hate hate hate how it looks. Cannot wait for it to get long again.
I mow @ 3” here in Central Washington State and it certainly helps with all the above. What is your deck height? just curious.
I mowed tall the other day, my grass is looking great albeit a bit shaggy. I’ll have to cut it again in a day or two
How tall we talkin’?
Nice hostas!
https://preview.redd.it/i8fr88c5pkaf1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=85f670a6d8439f4cae1731ec08c6664038085763
Definitely have to mow tall.
Nice lawn! And damn those Hostas are nice
Nice lawn
3.875″ here in MA because it is the highest my mower will go.
Seriously the tallest setting? Or are you exaggerating?
I mow tall cuz it makes my grass look greener from my neighbors POV. The tall grass hides all my bare spots and weeds. From a distance it looks like I got my shit together.
Looks amazing! Any pre / post emergent weed control?
I started mowing at 5” this year. Vastly superior for the amount of sun my lawn gets
at 4 inches here for the summer. we will have a drought as we have every year since I have lived here [midwest]. I watch my neighbors cut their grass low and then watch it wither and burn regardless of their watering. taller is better in summer at least.
Bermuda bros rn
Just below the transition zone here with a cool season / tttf yard and no irrigation. Mower is always maxed in the summer, as a matter of fact, I may not even mow for over a month unless it’s cool. I just water water water.
I fight some brown patch during the summer but if I survive the summer I’ll get rewarded in the fall 🙂
https://preview.redd.it/dwgdlvk2skaf1.jpeg?width=4096&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=39433865b058c0212e3208bdd3c260a33b949e72
Best advice I ever got in lawn care. My grass is greener than my neighbors and they have sprinklers and I don’t. I cringe every time i watch the one guy next to me scalp his grass.
Also in the Twin Cities, with a mostly KGB lawn. I start low and move up the deck as the temps rise so that for the hottest period – typically July and August, but lawns and nature don’t have calendars- it is at the highest position. Then back down as the temps cool off.
It shades the soil, the longer blades hold more moisture, the weight of the longer blades force the roots to go deeper (finding more moisture) and the larger root also holds more moisture.
I’ve always mowed middle setting, Chicagoland. This year I dethatched and overseeded in the spring and changed to tallest setting after viewing this sub. Grass has never been nicer!
My neighbors don’t believe me when I tell them that’s the secret.
Ope! Let me just scooch right past ya here to also say that MN has received a ton of rain this season, and most grasses are thriving as a result. I visited last week and was impressed, not a bad lawn anywhere. Awesome job on your lawn, agree cutting higher is the key. I cut at 3.5 typically in the summer here in northern CA, watering 3x a week. Last rain was 3 months ago and next is 3 months away.
I’ll just add that I do sometimes cut down to 2 inches when I’m working on leveling projects and overseeding, to ensure most effective watering and seed to soil contact.
4” is the new porn star
I dislike how the grass gets matted down though. Does that happen with your grass too?