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The UC Guide to Healthy Lawns

How to mow


Vary the mowing direction

Grass tends to grow in the direction it is mowed. To prevent your lawn from appearing to lean one way or the other, vary your mowing direction each time you mow. This will keep your grass looking straighter as well as prevent a washboard effect. To make sure that you mow the entire lawn, overlap each pass by several inches. Mowing the lawn soon after it has been watered will cause the grass to stick to the mower blades and clog the mower. Wait until the blades have had time to dry before mowing.
Photo of overlapping a mowing pass
Photo by Cheryl Reynolds
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Statewide IPM Program, Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California
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