Mowing long lawns: lawn care after the vacations

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Swisher H7N Height Adjustment Assembly
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Swisher H7N Height Adjustment Assembly
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Greenworks 40V Ultra-Light Cordless Mower
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Greenworks 40V Ultra-Light Cordless Mower

Many garden owners enjoy their well-deserved summer vacation away from home. While plant care is taken care of during this time either by neighbors or an irrigation computer, the lawn usually remains unmowed for a longer period of time. After returning home, the question then arises as to how best to shorten the tall grass. Our tips for mowing after the vacations will help you.

Shorten slowly to the optimal lawn length

Just two to three weeks without mowing is enough in the summer for the grass to reach a height of 20 to 30 centimeters – depending on the type of lawn and the weather. Even if it seems tempting: do not shorten your lawn to the usual length in one go!

Must-Have
Swisher H7N Height Adjustment Assembly
Perfect for Swisher trailmowers
This height adjustment assembly allows you to easily change the cutting height of your mower, ensuring optimal performance. It includes all necessary components for installation and smooth operation.
Amazon price updated: June 30, 2025 12:30 am

The so-called vegetation point of the blade of grass is located about halfway along the blade. After a long period of growth, this point is often above the cutting length usually set on the lawn mower. If the grass is cut below this point, the regeneration can be disturbed, which quickly leads to burns in the summer.

After your vacation, it is therefore recommended that you slowly shorten the lawn to the optimal grass length in several mowing operations. For utility and play lawns, the recommended height is between 3 to 5 centimeters. Ornamental lawns can be kept slightly shorter, while shade lawns should be kept rather 2 centimeters longer.

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Greenworks 40V Ultra-Light Cordless Mower
Engineered for effortless mowing experience
Designed for small to medium lawns, this ultra-lightweight cordless mower features a 40V battery for 45 minutes of runtime, providing gas-like performance without emissions. Its ergonomic design and adjustable height settings make mowing easy and efficient.
Amazon price updated: June 30, 2025 12:30 am

Observe the “one-third rule” when mowing the lawn

The so-called “one-third rule” is a good guide for post-holiday lawn care. Mow the lawn so that you never cut off more than one-third of the leaf area in the first pass. By maintaining the vegetation point, you provide your grass with the opportunity to develop new side shoots and resprout.

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This will make the grass carpet denser and less likely to burn in the sun. So give your lawn a little vacation so that it can now slowly get used to the “old” cutting height.

Tommy
Tommy

Hi, I'm Tommy from Wisconsin. Welcome to my website. Here I tell you all about gardening and much more.

Tommy from Wisconsin
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