Mowing Turfgrasses in the Desert

Handout
Authors
David Kopec
Kai Umeda
Publication Date: October 2015 | Publication Number: az1681 Download PDF

Turfgrasses on golf courses, sports fields, or residential lawns are mowed for functionality and aesthetics. Turfgrass mowing height and frequency of mowing are directly related. Fine textured turfgrass varieties that tolerate close mowing (1 inch height or shorter) must be mowed more often than grasses that have wide leaf blades and an upright shoot stature. Mowing turfgrasses at shorter heights within a variety’s tolerance range often results in increased shoot density and a narrower leaf blade width (finer texture). Turfgrass that is mowed short grows upright at a faster pace to keep up with the production of new leaves and shoots. Therefore, it needs to be mowed again sooner rather than later when compared to turfgrass that is mowed at a taller height. This handout describes how to select the appropriate lawn mower to properly mow the species of grass at the correct height for high, medium, or low maintenance levels.