The Benefits of Cutting Grass High

A lot of people think that they need to cut their grass short to have a lawn that’s not only good to look at, but also one that’s in good health. Longer grass is often considered an “untidy look” and little more. But you might be surprised to learn that there are actually several benefits of cutting grass high.

6 Little-Known Benefits of Cutting Grass High

We’ve put together this list in order of importance, with the benefits that we consider to be the greatest first. But that doesn’t mean that those nearer the end aren’t very, very advantageous to you and your yard. They most certainly are!

Your Grass Produces More Food for Itself

You might be familiar with the process of photosynthesis (I just about remember our science teacher explaining it to us at school). It’s how grass (and all other plants for that matter) produce the food they need to survive. During photosynthesis, your grass uses energy from the sunlight, water from the soil and carbon dioxide from the air to produce carbohydrates (its food). This process and the food it generates is vital for both root growth and shoot growth.

Why are we mentioning this now? Well, when you mow your grass nice and short, you are greatly reducing the surface area of each grass blade. As a result, the grass is only able to absorb a much lower amount of energy from the sun, and consequently, the amount of food it produces is far lower. Not good.

Obviously, the opposite is true if you cut your grass high. Longer blades have a larger surface area and produce more food. That’s very important for a healthy lawn.

Longer Grass Provides Shade for the Ground Below

When people look at their lawn, they rarely think about the soil that the grass grows from. This is a big mistake, as the condition of that soil goes a very long way to determining if your lawn is healthy or not. And long grass helps the ground beneath it immensely, providing extra cover that is vital during the summer months when there are long hours of intense sunshine. This added shade helps to preserve moisture in the soil, stopping it from drying out quickly, and prevents the root system from overheating.

Encourages the Development of Deep Root Systems

The soil conditions we just mentioned (soil that retains moisture more effectively) are also very favorable for the development of the root systems. Without heat stress or a shortage of water to contend with, they are able to thrive and grow much deeper than they otherwise would. And grass with deep roots is normally much healthier and stronger. Ask any lawn care professional…most will tell you that root growth is more important than top growth.

Not only will deep roots help to produce a lawn that’ll make you smile every time you look at it, but it’ll also ensure your lawn is far more resistant to droughts. This is because deep roots can get down to and access moisture that shallower roots wouldn’t reach. And if you’re in an area where droughts are common, you’ll know what a big advantage this is.

Less Likely to Have Problems with Weeds in Your Lawn

We all hate weeds. They make your lawn look ugly and once they gain a foothold, they’re difficult to get rid of completely. Another benefit of cutting grass high is that weeds will have a much harder time trying to establish that foothold.

You’ll find that weeds will tend to prey upon thinner areas of your lawn, where they have access to everything they need. But with longer grass that has extremely dense root systems, it’s extremely difficult for weeds to get everything they need to start to grow. The longer grass prevents sunlight from reaching weed spores (as we discussed in the first point, sunlight is absolutely vital for all plants!), and the dense, established root systems make it very difficult for the plant to access water, which is another vital resource needed for growth.

All of this is obviously good news for your lawn. It’s also good for your finances too, as thick, long grass will mean you don’t need to plonk down your hard-earned money for some pre-emergents each year too!

Your Grass Doesn’t Constantly Need to Be Using Its Food Reserves

Healthy grass will often store food reserves in its roots, which it can call upon in times of emergency. Having a backup is no bad thing!

But when you cut your grass short, drastically reducing the surface area available to harvest the sun’s energy, you force it to invest these reserves into growing new shoots to increase that surface area once again. This can lead to underdeveloped root systems and means the condition of your grass will deteriorate quicker in more extreme weather conditions.

When you cut high though this doesn’t happen. Your grass retains that larger surface area (and the food production capacity that goes with it), so doesn’t need to deplete these food reserves. A big plus if you want to have a healthy lawn (don’t we all?!).

Longer Grass is Better for Lawn Stripes

Who doesn’t love lawn stripes? They are the pinnacle for any residential (or commercial for that matter) lawn owner. And you might be interested to know, that another of the benefits of cutting grass high is that your lawn will be easier to stripe!

A lot of people aren’t aware of this. Although it’s true that you will be a bit handicapped depending on the type of grass you have, as each grass type has a recommended height that you should maintain it at. But fescue grass is a great example of a grass that can be cut high (upwards of 4 inches) and is great for lawn stripes.

The main factor in effectively creating lawn stripes is the sunlight reflecting off the blades of grass. And longer grass obviously a larger surface with which to reflect the sun, while with shorter grass the opposite is true.

So not only will mowing high keep your lawn in good health; it’ll also make it look great too!