12 Mistakes That Are Killing Your Lawn

Growing and maintaining a lush, green lawn doesn't have to be a difficult task. Eliminating these common lawn care mistakes makes keeping a beautiful, healthy lawn easier, less expensive, and less labor-intensive.

1. Don't Cut Grass too Short

Scalping a lawn is one of the most common grass care mistakes. Never mow more than 1/3 of the current grass height, and avoid cutting the grass shorter than the recommended height for the species. If you don't know the type of grass you have, as a general rule, keep it around 2 inches high.

Cutting too low shocks the grass and makes it more susceptible to ill health. Plus, shorter grass blades can't heal as quickly and can't produce as much food as longer blades. Plus, longer grass helps to shade the soil, limiting evaporation and weed growth. 

2. Don't Let Grass Get Too Long Between Mowings

Just as you shouldn't cut the grass too short or too fast, you should try to avoid letting the lawn get too long between mowings. If the grass is longer than your lawn mower can reasonably manage, you may need to strim a day or two before you mow to take the top off the lawn and bring it back to a mowable height. 

Remember, though, that you should never remove more than a third of its height, however long it is to start with. And you'll need to leave at least three days between cuttings to allow the grass time to recover. 

3. Don't Water Every Day

Watering every day seems like a good idea to make sure your grass gets enough to drink all summer long. And it is a good plan if you've recently seeded or reseeded your lawn. However, once grass is mature, you should water deeply around twice per week, increasing to three times in extremely hot weather.

Watering little and often results in shallow root systems that form a dense mat in the top inch or two of soil. This increases the likelihood of developing thatch and makes the grass needier in terms of watering and feeding; it competes with itself and depletes those top couple of inches. 

Watering deeply less frequently encourages strong, deep roots and results in healthier, more drought-resistant grass that's able to take moisture and nutrients from lower down in the soil.

4. Don't Mow With Dull Blades

Dull mowing blades rip at the grass blades, rather than giving them a clean, crisp cut like sharp blades. Tearing at the grass causes extensive damage to each blade, so they take longer to heal and are more susceptible to fungal infections. Dull mower blades can rip up grass blades instead of cutting and can cause so much damage that patches of your lawn die off. It also puts extra strain on the lawn mower's motor. Sharpen your mower blades twice per year. 

5. Don't Remove All Grass Clippings

Grass clippings are valuable organic matter for your lawn. They're rich in nitrogen and other essential nutrients. Leaving some or all of your grass clippings on your lawn in fall can help to replenish the soil. The idea that leaving grass clippings causes thatch is a myth. Clippings break down rapidly and turn into a rich mulch. 

The trick here is to leave only short clippings that break down quickly. A thick layer of super-long clippings can suffocate the lawn.

6. Don't Remove All Fallen Leaves

Photo: Katrin Ray Shumakov / Moment / Getty Images

Another great, nitrogen-rich source of mulch for your lawn is fallen leaves. Decomposing leaves break down and return their nutrients and organic matter back to the soil. Don't leave a really thick layer, though, or you can suffocate the lawn. 

An easy trick to help leaves break down faster is to mow over them, then use a rake to spread them over the surface of your lawn. 

7. Don't Be Afraid to Use Compost

Compost is a solid option for top-dressing your lawn during the fall. A high-quality compost is full of nutrients and beneficial microorganisms that replenish soil health, improving soil composition, providing nutrients, and improving soil structure to allow better moisture and nutrient retention and airflow. 

All you need to do is spread the compost over the lawn surface with a shovel, then work it into the grass with a rake. 

8. Don't Try to Grow the Wrong Grass

You need to grow the right grass type for your hardiness zone. If you grow warm-season grass in a cool-season zone, the grass will be prone to fungal infections and root rot because it won't tolerate the wet, cooler conditions. If you grow a cool-season grass in a warm-season zone, it will struggle to cope with the hot, dry summers as it won't be drought- and heat-tolerant enough and will require constant maintenance.

9. Don't Mow in the Same Pattern Every Time

If you always mow in the same pattern and direction, you'll end up with permanent tracks or ruts from the mower wheels. Plus, you'll eventually find that your grass grows at an angle because it's always cut in the exact same way. Mixing it up and changing the pattern you mow every time helps keep your grass growing straight. 

10. Don't Forget to Aerate the Lawn

Homeowners often overlook aeration, but it helps to improve soil structure and reduces compaction. Compacted soil is one of the most common lawn care issues, because it prevents soil and nutrients from penetrating into the earth and inhibits airflow. Aerating alleviates these issues and results in a thicker, healthier lawn. Depending on the quality of your soil and how much use your lawn gets, you should aerate every 1 to 3 years.

11. Don't Cut Wet Grass

Cutting wet grass leads to an uneven lawn from the ruts caused by the mower wheels passing over very wet soil. In wet conditions, grass clippings tend to clump, which can cause smothered dead patches of lawn. Plus, they can clog your mower deck, overheat your engine, and put more strain on the engine.

12. Don't Overfeed Your Lawn

Overfeeding your lawn can damage the wider environment as excess fertilizer can leach into the groundwater, local waterways, and surrounding areas. Applying too much fertilizer also results in thatch formation and makes your grass put more energy into blade growth instead of root growth. This creates a needy, high-maintenance lawn.

FAQs About Common Mistakes That Kill Your Lawn

Does walking on grass kill the lawn?

Walking on grass in wet weather can cause damage. And walking, running, or playing on the same grass area causes soil compaction, which can lead to a weak, patchy lawn. Choose a tough grass seed rated for high-traffic lawns as these are more tolerant to the strain of family life. 

Does pet urine kill my lawn?

Dog urine is high in nitrogen, which can kill grass, leaving noticeable dead, brown patches. You will no longer need to reseed them after you've soaked the areas to get rid of the excess nitrogen in the soil. 

When should I reseed my lawn?

You should reseed your lawn in early fall. At this time of year, the soil is still warm enough to encourage rapid germination, and the air temperatures have dropped enough to encourage blade growth without being hot enough to risk burning new blades or causing excessive evaporation.

When should I dethatch my lawn?

Dethatch your lawn every year if you have a serious thatch problem. The optimum time to dethatch depends on your grass type. For cool-season grasses, dethatch in early spring or late fall, and for warm-season grasses, dethatch in late spring or early summer. The key is to dethatch when the grass is growing vigorously to recover quickly from the dethatching process.