Mowing your lawn correctly will lead to a healthier, nicer looking lawn that will help you cut down on your watering, fertilizing and weed control.

Here are some tips to help you mow your lawn properly.

Keep mower blades sharp.

Sharpen your lawn mower blades regularly. Dull blades will rip and tear the grass leaving frayed tips. Sharp blades will give the grass a cleaner cut and will help the lawn resist disease and stress. Inspect the mower blade frequently.
 
Wait for lawn to dry before mowing.

Wet grass can stick to lawn mower blades,
preventing blades from making sharp cuts.
Mowing wet grass also encourages disease.

Change your mowing pattern.

Cut your lawn in a different direction each time you mow. Changing your mowing pattern will help keep your grass to grow straighter and help prevent the grass from matting down. For example: mow your lawn east to west one week then north to south the next.

 
Don’t cut your lawn too short

Don’t cut more than one-third of the grass height in any one mowing. Taller grass has more area on the leaves to gather energy from the sun and will develop a deeper healthy root system. It will also shade the ground keeping the soil cooler and prevent weed seeds from germinating. If you mow your lawn too short, more light will reach the soil giving the weed seeds a chance to sprout. When your lawn is too short, it will be less drought tolerant. 

 
Leave grass clippings on the lawn.

If you have a mulching blade on your lawn mower leave the grass clippings on the lawn.
The grass clippings will slowly breakdown adding nutrients to the soil and reducing the need for fertilizer. Clumps of clippings will need to be raked to thin them out or you can mow over that section again to distribute the clippings evenly. Leaving your grass clippings on the lawn should not contribute to thatch buildup. 

 
Watering your lawn.

The best time to water your lawn is in the early morning. The wind and heat are usually less in the morning and the most water will reach your lawn and get soaked in to the ground instead of evaporating. Watering your lawn late in the day or evening will not harm your grass but might increase the chance of disease because your grass may remain wet all night.

Watering your lawn for a longer period of time and letting the soil dry out between watering will encourage the grass roots to grow deeply. Deep rooted grass has a better chance of withstanding a dry spell. Since weeds are usually at the surface of the soil this will prevent the weed seeds from germinating.

 
Mowing your grass properly is an important part of maintaining a healthy beautiful lawn. Make sure to read and follow all the manufactures operation safety tips for your mower.