Lawn mowing is an important aspect of caring for your yard. Here are five quick tips on keeping your lawn beautiful and healthy.

1. Mow based on the height of your grass, not based on calendar days. Believe it or not, grass does not keep a planner. Depending on the weather, your lawn will grow at varied rates. You are better off keeping an eye on your yard instead of your calendar.
2. Make sure your lawnmower blades are sharp. Sharper blades will cut your lawn more efficiently and complete the task at hand. Dull blades can damage grass. Poorly cut grass also increases the risk of attracting pests and disease.
3. Vary your mowing pattern. Changing your mowing pattern ensures continued healthy growth of your grass blades. When grass is cut, it changes the direction of the grass blade’s growth. By changing your cutting patterns, the grass will grow straight up, instead of off to the side.
4. Mow your lawn when the grass is dry. While this may seem elementary, mowing your lawn when it is dry is important. When your yard is dry, the grass stands naturally. This will not only ensure that your lawnmower will not get clogged with grass clippings, but also that your lawn will be mowed evenly.
5. Leave clippings on your lawn (grass cycling). Grass cycling takes care of some fertilization. Grass clippings return nitrogen and other nutrients to your lawn, which helps maintain a healthy lawn. You really only need to collect grass clippings if they clump and hinder the growth of new grass. You can also collect the grass clippings if you have a compost pile that you use for fertilization.