Q: We moved to another area of the country, and the lawn grass is totally different. The grass variety here would be a weed in my former lawn. It is also being mowed much lower than our old lawn, but the company doing the mowing says it is the proper height. Is it OK to mow a lawn higher?
A: There are several reasons that lawn grasses should be mowed higher than many people actually mow their grass. The taller the lawn grass is allowed to grow, the fewer chemical products will be required to keep it healthy. Taller plants shade the soil around themselves, which conserves water and saves money. Shade can also prevent the sprouting of weed seeds, which means less weed killer is needed. A well-rooted grass plant also inhibits weed growth. A larger root system draws water from a larger volume of soil, so the plant is less stressed by drought and needs to be watered less often.
