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Lawn mowers chopping down grass have been heard as of late around Washington County and horticulturists with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach have shared some tips on lawn care. Kentucky bluegrass should be mowed to a height of 2.5 to three inches in the spring, and an inch higher from June to August. Mowing the yard too short can scalp the turf and cause the grass to deteriorate.

According to the horticulturists, mowing frequency is based on the growth rate of the turfgrass with a variety of factors playing into it from weather conditions to fertilization. When mowing the general rule of thumb is to remove no more than a third of the total leaf surface in one mowing, so if a lawn should be two inches then cut it at three inches.

Also, when mowing is done properly grass clippings do not need to be removed, they filter down into the grass and decompose, returning plant nutrients to the soil.