A lush, thick, and well-maintained lawn is the goal for many gardeners, and why wouldn’t it be? The yard looks attractive and eliminates the weeds on its own. For this reason, lawn care professionals advise mowing grass regularly to achieve such a lawn. But the big question is, does cutting grass make it grow faster?

Properly cutting grass makes it grow faster and stronger, as it relies on photosynthesis to keep growing. Photosynthesis depends on leaves, which catch sunlight to aid the process.

When you cut lawn, the leaf area available reduces. As a result, the turf maximizes its efforts to yield as many leaves as possible within a short period.

The grass will put extra effort into new growth and spread by producing runners.

Will Cutting Grass Make It Grow Faster?

Mowing grass will encourage it to grow and spread faster as long as you cut it correctly. Although it’s a stressful practice, it helps stimulate the turf, thus growing faster, thicker, and stronger.

This is because grass relies on photosynthesis to develop. As you know, lawn cutting reduces the leaf area available. So, when cut, the blades respond by producing more growth to encourage photosynthesis, as the process depends on leaves to capture sunlight.

Therefore, the turf will concentrate its energy on runners and blades for spreading and new growth.

However, avoid cutting it shorter than 2 inches each mowing session to allow it to grow faster. The reason is that cutting grass too short results in unhealthy growth patterns. Short turf concentrates its energy only on blade development.

As a result, the roots become shallow as they are not growing and cannot properly absorb nutrients. This makes the yard patchy, and some parts turn brown.

Benefits of Letting Grass Grow Long

Here are the three surprising benefits of not mowing lawn;

1. Attracts pollinators

Tall grass encourages the growth of dandelions and wild violets, which produce flowers that attract butterflies, bees, and pollinating insects.

2. Long grass conserves water

Long grass shades the soil surface, keeping the ground moist for an extended period. This reduces the need to water the lawn frequently.

3. Stops weeds

Keeping your grass long chokes low-growing weeds like clover and crabgrass by blocking the sunlight.

When Not to Cut Grass

There are situations where mowing the grass will do more harm than good. For instance;

• Do not cut the grass if wet, as it will result in an uneven cut. Additionally, mowing wet turf makes it more susceptible to pests and diseases.
• Avoid mowing when the lawn is experiencing drought, as it becomes more stressed and damaged.
• If your yard has lawn diseases, do not mow, as the fungi will spread to other healthy parts.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: How fast does grass grow after mowing?

A: After cutting grass, it recovers within 24 hours. However, consistently water it for two days and avoid walking on it. This will improve the grass’s health and appearance, and it will be lush again in a week. 

Q: What happens to grass if you don’t cut it?

A: Allowing grass to grow too long makes it slowly suffocate. Long grass also shades its roots from various essential nutrients and sunlight sources. Generally, regularly maintained grass is healthier than overly-long turf.

Final Words

If you’re wondering whether cutting grass makes it grow faster, the answer is yes.

Mowing grass properly stimulates it to grow faster, thicker, and stronger. This is because grass relies on photosynthesis to develop, which depends on leaves to capture sunlight vital for the process.

Cutting grass makes it put extra effort into producing new leaves to aid photosynthesis.

However, avoid cutting the grass too short to achieve a healthier and thicker lawn.