Why Cutting Back on Mowing in August Might Actually Help Your Lawn

By August, your lawn is exhausted. Sun, dehydration, heat, and traffic severely stress the grass during the course of the summer.

With your lawn in survival mode, mowing may seem unnecessary or even harmful. So should you mow your lawn in August?

We asked three lawn care experts what you should do during this critical time—continue to mow or stop mowing?

When You Should Mow in August

Elworthy explains that your lawn’s growing season slows down in the fall—not in August and late summer. Summer’s stresses create the illusion that the lawn has reached dormancy. 

“You should continue mowing your lawn throughout the summer until the lawn goes into dormancy,” says Lawnbright’s Craig Elworthy.

While your lawn has likely slowed or stopped growing by August, this is not the same as the long period of dormancy that your lawn experiences during fall and winter.

Tammy Sons of TN Nursery agrees that you should mow in August and late summer—but you should take precautions.

“I’m more patient, only mowing when the grass is quite long,” Sons says.

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When to Avoid Mowing in August

It’s rarely necessary to stop mowing in late summer. But if the temperatures skyrocket in late summer, you might consider limiting or avoiding mowing.

Extremely high temperatures will cause your lawn to become stressed, says Chrissie Handley, from Online Turf.

Over the summer, your lawn will grow rapidly. So, it can be tempting to frequently mow to control this voracious growth. But in extremely high temperatures, mowing your lawn can sometimes do more harm than good.

During high temperatures, a better approach than stopping mowing altogether is what Sons calls “maintaining rather than manicuring.” 

Instead of going for that perfect, low-to-the-ground golf course look, focus on smoothing out its shaggy look by mowing high. Concentrate on lopping off only the tallest blades of grass.

August Mowing Precautions

Continue to mow your lawn in August and late summer, but mow less often, keep the grass longer, and use a sharp mower blade.

Mow Less Frequently

Scalping your lawn in hot weather can be detrimental to its health, causing areas to die and the lawn to become patchy, says Handley. An easy strategy to avoid scalping is to mow your lawn less often.

In spring and the first half of summer, you’ll generally mow your lawn every seven to 10 days. In late summer and August, change your mowing schedule to once every two weeks or so.

Mow Higher

Mow with a high mower blade in August. Longer grass promotes deeper root growth, which is vital in supporting the grass through dry spells. 

“I raise the mower blades to three or four inches high, which shades the soil, retains moisture, and protects the roots from the summer heat,” Sons says.

Mow With a Sharp Blade

Make sure that your mower blade is sharp, says Elworthy.

“A dull blade will tear the grass, which will make it susceptible to disease in the hot and humid weather.”

Torn grass has ragged edges that lose moisture, adds Sons. When the grass is dry, it’s more at risk of being stressed or damaged. 

Tips for August Lawn Care

Follow these tips to keep your lawn happy and healthy during its most stressful time of the year—August.

• Water after mowing: Give your lawn plenty of water after you’ve mowed the lawn, Handley says. This encourages the lawn to continue to grow and replaces any moisture lost due to the impact of the mower blades on the grass.
• Avoid or limit fertilization: Don’t fertilize the grass in an attempt to accelerate lawn growth or turn it green, says Handley. It’s best to avoid fertilizing a lawn in hot weather, as this practice can burn your lawn and create dead patches.
• Mow when it’s cool and dry: “If the weather is hot and dry, I wait to mow until early morning when the grass is dry and the air is cooler,” Sons says. This helps to reduce stress on the turf.
• Mow low when overseeding: If you’re overseeding, you’ll want to start cutting the grass lower, reminds Elworthy. This helps the grass seeds and nutrients gain better access to the soil. Wait until late August to start mowing at a lower height.