Why We Mow at 3 1/4 Inches, and Taller in Summer

The rule we follow

Most lawn companies say they'll mow your grass. We put a number on it. At Yakima's Finest Lawns the blade is set to 3 1/4 inches in spring and fall, and to 3.5 to 4 inches in summer. That isn't a suggestion we bend for whoever calls. It's the rule our crews follow on every weekly and biweekly visit.

We do get asked to cut shorter. People like the look of a tight, low lawn, and a short cut can feel like it buys a few extra days between visits. Our answer is the same every time. Mowing shorter than 3 1/4 inches encourages disease, can damage the grass roots, promotes weed growth, and ruins the overall look of the lawn. We'd rather hold the line than hand you a yard that looks sharp for a week and struggles for the rest of the season.

Why taller wins in a Yakima summer

Summers in the Upper Yakima Valley are hot and dry. Grass blades are what the lawn uses to make its food, and the soil under a taller canopy stays shaded. A lawn mowed at the summer height of 3.5 to 4 inches keeps more leaf working and more shade over the roots, which is exactly what it needs when the afternoons run hot. Cut it down low and you expose the crown of the plant and the soil to the sun right when the lawn can least afford it.

There's a second payoff that surprises people. Thick, tall turf crowds out weeds. Thin and bare patches are where weeds move in, so keeping the grass at a healthy height is one of the cheapest forms of weed control there is. It works alongside any fertilization and weed control program you have, and it makes that program's job easier.

In spring and fall the heat eases off, so we drop to 3 1/4 inches. That's still tall enough to protect the grass, and it keeps the lawn looking tidy through the milder months.

Mulching or bagging

We mulch your clippings as much as we can. Finely cut clippings fall back into the lawn and break down, which returns some nutrients to the soil instead of sending them to the landfill.

Mulching has limits, though. During heavy growth, or when the grass is too wet, a mulching pass can leave clumps sitting on top of the turf, and clumps smother the grass underneath. In those cases we bag. The crew lead makes that call when they arrive at your property, based on what the lawn looks like that day. So if you see bags on one visit and none on the next, nothing is wrong. It usually means the grass was wet or growing hard that week.

What else happens on every visit

Height is only part of a visit. Our crews mow, trim around obstacles and corners, edge where the concrete meets the grass, and blow off the hard surfaces. That means the driveway, sidewalks, patios, decks and patio furniture. The blow-off is what most customers notice first. You walk outside and there's nothing stuck to the walkway.

Edging is the detail that makes the rest of the work read as finished. A clean line along a driveway or a curb tells the neighbors that somebody looks after this yard. It takes a few minutes on each property and it's worth every one of them.

You also know when we're coming. We send an email or text notice before every visit, and we plan our routes each week on Sunday and Wednesday. If you'd like a heads up closer to arrival, a call ahead is available by request.

Skips and rest weeks

Lawns don't grow at the same speed all year. During drier stretches, or toward the beginning and end of the season, the crew lead may decide your lawn would benefit from skipping a week. When that happens they make a note of the skipped service and move on. Otherwise your lawn is mowed weekly, and we also offer biweekly mowing.

You can ask for a skip yourself, too. You get two requested skips per year at no charge, as long as you ask at least 24 hours before your service is scheduled. With less notice than that, or after the second skip, there's a $25 charge per event. We put it in writing here so nothing surprises you on an invoice.

If you'd like your lawn cut by a crew that follows a clear rule, call us at (509) 834-0974 or ask for a free estimate. We serve Yakima, Union Gap, Selah, West Valley, Terrace Heights and Fruitvale.