Mowing

The action of using a mower to control and remove (where it is boxed off or raked off) vegetation from a surface.

Some benefits of mowing include:
1. By mowing at optimum heights for the different turfgrass species, the mowing operation will encourage both leaf and root development. This results in an improved density of the sward, and ability to withstand wear.
2. Depending on how the mowing operation is carried out, it can influence the growth habit of the grass plant, and also the botanical composition of the sward. And thirdly, mowing is the maintenance operation which has the most influence on the production of a good sward.
3. To provide for a well-prepared surface. This may also typically be presented in stripes or bands.
4. To produce a surface, at the correct height, for the relevant sport being played, or to meet the requirements of a lawn or amenity surface.

Typically, some 50%, or so, of all maintenance time spent on sports turf areas is undertaken by the mowing operation.

There are 6 main factors that have an impact on the level of quality of any grass sward:
1. The height of cut used; don’t cut too low or scalp the sward.
2. The frequency that the grass is mown, being related to the ‘One-Third’ rule of leaf removal (i.e. aim to remove no more than around 33% of grass leaf per cut so as to reduce stress on the grass plant and not to negatively impact on its development).
3. Whether the mown clippings are removed or left on the sward.
4. The direction that mowing takes place.
5. The sharpness of the cut.
6. The evenness and uniformity of the cut.
7. The frequency of clip.