# simple lawn-keeping question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 12, 2004, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-lawn-keeping-question/224126 "2004-01-12T05:23:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![abby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@abby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abby)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-lawn-keeping-question/224126/1 "2004-01-12T05:23:27Z")
Hi I recently bought my own house, and have the pleasure of tending to my own garden now. Over the “holiday” season seems like it would have been a good time, but it did not work out that way. I realy want a nice green lawn, but I have let the grass go too long, 8 to 10 inches in the back yard. This is from turf, that was laid in early spring. The front lawn, mostly grassy weeds, is longer - 12 to 15 inches. I’d just “mow the damn thing” as a friend advises, but I have this nagging recollection that a gardner told me if you cut long crass short, it’ll all die. Have I confused myself, or is this the case? What length should I cut this long, healthy grass this first time (I plan to cut it every week or so after I have it under control. Thanks. abby ---
**Author:** ![Black\_Train\_Song](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@Black\_Train\_Song](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Black_Train_Song)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-lawn-keeping-question/224126/2 "2004-01-12T05:29:59Z")
I don’t know but I’d start out with the highest setting on your mower and work your way down each week. Why would you let the grass get that high to begin with anyway? ---
**Author:** ![abby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@abby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abby)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-lawn-keeping-question/224126/3 "2004-01-12T05:36:02Z")
No mower, no time… the usual reasons. Good idea, Rooves. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-lawn-keeping-question/224126/4 "2004-01-12T06:05:10Z")
When we bought our house, the original owners were going through a divorce and each decided that mowing was not _their_ obligation. When we moved in in late July, the lawn had not been mowed since May. We first asked a friend to loan us her brush hog and knocked down the high stuff. (It took two tries and a _lot_ of raking–we have well over an acre.) After that, we simply mowed regularly. We also have a meadow behind the barn that I prefer to not mow, but occasionally I have a need to clear out a swath across it. I simply mow across it (generally on the high setting of the riding mower the first time) and then continue mowing through the year. We have Kentucky Bluegrass in the front yard (broad, flat leaves) and a mixture of rye and fescue in the back and I have never had any patch die from mowing. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-lawn-keeping-question/224126/5 "2004-01-12T06:44:58Z")
Your grass will be all right as long as you don’t cut too much meristem: > [@](#): > > Grass plants have an intercalary meristem at the base of each leaf which allows the leaf to regrow after mowing, even though the leaf tip has been removed. It operates differently than an apical meristem. An intercalary meristem is more like squeezing toothpaste out of tube because growth occurs at the base. With an apical meristem, it is more like stacking blocks because growth occurs just behind the tip. [How does a plant grow?](http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/apr2001/987482614.Bt.r.html) In most turf grasses, the meristematic tissue is down low, near the ground, and mowing doesn’t pose a problem. If you let the stuff overgrow too often, the meristems may end up on a cuttable stalk. Corn plants for example, do not respond well to mowing. I’ve no idea what the deal would be with whatever you plant down under, but a simple inspection will show you where the bases of the leaves join the main stem. Don’t cut off **all** the leaf bases. ---
**Author:** ![abby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@abby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abby)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-lawn-keeping-question/224126/6 "2004-01-12T07:11:09Z")
ahH! Thanks Sqink, seems pretty obvious now you mention it! Thanks! If I cut frequently (weekly), will these meristematic tissues be “trained” to grow lower to the ground? This also seems logical…? abby ---
**Author:** ![The\_Long\_Road](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5a626/32.png) [@The\_Long\_Road](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Long_Road)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-lawn-keeping-question/224126/7 "2004-01-12T07:14:36Z")
I would have to agree with the highest setting comment, not only to help the grass but to keep from killing yourself through exertion. It won’t kill the grass but it’s not doing it too much good. Usually you want to cut at most 1/3 of the length. It might be brown after cut but if you keep it cut it will regain its original color. Giving the yard a once over with some time released nitrogen rich fertilizer will help it to stay healthy. Remember that by cutting it and removing the clippings, you are removing nutrients that would otherwise have gone back into the soil.