In the DFW spring and summer growing season, mow your lawn about once a week, and never remove more than the top third of the grass blade in a single cut. Bermuda is happiest cut short, Zoysia and St. Augustine want it taller, and every grass should go higher in peak summer. Mowing on the right schedule and height does more for a North Texas lawn than almost anything else. Here is how to dial it in.
The one-third rule
Never cut off more than the top third of the blade at once. Scalping a lawn shocks it, exposes the soil to weeds, and bakes the roots in our heat. If the grass got tall, bring it down over two mows a few days apart rather than one hard cut.
Mowing height by grass type
- Bermuda: 1.5 to 2.5 inches. It likes it short and dense. Let it creep up toward the high end in July and August.
- Zoysia: 1.5 to 3 inches. A bit taller than Bermuda, lush and slow-growing.
- St. Augustine: 2.5 to 4 inches. The tallest of the three; never scalp it. Higher in shade.
Raising the height in peak summer lets the grass shade its own roots and hold moisture between your two allowed watering days.
How often, by season
- Spring (growing fast): about once a week.
- Peak summer: weekly, sometimes every 5 to 6 days for Bermuda in full sun.
- Fall (slowing): every 1 to 2 weeks.
- Winter (dormant): little to none for Bermuda and Zoysia.
A few habits that matter
- Keep the blade sharp. A dull blade tears the grass and leaves a brown, ragged tip.
- Vary the direction each mow so the grass does not lean and rut.
- Leave the clippings (grasscycle) when they are short; they feed the lawn.
A consistent weekly cut at the right height is the foundation. The rest is watering and timing, covered in the complete guide to lawn care in North Texas.