NJ Lawns Community

Hey everyone, just bought a house in Glen Rock and I'm trying to figure out the right mowing height for my lawn. Previous owner told me it's a mix of Kentucky Bluegrass and perennial ryegrass but didn't leave any notes on maintenance. I keep seeing conflicting advice online - some say 2.5 inches, others say 3+ inches. It's early June now and I want to make sure I'm not scalping it before summer hits. This is my first mixed grass lawn so any local advice would be appreciated!

Welcome to Glen Rock! You'll love it here. For that mix, I'd aim for around 3 inches minimum. I've got the same blend in my backyard in Ridgewood and I've found that KBG really doesn't like being cut too short - it stresses the grass out and makes it prone to disease. The rule of thumb I use is "mow high, mow often". Since we've had such a wet spring, you might need to mow twice a week to not remove more than 1/3 of the blade at a time. Don't bag it either - those clippings decompose fast and feed the lawn.

Thanks! That's reassuring because I was worried 3 inches would look too long. My neighbor mentioned he's been mowing his at 2 inches and his lawn looks fine, but I wasn't sure if that was the right approach. When you say don't bag it - do you mean just leave the clippings on the lawn even when it's wet? We've had some rain this week and everything feels pretty damp out there.

Honestly, your neighbor might be fine now but wait until July/August when we get those humidBergen County heat waves. Tall fescue handles abuse better but KBG and perennial rye are more finicky. I made the mistake of mowing at 2 inches my first summer and had brown patch everywhere. And yeah, leave the clippings unless they're clumping. Wet grass does clump though - I got one of those little牟 mulching blades from ACE Hardware in Paramus and it makes a huge difference. Worth the $40 investment.

Ouch, brown patch is exactly what I was worried about. Good to know about the ACE Hardware mulching blade - I'll check there this weekend. One more question: should I be fertilizing now or wait until fall? The previous owner left a bag of Scott's in the garage but I'm not sure what schedule works best for this blend.

For Memorial Day weekend timing you're actually about right on schedule - KBG likes a nitrogen boost in late spring/early summer. But go easy! I'd use half the recommended amount and water it in well. Honestly though, I switched to organic granular from Lakewood Turf in Waldwick a few years back and the soil health is so much better now. The initial cost is higher but you get fewer issues long term. If you're thinking about aeration, that'll be your best friend for that mix - do it in late August when the weather cools a bit. Happy to DM you my lawn guy's number if you want, he's based in Fair Lawn and knows the local soil issues really well.