What do you think of the striped lawn look?

[Amethyst]

If your lawn is typical tall fescue, 3.5" is a compromise between what "looks" nice, and how much leaf surface the plant needs in order to turn sunlight into energy and fend off weeds.

Longer is better for the plant, naturally, but looks untidy.

I cut my lawn at 3.5". Not sure why other than that is what I set the mower to. I wonder if I should cut it longer?

 

[Act2]

To the original question: no, I really don’t like the striped look!

 

[6miths]

I like the Fenway look. I cut my lawns on the diagonals alternate cuts. It doesn't give you the authentic stripes (for that you really need a drum mower) but I think it looks pretty. I started cutting grass when I was in grade 2. My Dad, like most Englishmen (though two generations removed), loved his grass. Once I did figure-8's on the two 'front' yards of our large corner lot - he did not see the aesthetic of it.

 

[6miths]

That lawn is cut too short. I just accidentally found that same image, ironically in an article entitled "Cutting Grass Too Short: The Most Common Mowing Mistake" In that article, he says: "Most family lawns look beautiful when they’re between 3cm – 6cm high." which is equivalent to 1.2" to 2.4" and is far too short for many grasses and many climates. He barely discusses the different types of grasses, which in itself is a major failing. And grass cut that short will require excess water, fertilizer and maintenance to compensate for the unhealthy length. IDK what type of grass is pictured, so perhaps it's OK being short, but fescue, rye and bluegrass all prefer longer lengths. The author recommends cutting no more than one-third of the leaf off at each mowing, which is common and well-regarded advice. So if your grass is 1.2" tall, you must cut it before it grows one-half inch. You'd be mowing every other day, and maybe every day!

I just cut my mixed Rye and Bluegrass lawn to 5" high and do not see any stripes. But at that length, it looks healthy and requires only minimal maintenance and water. I do have to cut it twice a week, which is a bit of a pain, but I do get twice the exercise!

One of my pet peeves. The guy who cuts the church yard next door cuts it within an inch of its life. Looks like a hay field afterwards but he never follows up with the baler! Always looks like hell in August and holds no water when it rains hard.

One of the annoyances I found when I switched from a Toro to a Honda mower was that the highest height setting was too low. Everyone in Japan must have a putting green for a lawn!

 

[Amethyst]

I recall someone at work telling everyone that he cut his grass on the shortest setting so he wouldn't have to cut it so often.

Many people do not understand that grass is a live plant, whose leaves are what keep it alive - not some annoying carpet whose nap won't stay down.

One of my pet peeves. The guy who cuts the church yard next door cuts it within an inch of its life. Looks like a hay field afterwards but he never follows up with the baler! Always looks like hell in August and holds no water when it rains hard.

!

 

[JoeWras]

When we mow our lawns, we're essentially creating a huge garden of bonzai plants. Scalping the top limits the root growth. Later, if you decide to let your grass grow, the roots can't support it.

The Piedmont of NC and SC is grass no-mans-land. Every species has an issue. Too hot for cool season, too cool for warm season, and so on. If one grows fescue around here, it has to be left long so that the roots don't self-prune, otherwise it will be literal toast in the summer. You don't see a lot of fancy striping being done around here, even at the local professional ball parks.

 

[Midpack]

That lawn is cut too short. I just accidentally found that same image, ironically in an article entitled "Cutting Grass Too Short: The Most Common Mowing Mistake" In that article, he says: "Most family lawns look beautiful when they’re between 3cm – 6cm high." which is equivalent to 1.2" to 2.4" and is far too short for many grasses and many climates. He barely discusses the different types of grasses, which in itself is a major failing. And grass cut that short will require excess water, fertilizer and maintenance to compensate for the unhealthy length. IDK what type of grass is pictured, so perhaps it's OK being short, but fescue, rye and bluegrass all prefer longer lengths. The author recommends cutting no more than one-third of the leaf off at each mowing, which is common and well-regarded advice. So if your grass is 1.2" tall, you must cut it before it grows one-half inch. You'd be mowing every other day, and maybe every day!

I just cut my mixed Rye and Bluegrass lawn to 5" high and do not see any stripes. But at that length, it looks healthy and requires only minimal maintenance and water. I do have to cut it twice a week, which is a bit of a pain, but I do get twice the exercise!

It's grass type dependent. Unlike other places we've lived, the most common grasses here are Tall Fescue and Bermuda. Tall Fescue should be kept longer, whereas Bermuda must be cut lower than most other grasses. The healthiest Bermuda lawns in my neighborhood at cut with reel mowers at less than 1". Bermuda won't tolerate being cut at 3.5" - we have a few neighbors who do and their lawns are a disaster.

 

[Sunset]

I cut our grass at ~3.5" , but when we hire lawn service, they scalp it low and the hot sun bakes it dry in the summer.
But we have no choice as we are not here sometimes.

 

[aja8888]

St. Augustine grass here in HOT Texas. Water twice a week (1" each time), cut high and let it crawl. Not too fancy and it's not a soft type grass. Looks like it's dead in the winter but it pops right back in the Spring.

I cut the back yard, the HOA does the front. No patterns.

 

[ProspectiveBum]

I like the look (I’m also a baseball fan, so maybe there’s a correlation?). I mow my small front and back lawns with a reel mower, and I get no stripes, and I’m not interested in whatever extra work would be required to generate them.

 

[dheb]

If my mower didn't leave stripes, I sure wouldn't do extra work to have 'em.

 

[Koolau]

St. Augustine grass here in HOT Texas. Water twice a week (1" each time), cut high and let it crawl. Not too fancy and it's not a soft type grass. Looks like it's dead in the winter but it pops right back in the Spring.

I cut the back yard, the HOA does the front. No patterns.

I noticed when in St. Augustine (of all places) that the grass is NOT fun to walk on bare footed. YMMV

 

[street]

Come late week I'm going to strip mine. Lol I did a few short runs a few days ago and they are still carved in the grass even after about 2 inches of rain.

I will post a picture when I strip the yard. I may not like it but will have some fun trying something new. Lol

 

[ls99]

I pay a kid to cut grass at the house. Whatever he does is fine.

 

[cat4ever]

I've always said, they should have hung the guy who invented lawns. It wouldn't be so bad if it were optional, but it seems all home owners are compelled to perform this never ending ritual of IMO wasted time, effort and money at the penalty of facing fines, liens being put on your house and/or public shaming.

 

[Gumby]

It is optional. The guy two doors down from me does not have a lawn, just a lushly planted lot. It stands out, but there are no rules against it.

 

[Koolau]

It is optional. The guy two doors down from me does not have a lawn, just a lushly planted lot. It stands out, but there are no rules against it.

Some HOAs do have such rules.

Down the street from the homestead there is a very steeply slanted front yard. For years, they struggled to hold the hill with grass, but the trees all around kept the grass stunted and the hill always washed. SO, they concreted (or asphalted) the hill and painted it green. Lovely though YMMV

 

[cat4ever]

Most people equate "it stands out" with a form of "public shaming". It's just funny how it became such a de rigueur part of suburbia, I've always wondered why.

 

[Gumby]

Some HOAs do have such rules....

To the best of my knowledge, there aren't "homeowners' associations" around here in Connecticut. We have all been living here together for almost 400 years now and have learned to get along with each other. There are a few rules for the common good, but mostly people mind their own business.

 

[Koolau]

To the best of my knowledge, there aren't "homeowners' associations" around here in Connecticut. We have all been living here together for almost 400 years now and have learned to get along with each other. There are a few rules for the common good, but mostly people mind their own business.

You are indeed fortunate. HOAs are notorious for gagging at a gnat and swallowing a camel but YMMV.

 

[Gumby]

Most people equate "it stands out" with a form of "public shaming". It's just funny how it became such a de rigueur part of suburbia, I've always wondered why.

If ten guys wear blue jeans, are they publicly shaming the one guy who wears khaki pants? Or are they just all dressing as they see fit?

 

[6miths]

To the best of my knowledge, there aren't "homeowners' associations" around here in Connecticut. We have all been living here together for almost 400 years now and have learned to get along with each other. There are a few rules for the common good, but mostly people mind their own business.

No HOA's in Canada either. Maybe it's a northern thing?

 

[Old Microbiologist]

I'm with Joe on this. We (meaning my full time gardener/maintenance guy) cut our grass high which leaves no strips. On top of that the "yard" is broken into multiple irregular sections broken with many sidewalks or bushes,trees, shrubs, and flower beds. In general it is mowed first with an edge trimmer, followed by a 3 wheel powered mower for the edge areas and finally a lawn tractor for the larger spaces. Mowing is ordinarily a 3 hour job once a week. The end result is a nice parklike appearance.

 

[Old Microbiologist]

I will add our property is entirely fenced with 9 foot high security fencing (done in stone base topped with concrete and elegant columns every 3 meters and the intervals with rigid welded frame and mesh topped with spikes all painted white. Inside this fencing are 30 foot high Leyland cypress hedge running the entire perimeter of the property. No one except guests know what it looks like at all as this provides complete security and privacy. Lately, we had to remove 15 Cypress (not disease resistant) that died and have replaced them with 3 meter high Leyland Cypress so that part is now exposed to the world and pour street has many walkers on it so a lot of galkers now. The Cypress grow at a rate of 1 meynert a year so will block the view in a couple of years. In Europe all wild-type Cypress are dying due to some kind of fungal rot which is killing roughly 75% of all of the non-disease resistant ones. So far, I have only found the Leyland species to be resistant. Sadly, it contains the same oil (urushiol) found in poison ivy so I can't get near them myself.

 

[WhenIsItTime]

I am surprised at the lazy answers in this thread or the "just cut it" is good enough view point. The same drive and diligence that got me to FIRE exists in all parts of my life. Why just mow, when you can mow and have stripes.

This image is a little excessive. Had to double cut due growth and to better mulch clippings. No fancy rollers, etc. Just healthy lawn cut with care. Previous weeks pattern still showing. Somehow, very satisfying.