How High to Mow Bermuda, Zoysia, St. Augustine and Fescue in Alabama

Cutting at the wrong height is the most common mistake we see on Birmingham lawns. Too low and the grass scalps, browns out and lets weeds in. Too high and sun-loving grasses get thin and floppy. Every grass type has its own sweet spot.

Bermuda is the most common sunny lawn in central Alabama. It spreads sideways and gets dense when it is cut low and often – about 1 to 2 inches with a rotary mower, weekly from May to September. Let it grow tall and then cut it short, and you will see brown stems instead of green blades.

Zoysia makes the thick, carpet-like lawns you see in Mountain Brook and Hoover. It grows slower than Bermuda but likes a similar height – 1 to 2 inches. It handles light shade better than Bermuda, and it needs sharp blades: its stiff leaves shred and turn white at the tips when cut with a dull mower.

Centipede is a low-maintenance lawn that does not like to be pushed. Keep it around 1 to 1.5 inches and mow every week or two – it grows slowly and does not need the frequent cutting Bermuda does.

St. Augustine has wide blades and handles shade well. It wants a tall cut – 2.5 to 4 inches. Cutting it short weakens it and makes it more likely to suffer in drought and from chinch bugs.

Fescue is the green-in-winter grass you find in shady yards on the mountain. It is a cool-season grass that struggles in Alabama’s summer heat, so a tall cut – 3 to 4 inches – is essential: the taller leaves shade the soil and keep the roots cooler.

• The one-third rule: never take off more than a third of the blade in one cut. That is why peak season means weekly mowing.
• Sharp blades: a clean cut heals fast; a torn blade browns and invites disease like brown patch.

Not sure what grass you have? Try the mowing height guide on our lawn mowing page, or ask us on your free quote – we will tell you on the first visit.