A Beginner’s Guide to Mowing Your Clarksville Lawn

As the owner of Classic Southern Lawns here in Clarksville, I’ve seen just about everything when it comes to lawn care. While many folks know how to start up a mower and push it around their yard, there’s a big difference between just cutting grass and achieving that professional look we’re known for across Montgomery County. I wanted to share some insights along with specific tips for lawn mowing in Clarksville and Sango properties. A big shoutout to Silver Cymbal for creating this great video on proper mowing techniques!

With over 7,500 lawns mowed since we started in 2021 and a 95% customer retention rate, we’ve learned what works best for Tennessee lawns. Our team of 8 professionals brings over 80 years of combined experience to every property we service.

Common Lawn Mowing Mistakes in Clarksville

The number one mistake I see homeowners make in Clarksville and Fort Campbell areas is using their lawn mower like an edger. We all want to get as close as possible to those garden beds to avoid extra work, but trust me – it’s a losing game.

With our local clay-heavy soil, especially in Sango and Saint Bethlehem neighborhoods, one wheel slipping into a garden bed can not only scalp your lawn but also dull or damage your mower blade. The summer heat we get here in Tennessee makes your lawn even more vulnerable to stress from improper mowing.

Instead, at Classic Southern Lawns, we always trim, edge, and blow with every service. We use a two-step approach with our string trimmers – first a horizontal pass to knock down tall grass, then a vertical pass for that clean, sharp edge that makes our customers’ lawns stand out in neighborhoods like Liberty Park and West Creek.

Changing Your Mowing Pattern for Healthier Lawns

Here in Clarksville, with our mix of Bermuda, Fescue, and Kentucky Bluegrass lawns, changing your mowing direction is even more important than in other regions.

Our professional crews rotate their mowing patterns every service. Not only does this prevent ruts in your lawn (especially important during our rainy springs), but it also helps prevent grass from growing permanently in one direction.

For our Clarksville customers with Bermuda grass lawns, this practice is particularly beneficial as it helps prevent that “grain” effect where the grass lays over in one direction. With our advanced striping technology on our equipment, we can create those beautiful patterns that make your lawn stand out in the neighborhood.

How Often Should You Mow Your Clarksville Lawn?

One of the most common questions we get from homeowners in Fields of Northmeade, Farmington, and other neighborhoods is about mowing frequency.

In Clarksville, our growing season is longer than many parts of the country. During peak growing season (April through early July), we typically recommend weekly mowing at minimum. For the best-looking lawns in neighborhoods like Savannah and Hickory Wild, we actually recommend twice weekly during peak growth periods.

However, during our hot, sometimes drought-prone July and August, growth often slows, and you might get by with mowing every 10 days. This is where our flexible scheduling with skips and slides comes in handy – we can adjust your mowing schedule based on actual growth patterns, not just the calendar.

Mower Equipment: Focus on the Blade, Not the Brand

Many homeowners get caught up in which brand or type of mower is best. The truth is, the quality of your mower blade matters far more than whether you spent $300 or $3,000 on your mower.

At Classic Southern Lawns, we’re not “Chuck with the truck” – we maintain our equipment meticulously. We sharpen our blades regularly, which is especially important with our local Fescue lawns that can dull blades faster than many other grass types.

If you’re mowing your own lawn, I’d recommend sharpening your blade (or having it professionally sharpened) at least twice per season. A sharp blade is particularly important for lawns in neighborhoods like Woodlawn Estates, where many homeowners take pride in their landscape.

The 1/3 Rule: Important but Flexible

You’ll often hear lawn care professionals talk about never cutting more than 1/3 of the grass blade height at once. While this is generally good advice, especially for our Tennessee fescue lawns, it’s also a guideline that has some flexibility.

What’s more important is consistency. In our experience servicing over 150 lawns weekly throughout Montgomery County, lawns that get cut regularly almost never have issues with the 1/3 rule because the grass never gets too tall between cuts.

This is one reason why our weekly or bi-weekly mowing packages are so popular – they ensure your lawn stays at the optimal height without stress. If you’ve let your lawn grow too tall (it happens to everyone at some point), it’s better to make two passes a few days apart rather than scalping it all at once.

The Ideal Cutting Height for Clarksville Lawns

The best cutting height depends significantly on your grass type, which varies across our service areas.

For cool-season Fescue lawns common in Clarksville, especially in newer developments like Liberty Park, we recommend 3-3.5 inches during most of the season, with a slight raise to 3.5-4 inches during the hottest summer months.

For Bermuda grass lawns more common in established neighborhoods and commercial properties, we typically cut between 1.5-2.5 inches, depending on the specific variety and the season.

What makes our approach different is that we adjust cutting heights based on both the season and your specific lawn’s needs – not a one-size-fits-all approach. This customized mowing is one reason we maintain our 4.9-star rating across our reviews.

Putting It All Together

Taking care of your lawn in Clarksville doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does require consistency and the right techniques. By avoiding common mistakes like using your mower as an edger, changing your mowing pattern, keeping your blade sharp, and cutting at the right height for your specific grass type, you’ll be well on your way to a lawn that makes your neighbors envious.

If you’d rather put your lawn on autopilot and leave the work to the professionals, our team at Classic Southern Lawns is here to help. With our trim, edge, blow, and mow service included with every visit, flexible scheduling options, and background-checked, professional team, we take the hassle out of lawn care.

Contact us today at (931) 391-3617 or visit our website at www.classicsouthernlawns.com to get an affordable quote back in less than 24 hours. We’re so confident in our service that if you don’t like your first cut, we won’t send a bill!

Rob Wright is the owner of Classic Southern Lawns, serving Clarksville and surrounding areas in Montgomery County since 2021. His team of lawn care professionals specializes in creating beautiful, healthy lawns with an emphasis on quality, reliability, and customer satisfaction.