Why doesn't my grass stand up?

[dlukac]

We purchased this home 5 years ago and the past 2 years I have been spending more time getting the lawn in shape. My front lawn should easily be in the running for neighborhood lawn of the year but my back yard seems to be a different blend of grass than my front (KBG/PR). I regularly mow at 3" after my first cut and have noticed that the grass wants to lie down (it did the same thing last year as well). Nothing I seem to be able to do will get the grass to stand up. I don't think it is because of foot traffic due to the irregular patterns. What can I do to get the grass to stand tall? Any help/suggestions would be appreciated.

[fusebox7]

Looks like fine fescue to me (likes to lay down when taller). The "swirling" pattern is a good indication of that grass type. It can be mowed shorter but I think maybe what you're asking is how you mow it shorter if it's all laying down. That I am not sure about. I have fine fescue in my mix but it's always been maintained between 2-3". That picture sure looks like the grass is longer than 3".

[dlukac]

Correct the grass that lays down is longer because it doesn't get cut

[llO0DQLE]

Looks like my fine fescue that I killed.

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[LoneRanger]

Ya it is way taller than 3 inches. Maybe try lowering to 2" and go back to 3", after it recovers? Also, try lightly raking and mowing at 3" every other day for a week or so.

[ligrass]

No offense but I just can't get over how ugly that grass is. Are you considering a reno in the future? Try giving it a boost of N to perk it up a bit.
I don't know if there's some Triv in there or not, but one of the worst characteristics of Triv is how it lays down similar to that. You could mow and not touch a blade of it.

[bpgreen]

No offense but I just can't get over how ugly that grass is. Are you considering a reno in the future? Try giving it a boost of N to perk it up a bit.
I don't know if there's some Triv in there or not, but one of the worst characteristics of Triv is how it lays down similar to that. You could mow and not touch a blade of it.

If it's fine fescue, it probably doesn't need N. Fine fescue has very low nitrogen needs.

[Tsmith]

If it's laying down and isn't getting cut when you mow try raking it lightly to get it to stand up so it can be cut. Might also want to try going lower than usual just to get it cut then maintain it at 3" to prevent it from falling over again.


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[llO0DQLE]

That was my experience with my Creeping Red Fescue.. you have to keep it 3" or less otherwise it flops down and creates swirls and is hard to mow. I'd have to rake it if it got too long so I can mow it properly and may require a few passes. It was a pain in the but so I killed it.

[optimus2]

Maybe you could use some high lift mower blades? That may help the grass stand up a bit for a nice clean cut.

[northeastlawn]

Do you switch up your pattern when you cut?

Switch up your cutting pattern, I will rotate what direction I cut at every time.

I had something like that last year when I over-seeded and let the existing grass get too long because I was trying to protect the seedlings. The fast growing rye was laying down all the time, cutting it down to 2.5" and cutting from different directions every week solved the problem.

[LoneRanger]

Maybe you could use some high lift mower blades? That may help the grass stand up a bit for a nice clean cut.

High-lift blades? You'd need a shop vac for that mat.

[Mr. Met]

use a blower to fluff it up before you mow, that's if you have a blower or use a rake like somebody else stated

[JHazzardB]

I kinda like the quirkiness of it. It reminds me of Van Gogh's Starry Night!

[TimmyG]

I kinda like the quirkiness of it. It reminds me of Van Gogh's Starry Night!

Or Donald Trump.

[schreibdave]

When I see grass laying down like that, I think "triv." If you grab a handfull and pull it up do you get long stringy white roots that stretch 12- inches or more?

[dlukac]

When I see grass laying down like that, I think "triv." If you grab a handfull and pull it up do you get long stringy white roots that stretch 12- inches or more?

not really. The roots seem to be very shallow. See photos (quarter for scale)

[dlukac]

If it's laying down and isn't getting cut when you mow try raking it lightly to get it to stand up so it can be cut. Might also want to try going lower than usual just to get it cut then maintain it at 3" to prevent it from falling over again.

Right i do a different pattern every 4th cut (north/south, east/west, diagonal 2x), so it does get cut. I've tried using a steel tine leaf rake and it still won't stand vertical. I'll try mowing lower and see if that gets some of it.

I may be looking at a fall reno for this section of my yard.

[dlukac]

I kinda like the quirkiness of it. It reminds me of Van Gogh's Starry Night!

Or Donald Trump.

or a really bad movie like human centipede

[Mr. Met]

looks like fine fescue