How much does grass grow?

[City Guy]

This may seem like a dumb question but I'm serious. I noticed a patch of grass in my lawn where I hadn't mowed for 2 weeks and it is 5-6 inches higher than the rest. I know for a fact it was cut in very late October. Did it actually grow that much in November? I know so many factors are involved, but can this be true? It is regular contractor grass in Central Ill. I subscribe to a lawn service and they do a good job--lawn looks great (except for the occasional mole damage). I may be wrong about the mowing dates--but I don't think so.
Also, does mowing or grazing, properly, increase total grass production?

 

[Supa Dexta]

It obviously grew if it's there, And yes proper cutting increases yields - if you just left it and only cut it once, that's all you are getting. If you cut it multiple times, you're getting not only more of it but better grass also.

 

[dun]

Several things come into play. The type of grass being foremost. KY31 will grow during cool weather better than any other common type, some of the warm weather type grasses will grow better in warmer weather. If growing conditions are right, mowing/grazing will help grass grow better than unmowed/ungrazed grasses. That's the principle behind MIG. Keeping the grass vegetive and stimulated to replace what has been removed.

 

[Rafter S]

I noticed a patch of grass in my lawn where I hadn't mowed for 2 weeks and it is 5-6 inches higher than the rest.

Maybe that's the dog's favorite spot to do its business.

 

[ClinchValley]

There is a peak on the grass growth curve. Grows fastest when, say, we don't cut it below 4-5 inches. That why we lawn guys cut as high as we can. Higher it gets cut the more it will grow. Taller grass vs short grass is to large solar panel vs small solar panel. Obviously more at play than photosynthesis but that is my observation. Same reason we don't cut to the ground when mowing hay. We want it to grow back quick as possible.

How short does your lawn crew mow this time of year?

 

[ClinchValley]

If you want to save money on mowing tell them to cut it short. But get ready to hurt their feelings. Haha.

 

[greybeard]

I noticed a patch of grass in my lawn where I hadn't mowed for 2 weeks and it is 5-6 inches higher than the rest.

Maybe that's the dog's favorite spot to do its business.

Been my experience, that where dogs do their business, lawn grass does poorly--not better. Brown dead spots in yards all over subdivisions are usually caused by it. It doesn't decompose very fast & I think a dog turd has a half life of about 18 months...

 

[City Guy]

Didn't mean to confuse anyone. The service just provides fertilizer, etc and aerates, I do the mowing, trimming and edging.(My wife likes to mow so I let her and I do the other stuff)
I cut at 2 1/2 inches unless it is very wet then at about 2" so it gets more sunlight at ground level to prevent mold.

Lots of dogs in the neighborhood but owners are pretty good at picking up after them.

 

[Jogeephus]

I have a spot of grass that is always higher than the rest and surprisingly its by a tree that produces a lot of shade. You would think the shade would make the grass grow slower. I probably should cut it down but it is a pecan and bears good nuts and the tree's shade in the summer is nice and gives a comfortable place to fill the fertilizer buggy. I wonder if pecans make grass grow faster. :hide:

 

[Supa Dexta]

Depends on the time of yr ^ Grass along the south side of a building really takes off in spring, as the heat radiates off a building, but mid summer when its dry and blistering hot that grass burns up and dies off first.

Same with tree shade, as the grass in a north/east corner dries up and dies off, the shaded south line will be green and still growing. You'll also run into some fertilizing action with a tree that drops its leaves in that spot.

 

[TexasBred]

This may seem like a dumb question but I'm serious. I noticed a patch of grass in my lawn where I hadn't mowed for 2 weeks and it is 5-6 inches higher than the rest. I know for a fact it was cut in very late October. Did it actually grow that much in November? I know so many factors are involved, but can this be true? It is regular contractor grass in Central Ill. I subscribe to a lawn service and they do a good job--lawn looks great (except for the occasional mole damage). I may be wrong about the mowing dates--but I don't think so.
Also, does mowing or grazing, properly, increase total grass production?

Depends on the type of grass, temperature, fertilize and moisture. No concrete answer.

 

[greybeard]

It does help to leave the grass cuttings where the mower drops them. My sister about 8 miles up the road never liked seeing the little windrows of cut grass and for about 10 years has bagged hers as she cuts and her 'yard' is mostly weeds now. henbit, dollar weed, crabgrass and some other kind of creeper and she can't understand why her grass dies. No fert either. I keep tellin her "You can't just keep taking nutrients out of the soil, never put nothing back, and expect it to grow good grass" but she won't listen.
:bang:

 

[ClinchValley]

Just a wild thought here. I have time and time again wondered if trees mine nutes and bring them up to the grasses short roots. Grass is much greener around trees. Not just under them IMO.

City - Youre just keeping the grass in a retarded state. Nothing wrong with that. Remember roots match vegetation to some degree. So taller grass has longer roots allowing it to grow at a higher rate.

 

[Jogeephus]

Any chance your man filled his fertilizer hopper in this spot do you or possibly gave it a double dose of fertilizer. Of course if you have a septic system this might have something to do with it too.

 

[10-e-c-dirtfarmer]

Septic tank, field line, water line leaking