Government Statistics show that lawn care is the number one leisure activity for home owners. Some people love the task while others despise it. Either way, there's more to mowing than you might think. When mowed properly, a lawn will grow thicker and have deeper root growth, which makes it more durable and helps fight weeds, insects, and diseases.

There are basically two common mowing errors:

• The first is that the lawn isn't mowed often enough,
• The second is the grass is cut too short

Other lawn hazards include:

Sharp Blades - If mower blades are dull, your grass will be shredded, rather than cut cleanly, which will cause discoloration at the tips. Rotary mowers should be sharpened several times during the season. (Reel type mowers usually only need sharpening once a year, but should be adjusted to cut cleanly.)

Damaged Grass - Lawns recovering from drought, insect damage, and disease will do better if you raise the mower height a notch or two until the grass has fully recovered.

Wet or Wilted Grass - Cutting wet grass can cause clippings to clump together and smother your lawn, causing brown areas. Cutting wilted grass, especially during the hot part of the day, can also cause severe damage to your lawn.

To provide you with a better understanding of the different requirements of each species and variety, we have listed tips on each below.

Mow the common variety to a height of 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches. Remove only 1/3 of the growth of the blade of grass at a time. Thatch buildup can be a problem with Bermuda. You can reduce thatch by always using a grass catcher or rake after mowing, but you will also have to dethatch at least once a year (or more if necessary) in early spring.

Mow Tifgreen weekly during the warm season with a grass catcher attachment. A seven or more blade front throw reel type mower will give best results. Rotary mowers will not do a satisfactory job on hybrid bermudas. Adjust your mower to between 1/4 and 3/4 inch cutting height, depending on individual preference. Avoid scalping.

A cutting height of 1/4 to 1/2 inch will give a putting green appearance and slow that thatch build-up. Always remove the clippings. For an optimal appearance, mow twice weekly during the summer months.

Tifway 419 should be mowed at least weekly during the growing season with a reel mower. Clippings are best removed. It should be mowed to a height of 1/2 to 1 inch. Avoid scalping.

Low growing buffalograss needs only infrequent mowing. Left unmowed it will get to a height of 4 to 5 inches. To keep the male flowers down and to get a uniform appearance, mow with a sharp blade, at a height of about one inch.

This will help improve the appearance of the turf. The buffalo grass should be mowed to reduce the height of the grass by no more than 1/3 to 1/2 of its total height. That is, when the turf gets to 1 1/2 to 2 inches it should be cut back to one inch. In late spring, mowing may need to be done every two weeks. Later in the season mowing every 3 to 4 weeks probably will be adequate.

On irrigated golf course fairways, buffalograss is mowed weekly at 1 inch. Without irrigation, it is mowed only as needed at a 1 inch height. In rough areas on golf courses, buffalograss is mowed only as needed at the heights between 2 and 3 inches.

Mow regularly at height of 2 to 2 1/2 inches. Remove only 1/3 of the growth of the blade of grass at a time. Use a mulching mower and leave the clippings on the lawn to supply about 25% of the fertilizer needs of the lawn. A healthy growing lawn will not develop thatch due to clippings as the clippings are 90% water and generally decompose in 7-10 days.

Mow regularly at height of 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches. Remove only 1/3 of the growth of the blade of grass at a time. Use a mulching mower and leave the clippings on the lawn to supply about 25% of the fertilizer needs of the lawn.

Thatch buildup can be a problem with St. Augustine. Dethatch once a year (or more if necessary) in spring or fall. Set height at 1/4 to 1/2 inch to dethatch your lawn. Do not set machine lower than 1/4 inch. This should be done in the Spring After renovation, fertilize and water your lawn to speed up recovery.

Close, frequent mowing produces the finest zoysiagrass turf. But, most people compromise some quality for less frequent mowing. On golf courses and athletic fields, zoysia grass should be mowed at a 3/4 to 1 inch height every 3 to 5 days.

On lawns growing in full sun, zoysiagrass may be mowed at a height of 1 to 2 inches every 5 to 7 days. Less frequent mowing at these recommended heights results in scalping and generally poor quality turf. Remove only 1/3 of the growth of the blade of grass at a time.

In shaded sites, zoysia grass should be mowed slightly higher than recommended for lawns in full sun. Mowing frequency should not change for shaded sites even though the mowing height is slightly increased.

Zoysia grass lawns tend to build up a thatch layer, a layer of undecomposed organic residues just above the soil surface. Proper mowing is essential to prevent the accumulation of thatch in zoysiagrass turf. Frequent mowing at recommended heights and clipping removal help prevent thatch accumulation. Avoiding excessive applications of nitrogen fertilizer also helps prevent thatch accumulation.

Occasionally, thatch removal by mechanical means is required to prevent serious deterioration of zoysiagrass turf. Vertical mowers or flail mowers may be used to remove excess thatch from zoysiagrass turf. Thatch removal should be done well before fall to allow ample time for regrowth. Scalping the lawn in early spring to remove accumulated growth will also help prevent thatch accumulation.