Okay, here is my blog post about whether grass should be cut before fertilizing:
So, I’ve been trying to get my lawn looking like one of those fancy golf courses. You know, the kind where the grass is so perfect it almost looks fake? Yeah, that’s the dream. Anyway, I was doing some reading online and came across this whole debate about whether you should mow your lawn before or after you put down fertilizer. Some folks swear you gotta mow first, others say it doesn’t matter, and some even say mowing after is better. I was confused, so I decided to put it to the test myself.

Experiment time!
First things first, I split my backyard into two sections. Let’s call them Section A and Section B. For Section A, I grabbed my trusty mower and gave the grass a good trim. Nothing too crazy, just a regular cut to keep things neat. Then, I sprinkled some fertilizer pellets all over it, following the instructions on the bag like a good homeowner. Watered it in, and that was that for Section A.
Now, for Section B, I did things a bit differently. I skipped the mowing and went straight for the fertilizer. Spread it out just like I did in Section A, watered it, and then gave it a mow a couple of days later. I figured this way, I could see if mowing before or after made any kind of real difference.
The waiting game
- Week 1: Honestly, not much to report. Both sections looked pretty much the same. The grass was growing, but nothing out of the ordinary.
- Week 2: Okay, now we’re talking. Section A, the one I mowed first, was definitely looking greener and thicker. Section B was alright, but it just didn’t have the same “oomph,” you know?
- Week 3: No contest. Section A was the clear winner. It was like, seriously lush and healthy-looking. Section B was okay, but it was kind of patchy in some spots and just didn’t look as vibrant.
My conclusion
So, after this little experiment, I’m definitely in the “mow before fertilizing” camp. It just seems like the fertilizer gets down to the roots better when the grass is shorter. Maybe it’s because there’s less grass for the fertilizer to get caught on, or maybe it’s something else entirely. I’m no scientist, but the results speak for themselves. At least, that’s how it worked out in my backyard.
Now, I’m not saying this is the definitive answer for everyone. Your results might be different depending on your grass type, your fertilizer, and probably a bunch of other stuff I haven’t even thought of. But if you’re on the fence about whether to mow before fertilizing, give it a try. You might just be surprised at the difference it makes!