1. Always mow your grass at 3 inches or higher.  Since grass roots can only grow as deep as the blade is tall, this practice promotes healthy root system development.  It also allows the grass blades to shade their own roots and protect them from the sun.

The best way to ensure this practice is place your mower on a concrete surface and measure the distance between the mower blade and the ground with a tape measure.  Do not rely on the manufacturer's numbered settings, as these are often not based on actual measurements.

2.  Mow often to avoid cutting off more that 1/3 of the total length of the grass blades.  Removing more than 1/3 of a grass blade stresses the lawn, resulting in yellowing of the grass.

3. Sharpen lawn mower blades monthly.  Dull blades shred grass, resulting in stress and increasing the lawn's susceptibility to disease.

4. Leave clippings on the lawn when possible.  This allows nutrients still stored in the clippings to return to the soil through decomposition, effectively re-fertilizing your lawn.  As long as mowing is done properly, this practice will not affect the thatch levels in the lawn.