Everyone facing Bermuda grass lawn care shares one thing in common. You’ve got to mow it. And do you realize that you’ll likely spend at least 40 hours a year behind the mower seeking that manicured look of Bermuda greenliness?

Yet like Kermit the Frog says, it’s not easy being green. That’s because some find mowing the lawn to be a chore best done as rarely as possible. Yet how (often) you mow affects how your lawn looks in a big way. And too many of us are making any number of common mowing mistakes. Which results in potentially fatal damage to the very grass we’re trying to lovingly cultivate.

To keep it simple I’ve got five rules of mowing for better Bermuda grass lawn care. If you follow them you’ll have the best chance of gazing over the best looking lawn on the block.

Tip #1 ABC. ABC refers to Always Be Cutting - With a Sharp Blade. Easy enough to remember right? That’s because you want to cut the grass not rip it off. And to cut it properly you need a sharp blade. To most easily insure that you want to have two blades. Start each spring with a fresh and nicely sharpened one. Then in the middle of the summer replace the first one with nicely sharpened blade #2. A two blade system like this makes it easier to always be cutting with a sharp blade.

Tip #2: Don’t scalp the Bermuda. That’s right. It’s a common mistake is to cut TOO short which is a huge Bermuda grass lawn care boo-boo. Remember each time you cut the grass you’re stressing it out. So when caring for Bermuda grass never cut more than one third of the blade off at a time.

Tip #3: More is better than less when it comes to mowing. Which is to say it’s better to mow more often to insure you’re not cutting too much off at a time.

Tip #4: Leave the clippings since they are a natural way to feed your grass. Clippings also reduce the amount of water the grass needs to stay green and healthy looking.

Tip #5 Mow dry. Sometimes easier said than done but mowing long grass that’s wet is a sure fire recipe for those dreaded clumps.

There you go. Follow these five simple Bermuda grass lawn care tips and greener grass can be yours in no time. No matter what Kermit says.