Welcome to the American dream, a home of your own and in most cases a lawn of your own. Depending on your outlook, lawn care and landscaping can be very rewarding. Few things do more for a home’s curb appeal than a nicely groomed front yard. Here is some basic information you should know before you pull the mower out of the garage and begin the weekend ritual of mowing the lawn. The first and most important rule in mowing your lawn is never cut more off the top than 1/3 of your lawn’s total height. If you don’t know what type of grass you have, check with a local expert and ask for the recommended height after mowing. In most cases it will be around three inches tall. Once you know the recommended height, you can gauge how often you will need to mow to keep your lawn happy and healthy. Remember your lawn is not a golf course, mow it too short and you risk exposing and burning the roots. After you have mowed your lawn be sure to clean up any grass clippings from the sidewalk and street with a broom or blower. This completes the job and your new neighbors will appreciate it.