Q: I have a small lawn service and occasionally a customer will have a neglected yard with very tall grass. How do I get the mowing height back down to the recommended three inches?

A: Do the initial cut at your mower’s highest setting. No doubt the lawn will look terrible at this height, but it will begin producing green leaves at a lower level. Reduce the mowing height by one adjustment notch on the mower each week until you reach the recommended height.