Lawn Seasons

Lawns Still Need Mowing in Fall

As nights get colder and colder, don’t forget to keep mowing. Remember that lawn grasses continue to grow throughout much of the fall, usually only stopping when temperatures remain below 50°F (10°C) or so for a good week. Even a first light frost won’t usually not stop them. So, in many areas, you will still need to mow into November or even later, although less frequently than in summer.

However, when the lawn finally does stop growingin the fall, it’s time to get mowing one last time … and shorter than you did all summer long, too, at about 2 inches (5 cm) in height. And for once, collect the grass clippings (you can put them in the compost or use them as mulch). This will help to better aerate the lawn grasses, making them more resistant to winter damage and especially to the diseases that often set up shop under the cover of snow.

But don’t cut back your ornamental grasses!

Photo: www.canopylawncare.com
Article originally published on October 5, 2015

Garden writer and blogger, author of 65 gardening books, lecturer and communicator, the Laidback Gardener, Larry Hodgson, passed away in October 2022. Known for his great generosity, his thoroughness and his sense of humor, he reached several generations of amateur and professional gardeners over his 40-year career. Thanks to his son, Mathieu Hodgson, and a team of contributors, laidbackgardener.blog will continue its mission of demystifying gardening and making it more accessible to all.

1 comment on “Lawns Still Need Mowing in Fall

  1. We need to mow throughout the year. Grasses that go dormant through winter are very rare nowadays.

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