When Should You Stop Cutting Your Grass?

• Myth: Grass stops growing when it’s cold outside
• Fact: Grass doesn’t stop growing, it just slows down to a crawl as the temperatures drop

As long as grass continues to grow at a decent clip, it should be mowed as needed.

Of course, as fall approaches, the days become shorter and the temperatures become cooler.

This means that as the season rolls along, you’ll be grass cutting less frequently than in the summer.

Eventually, though, your grass growth will slow down enough that you can put away the lawnmower for the year.

But the big question is: when will that happen?

Let’s look at this grass cutting calendar month-by-month.

September

September usually brings with it autumn rainfalls. And after a hot, dry summer, your lawn could really use it.

So during September, you’ll probably find yourself mowing the lawn quite frequently. That’s good, because it means your grass is taking in all that extra water.

(And make sure you water your grass with the hose too.)

Chances are in the summer, you raised your lawnmower’s blades (to not cut the grass too short and potentially burn it).

So feel free to lower your lawnmower’s blades for a shorter cut. But do it gradually.

For example, if your grass is kept at about 2 ½” to 3” over the summer – and you want to get that down to 2” – don’t drop your blades all at once.

With every cut, drop them just a little bit until you’ve reached your desired height.

October

Depending on local temperatures, October may represent your last grass cutting month of the season.

By this time, your lawnmower’s blades should be at their lowest height.

This is important because shorter grass will allow more sunlight to reach the tops of the grass blades.

And if you haven’t already, October is your last chance to perform the following lawn care maintenance:

• Aerate the soil so that vital nutrients like oxygen, water and fertilizer can reach the roots of the grass

• Rake the leaves to prevent them from sticking to – and suffocating – your lawn

• Apply fertilizer to all grassy areas of your landscaping, because even through the grass is growing slowly, its roots are still active and need fertilizer to stay healthy and strong

• Remove weeds like dandelions from your lawn and garden; just like your grass, weeds are very active in the fall and are also absorbing water and essential nutrients

November

More than likely, November will definitely be the last month you cut your grass.

Even if light snow has fallen in late October or early November, you may want to try to give your grass a few last cuts.

Of course, if you’ve been buried by a blizzard, then forget about grass cutting and get started on snow removal instead.

When you’ve finished your final cut of the month (and, by extension, the year), make sure you clear away any stray grass clippings from your lawn.

Otherwise, they’ll get wet, stick to your lawn and could be a source of mold or fungal growth which can damage your lawn over the winter.

 

Want to keep your grass healthy and strong all year long (even in winter?)

Download your FREE copy of The 12 Month Grass Cutting Calendar now.

 

We’ll take care of your fall lawn care needs

Not sure when or how to cut your grass in the fall?

Tired of lawn mowing and want someone else to take care of it for the rest of the year?

Need help getting your grass and landscaping ready for the winter?

Let us handle everything for you.

We’ll make sure your lawn is in tip-top shape over the fall, and strong enough to withstand the winter.

Contact us today to speak with one of our landscape and lawn maintenance experts.