When mowing your lawn for the final time of the year, a general rule of thumb is to lower the blades by half an inch. So, if your lawn care pro normally mows your lawn to a height of 2.5 inches, they should mow it to 2 inches during the final mow.
Cut your lawn to possibly the shortest height you have all season. The ideal height is around 2 1/2 inches. Cut it too low and the grass might not be long enough to photosynthesize and provide nutrients to the roots. Too high and the frost might become matted after a snowfall.
You should slowly mow the grass by reducing the blade height a little each time until the grass is about 2 inches. It's imperative to get in that last mow of the season, before you pack your mower away for the winter.
Continue mowing as long as the grass seems to be actively growing. When you begin to notice a drop off in grass growth, plan to lower the mowing height by one-half inch from your regular practice. Normally, this means a length of approximately 2 inches for the last mow or two of the season.
Inching into fall, mid-length grass is the preference. In winter, tall grass can get matted and become diseased. But when cut too short, lawn roots can be exposed to damagingly cold temperatures. Focus on striking the right balance in fall so your lawn's ready for winter.
Cool-season lawns do better when they are short in winter because this means less leaf tissue going into the cold season. Less leaf tissue means less chance of matted grass blades, which is one cause of snow mold. Warm-season lawns, on the other hand, benefit from a taller cut.
Early fall is the best time to plant cool-season grasses, such as Fescue, Rye and Bluegrass. These grasses grow best when the temperature is between 60-80 degrees Fahrenheit, and benefit from the shorter days and cooler nights.
A mowing height between 2.5 to 3 inches is best for most of the season, except during summer stresses when the lawn mowing height should be raised one-half inch to mow at 3 to 3.5 inches. Raising the mowing height provides more insulation from summer heat and reduces water loss from your soil.
The rate of grass growth and desired height of your lawn determine how often you need to mow. Typically, mowing once a week during the growing season should suffice to keep your lawn healthy. The rest of the time, you can reduce the frequency of cutting to every other week, as necessary.
There may be times when cutting every week is necessary and other times when a two week interval will yield a nicer lawn. Advantages of Longer Grass — Grass cut too short can start to become pale or brown and may take a long time to bring back to a healthy green color.
Frequently mowing your yard, (if you're following the correct practices), does help to thicken your grass. As long as you don't cut more than 1/3 off the top, and keep the total leaf height to at least 5cm, regular mowing keeps your grass healthy, and promotes lateral growth.
The theory that cutting short lengthens the time between cuts also doesn't hold up. Grass grows faster after it's been cut short as it tries to rebuild itself to its genetic norm. A good in-season height for most turfgrasses is 2½ to 3 inches — typically the highest setting on mowers.
Growth will slow as the grass puts its resources into the leaf tips to help them recover. Also, repeatedly cutting too much or mowing too short will leave your lawn susceptible to weed invasions, diseases, and an overall thin stand. It can also result in an excess of thatch developing.
There is no countrywide law restricting the times you can legally mow your lawn, as this is enforced locally through city or state noise ordinances and other community restrictions. The most common guidelines prohibit using loud domestic equipment such as lawnmowers between the hours of 10.00 pm and 7.00 am.
Once your grass has come out of its dormant state, you may be wondering when you should start cutting it again. Generally speaking, if it is below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, it is still considered to be too cold to mow your lawn. The ideal temperatures to mow are between 50 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mowing actually helps make your grass grow thicker because the tip of each blade contains hormones that suppress horizontal growth. When you cut the lawn, you remove these tips allowing the grass to spread and grow thicker near the roots.
Grass needs the benefit of the day to dry and heal before dusk settles. Since mowing your grass in the early morning can damage it and mowing it during the early afternoon can burn it because of all the high temperatures, the ideal time is mid-morning.
Well, you could be doing more harm than good. Overall, the key to keeping a growing lawn healthy is mowing it according to its growth. If the weather is cool and the growing is minimal, mow less frequently. If it's during the growing phase, mow more often.
During extreme heat or drought conditions, the requirements rise to 2 to 3 inches of water. 2. WATER EARLY IN THE DAY You want to water when there is the smallest opportunity for evaporation and waste.
Lawn clippings usually do not need to be bagged. Recycling lawn clippings can reduce your fertilizer needs and improve your soil. Recycling clippings to the lawn does not contribute to thatch. If you must remove clippings, they can be composted or used as mulch.
Reinvigorate Your Lawn
By spreading grass seed over your existing lawn, you can thicken up the thin areas, and your lawn will start to look terrific again.
Sod can be installed at almost any time of the year. The best time of year to lay sod, however, is in early and mid-fall when temperatures are cooler but grass continues to grow. Spring is the second best time to plant sod and is the preferable time for warm season grasses such as centipede, zoysia, bermuda and St.
Best Fall Lawn Fertilizer
While this fall lawn fertilizer dose is important, an application at the end of October or early November is essential. At that time, apply a fertilizer with a formula of 13-25-12. The push of phosphorus will stimulate root growth through November and even into early December.
With summer's heat and dryness at an end, September is the best month to lay the groundwork for next year's lush lawn. Pre-winter lawn care consists of aerating the turf—to reduce compaction and make it easier for fertilizer and water to reach the roots—and reinvigorating thin areas with compost and seed.