Fall brings in a lot of yard work and leaf raking in the top chore. As leaves start to fall, the flower beds are in dire need of clean-up. Though it seems like you don’t need to mow your lawn frequently during fall, you still have to do it.
In reality, grass grows easily in the fall when the outdoor condition is cool. The mixture of autumn rain and cool air gives grasses a jumpstart to rapid growth. However, this is only true if you have cold season turf installed in your lawn. If you installed the warm-season types, then their reaction is the opposite. They tend to get dormant in fall. To determine if you should or should not mow your lawn, here are some things that you may consider:
1. Soil temperature
Grasses that thrive during the warmer season tend to go dormant once the soil temperature is consistent at 55 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. It’s going to be 45 degrees for cool-season grasses. Some people check soil temperature online. Others simply observe the growth of their grass. You’ll know if your grass is in a dormant mode if mowing is taking too long, such as from every other week to just once every month.
2. Falling leaves
Falling leaves indicate that the colder weather is about to arrive. Grass growth at this time is noticeably lighter. Even so, you still have to maintain your lawn and keep the fallen leaves off. The best way to handle this is by mulch using the lawnmower.
3. The appearance of the first frost
Once the first frost arrives, warm-season turf starts to go dormant while the cool season ones continue to grow. That means you may need to do some mowing up until the soil temperature is 45 degrees. However, never mow your lawn if it is covered with frost. Stay off those frosty grasses to protect the crowns of the turf.
How to Mow Your Lawn Properly
It’s best that you have a lawn mowing plan for every season. Your objective should be to keep those grasses short without damaging it. Keeping at 2 inches is ideal for most type of turfgrasses. Gradually decrease the height of your lawnmower as you cut the grass towards the desired length. Do not to cut more than one-third of the complete blade width with each mowing. If the grass grows vigorously, then you simply have to mow more frequently to decrease the height of the grass blade.
Once the grass stops its growth, that’s the time you can stop mowing your lawn. Depending on the prevailing weather conditions, you may have to use the lawnmower to mulch leaves until late in December. A premature snowfall that failed to stick around is not a sign to stop getting those lawn mowing services. It all boils down to see whether or not the grass continues to grow. Keep mowing and mulching up until 90% of the leaves of trees have fallen down. When that happens, you can stop mowing your lawn and keep your lawnmower up until the winter season is over. If you need professional lawn care services, there are companies that can help you out with it.
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