Fall Mowing: Beating the Mow Better Blues!

You know what we say: A neat lawn isn’t just beautiful; it’s Divine. But with the end of summer here, you might think you’re off the mowing hook. Not so fast!

Mowing isn’t over yet! In fact, fall mowing is not only just as necessary as summer mowing but, in some ways, leaves less room for error. Don’t worry, though, because it has you covered and is about to share all you need to know to beat the Fall Mow Better Blues.

Hitting the Right Notes

In some ways, mowing in the fall isn’t that much different than cutting the rest of the year. It is best if you still consider many of the same factors, including length, grass health, grass species, and of course, your edge.
Like the rest of the year, you don’t want to over or under-mow. The differences fall in the specifics.

Know Your Instruments

Your fall mowing length should be slightly shorter than your summer mowing length. As the weather cools down, you no longer need to worry about scalping your grass and letting the sun cook it.

That said, the species of grass that you have is very relevant.

Warm VS Cool Season Grasses

Cool season grasses have their primary growing season in the fall. They should be left a little longer than warm-season grasses. We can let you know the specifics for your lawn.

But neither type of grass should be left too long because the weight of the grass will be too much, causing it to collapse and perhaps smother the surrounding grass.

Keep Playing: How Long Do You Continue Fall Mowing?

Mowing will continue for a while yet. We save your last mow until just before winter. At that time, we will do your final mow. Your final mow occurs just before the first frost.

When mowing for the last time before the winter, it’s essential to trim grass to the appropriate length. In the winter, your grass will be dormant, but that doesn’t mean it’s dead, which is why your last fall mowing is vital to its health.

Too Short Grass

If the grass is cut too short before the weather turns, the freezing temperatures can kill your grass. Some height is essential because the grass above the ground will protect the roots from freezing and dying.

Too Long Grass

But you must be cautious not to go too far in the opposite direction and leave your grass too long before the first frost. While the aesthetic detriment to long grass over the winter is obvious, the damage to your lawn’s health may be less so.

When you leave your grass too long, even though it won’t be growing over the winter, it can still be harmful. As discussed earlier, tall grass can collect more moisture, particularly if it collapses. The water can then freeze or create snow mold.

Snow mold is disastrous for your lawn’s health.

How About Some Harmony?

Of course, fall mowing, like mowing the rest of the year, can benefit from lawn maintenance services. Some maintenance tasks that are particularly relevant in the fall will directly affect your lawn.

Aeration and Overseeding

Aeration and overseeding are what separates the good lawns from the great. So every year, typically in the fall, you should aerate and overseed your lawn.

This is your chance to de-densify your soil from all that summer fun and reseed it with new grass seed. When we do this in the fall, it gives the grass an extra season to establish itself.

Seasonal Cleanup

We’re not there yet, but we are getting very close to fall cleanup! Naturally, a big part of fall cleanup is leaf removal. But there’s a lot more to it.

As summer has ended, the annuals have died, and the perennials have spent their blossoms, it’s time to get rid of them. It’s also time to collect all the plant debris that has accumulated on your lawn and the rest of your property.

We mentioned the probability of heavy grass trapping moisture. The same is valid for plant debris which is why seasonal cleanup is so vital for a healthy lawn in the fall and beyond.

Coda

Fall mowing is just as necessary as summer mowing, but some concerns are different. As always, with landscaping, there’s so much to know! Divine wants to be your landscape’s guardian angel for the whole year.

Let us consider your whole landscape, so you don’t have to. If you’ve got questions, we’ve got answers!