Cutting Your Lawn Short Before Winter Can Backfire: Check This Before Lowering the Mower
Short grass can make a fall lawn look ready for winter, but lowering the mower removes leaf growth the turf uses to capture sunlight. Taking too much off as growth slows can leave less capacity for recovery. Fall mowing advice often divides lawns into warm-season and cool-season grasses, then assigns each group a rule. That skips differences between species and cultivars, including grasses that need a higher cut as temperatures drop. Identify your grass and check its recommended height before changing the setting , rather than giving the lawn a close cut because the mowing season is ending. Some Warm-Season Grass Needs a Higher Fall Cut St. Augustinegrass contradicts the advice to lower all warm-season lawns before winter. Regional extension guidance recommends raising its mowing height by half an inch to one inch when nighttime temperatures fall below 70°F, retaining more leaf surface as conditions cool. Bermudagrass and zoysia have their own requirements. Putting them in the sa...