Lawn Mowing and Maintenance for Autumn
With Fall fast approaching, you may be wondering exactly what steps you will need to take to keep your lawn looking good for as long as possible. With cooler temperatures and occasional rainfall, lawn mowing in autumn requires different care if you want to give your grass the best chance to survive the winter. Today, the expert team at Nixa Lawn Service will discuss some tips and tricks for lawn mowing in the fall.
Mow at the Proper Height
While it is true that long grass can look messy in the fall, it is important that you fight the urge to cut your lawn short. Mowing your lawn at a short height puts lots of stress on the grass. Cutting too short in the fall is even more risky, as you may cause the grass to go into hibernation early or possibly even kill it altogether.
Instead of cutting it too close, aim to keep your grass around 2 ½ inches in length. However, this length varies depending on the type of grass you have. 2 ½ inches is perfect for most cool-season grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass or fescue — whereas Bermuda grasses should be cut shorter at around 2 inches in length.
The tricky part of getting your grass height just right is that leaving it too short can kill your lawn, but leaving it too long can cause it to compress under snowfall, leading to problems like snow mold or fungus development. You are looking for a grass “Goldilocks zone”. Your lawn shouldn’t be too long, but not too short either.
Related Post: Landscaping for Autumn
Proper Lawn Mowing Technique
If the grass in your lawn is very tall because you haven’t been able to maintain regular lawn mowing, you don’t need to cut down all the way to the minimum height in one go. You will want to gradually take length off your grass in order to make sure you don’t damage your lawn. Allow a few days between each time you go out and mow, so the grass has time to recuperate and stay healthy.
Remove Leaves
It is generally a good idea to completely rake the leaves that accumulate on your lawn or use a leaf vacuum. Leaves can smother your grass over the winter and are a nesting ground for fungus or disease development on your lawn. This is generally the number one reason for brown spots developing.
Related Post: Preventing Leaf Damage with Lawn Care
Contact Nixa Lawn Service Today
Nixa Lawn Service has offered premier lawn care in the southwest Missouri area for years. We are dedicated to providing friendly, professional service to all of our clients. Our clients know that their lawns are in good hands with Nixa Lawn Service. Contact our team today at 417-724-0318 to learn more.
