The autumn season chilly air signals that fall is underway. It may be tempting to store your lawncare equipment for the winter season’s hibernation, but your lawn is not ready to fend for itself yet. Fall is vital for your turfgrass to recover from the summer heat and drought and prepare for harsh winter temperatures. Our Tri-Cities area top-rated landscape company, Promier Landscapes, shares on the blog today why your last mow of the year may be the most important so that you can prep your lawn for winter and the spring growing season.
Keep mowing
Homeowners may still debate how long to mow the lawn into the autumn season. Although fall may have cooler temperatures, the growing season typically lasts through November. Therefore, as long as your yard keeps growing, you should continue mowing. For example, unseasonably warm autumn temperatures could prolong grass growth and require an additional trim or two. Be sure to maintain a 2.5-3 inch height and remove 1/3 of the grass blade during each cut to protect your yard’s health and vitality. Kingsport landscaping pros agree that once growth ceases, homeowners may stop mowing if they so choose. Some homeowners may continue mowing or mulching the remaining leaves that fall from property trees to nourish their lawn roots during the winter with additional nutrients absorbed from the decomposed leaves or grass clippings.
The last mow
Once your turf ceases growing and you’re ready for the last seasonal mow, lower your blades to cut ryegrass and Kentucky bluegrass lawns to 1.5 inches and tall fescue lawns to two inches. Our professional landscapers in Johnson City explain that the shorter blade length makes your turf stand up like wire brush bristles, preventing snow and ice damage. Also, shorter grass blades keep from creating too much shade for the surrounding grass. Unfortunately, the lack of sunlight directly impacts the photosynthesis process and reduces the sun’s natural nutrients your lawn needs. Additionally, as grass blades become top-heavy, they can clump together, creating an inviting breeding ground for fungal disease development during winter, such as snow mold. Remember that the method you use to mow your lawn for the last time during the fall season can determine its ability to ward off diseases and impact resiliency.
Landscaping in Kingsport, Johnson City, and Bristol, Tennessee
Properly caring for your lawn during the transitional period of fall to winter can directly impact your lawn’s performance in the coming spring. That’s why our experienced Bristol landscapers advise property owners to lower the mower blade one setting or to the lowest height recommended for your grass type. If you have questions about your grass type or mowing your lawn for the last time during the autumn season, feel free to contact our lawncare professionals at Promier Landscapes by calling (423) 872-2988 or connect with us online. We love to work with homeowners from the Tri-Cities areas of Kingsport, Johnson City, and Bristol, Tennessee!