Fall Watering & Mowing Tips For Your Lawn

After a long, hot summer, our lawns are no doubt feeling relieved as they start to recover from the heat and drought stress sustained over the past few months. It is imperative that homeowners follow an appropriate watering and mowing regimen in the fall to ensure their lawns come back healthier and better than ever when it really counts.

Fall Lawn Watering Tips

The golden rule of thumb is that your lawn requires 1 inch of water per week to remain healthy. Typically, during the fall, there is an increase in rainfall, meaning you should cut back on your watering practices. Overwatering your lawn can result in lawn diseases. The best time of day to water your lawn is in the morning, as this helps delay evaporation and encourages full water penetration down to the grass roots. Deep and infrequent watering is best – do not water your lawn every 1-2 days for short intervals. It is better to water your lawn every 3-4 days or as needed based on the weather conditions.

Fall Watering Tips Recap:

• Ensure your lawn receives 1 inch of water per week

• Monitor rain levels and adjust watering accordingly

• Water in the mornings

• Do not over water your lawn

• Deep and infrequent watering is best

Fall Lawn Mowing Tips

During the summer, you may have noticed that your lawn growth is stunted. Now that fall is here, the increase in rainfall will help growth and call for increased mowing frequency. This is a good sign that your lawn is recovering from being in a dormant state. When mowing your lawn, you should never cut off more than 1/3 of the grass blade. It is also essential that you sharpen your mower blade (at least once per year), as this creates a clean-cut and builds resiliency against disease. When it comes to mowing height, St. Augustine grass should be cut at 3 inches tall all year - no exceptions! Bermuda and Zoyisagrass should be cut at around 2.5 inches tall during the fall and winter to cover the soil from direct sunlight. If cut too short, your lawn will be at risk for weed outbreaks.

Fall mowing is beneficial for your lawn for several reasons. Firstly, while many homeowners recognize the importance of removing surplus leaves from their lawns, it is often a time-consuming endeavor to rake, pile, and bag fallen foliage. Fall mowing offers a convenient avenue for effectively using the leaves that coat turf surfaces. Simply use a mulching mower (many lawn mowers nowadays include a mulching attachment) to shred unwanted leaves into tiny, nutrient-rich pieces that will eventually decompose on your lawn. These leaf particles add valuable organic matter right back into the soil, resulting in stronger, healthier turf. 

And don’t forget – Weed Man is here to help.  If you have questions about fall mowing practices or your lawn care plan, give us a call today!

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