How Short Should You Mow Your Lawn In Fall?

Mid-November means lawn maintenance is wrapping up! Final mow sessions and leaf-gathering rounds are in sight. With gardening expert Katherine Rowe, explore how short to mow your lawn in fall and other care tips for best overwintering.

Written by Katherine Rowe Horticulture review by Sarah Jay Last updated: November 23, 2024 | 6 min read

A close-up shot of a mower that shows how to mow lawn fall

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If you have grassy spaces, fall marks the end of active lawn mowing season. If you live near deciduous trees, you may be busy repurposing the leaves and using them for mulch or chopping them for added turf nutrients.

Beneath the soil, turf is actively developing roots before it prepares to overwinter. Our care now prepares a healthy winter foundation for a full spring reemergence. Enjoy settling into the final cuts of the season before winter’s chill. We’ll explore how short to mow your lawn and other winterization tips for a robust leafy ground cover.

November Lawn Care

A close-up shot of a rake on top of a pile of dead leaves all placed on a well lit yard area outdoors — Intensive yard care lessens as the temperatures drop.

By mid-month, most intensive lawn care tasks—including constant mowing—are behind us (except for leaves and pine straw, which we’ll tackle below). Fertilizing warm-season grasses is no longer needed, and final cool-season applications should be in place this month. With dipping temperatures and heavy frost, the roots and leaves won’t be able to benefit from the nutrients as growth slows.

We’ve patched, seeded, or installed new sod earlier in the season for establishing before cold temperatures. If you missed the window to infill bare spots or establish a new lawn, it’s best to wait until spring to do so now.

Dormant seeding is an option, where you spread seeds in winter for germination in the spring. Do this when soil is workable enough for light seed coverage and daytime temps reach 35-40°F (2-7°C). If the seeds germinate during a warm spell or if your area has a late frost, they’ll likely get zapped by cold conditions.

How Short To Mow In Fall

A close-up shot of a green colored mower in the process of trimming down unkempt grass well lit area outdoors — Avoid trimming more than one-third of the blade height.

On average, grass between two and a half to three inches tall is the best height for overwintering. In the fall, continue mowing at the height you’ve maintained all summer if it’s near this range. While it was once good practice to go short for winter, experts advocate leaving some height on the blade for energy uptake through frost, added protection, and insulation for a spring rebound.

If you need to reduce turf height drastically (say from five inches to three), it’s best to do so in a couple of mowings rather than as a final round. The goal is to condition the lawn before less active growth or winter dormancy. Take care not to go too low as a final cut; blades may not rebound before winter exposure.

A good rule of thumb: don’t mow more than one-third of the blade height in a single session. If you have grass that’s four inches high and want to reduce it to three inches, you’re within range to do so in a single sweep. Cutting too low at once risks damaging the blades by impeding photosynthesis and causing stress. Removing one-third of the leaf tissue at a time is a safe reduction.

Cool or Warm Season Grass?

A close-up of Kentucky Bluegrass, revealing its dense and velvety texture. The deep green blades of grass exude a sense of luxury, perfect for well-manicured lawns. — Cool-season grasses include Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and tall and fine fescues.

Whether your lawn is a warm or cool season species plays into long-term management. Cool-season grasses grow in zones 6 and lower, with Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and tall and fine fescues as common grass types. These are lush in the cool, moist conditions of spring and fall and often show green over the winter, though growth slows. They may enter summer dormancy or show reduced vigor as they conserve energy in high temperatures.

Warm-season grasses do well in zones 7 and warmer and include Bermuda, St. Augustine, centipede, and zoysia. These show green from spring through fall and enter dormancy when temperatures drop. They withstand heat but slow in extremely high temperatures.

Each selection performs best according to certain climate conditions, sun exposure, and use. They also have variable maintenance requirements depending on factors like growth rate.

Cool-Season Types

A close-up and focused shot of a Kentucky bluegrass, showcasing its lush healthy green blades in a well lit area outdoors — These grasses will hold out against cold weather conditions.

Cool-season grasses withstand cold temperatures and thrive in spring and fall. Typical cool-season species include:

Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) is deep green-blue with attractive fine to medium blades. The leafy mat recovers well from damage with sturdy, aggressive rhizomes. Kentucky bluegrass slows during the heat of summer and mixes with perennial rye and fescues for a balanced seasonal performance.

Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) resembles Kentucky bluegrass and fescue. Areas with moderate winters overseed dormant grasses with rye to allow year-round greens. Rye grows quickly, creating a full look in about three weeks.

Fescue (Festuca arundinacea) tolerates seasonal temperatures and is relatively low-maintenance and drought-tolerant. Tall fescue has broad, flat blades, while fine fescue is narrow and needle-like. Both create a soft, deep green cover.

Warm-Season Types

A close-up and focused shot of a Zoysia grass showcasing its fine, deep green blades, all situated in a well lit area outdoors — This grass will tolerate heat and humidity, and will grow vigorously in warm weather.

Warm-season grasses grow vigorously in warm conditions and tolerate heat and humidity. Depending on the selection, these lawns may be susceptible to cold fall temperatures and have differing drought, traffic, and mowing requirements.

Common warm-season types include:

Bermuda (Cynodon spp.) is a fine-bladed, high-quality turfgrass used in various settings, from golf courses to yards to slope erosion control. Its fine-textured blades form a dense mat in light to deep green shades. Bermudagrass tolerates wear, salt, and drought. It’s a good option for high-traffic areas.

Centipede (Eremochloa ophiuroides) has a medium texture and forms a dense emerald mat that suppresses weed competition. It spreads by stolons with aggressive runner stems. It’s low-maintenance, requiring fewer fertilizers and less frequent mowing.

Zoysia (Zoysia spp.) has a soft, fine texture in rich, deep green. It tolerates drought conditions and is among the most cold-tolerant of the warm-season types. It’s more high-maintenance than centipede in terms of required mowing and fertilizers.

St. Augustine (Stenotaphrum secundatum) is the most shade-tolerant of the warm-season selections, growing in four to six hours of sunlight. Its broad, blue-green blades form an attractive lawn. St. Augustine is susceptible to winter damage and wear from heavy foot traffic.

Repurpose Leaves

A close-up shot of a person wearing a grey shirt and red garden gloves, in the process of picking up dead leaves and pinestraw in a well lit area outdoors — Autumn leaves and pine straw can be used as nutrient-rich mulch.

Depending on your surrounding trees, it may be a busy time of lightening the last layers of autumn leaves and pine straw. A thick layer (two inches or more) of fallen leaves promotes damp conditions that foster fungal diseases, A mat also prevents sunlight and moisture from accessing the blades. In a thin layer or scattering, fallen leaves won’t harm the grass. They offer so many garden benefits that it’s worth moving the leaves around or chopping them to nourish the turf.

To tidy the lawn and add nutrition for trees, shrubs, and perennials, rake whole leaves into garden beds. Natural leaf drop provides insulation, moisture retention, weed suppression, and nutrition through decomposition. Fall leaves are an ideal mulch, compost, and soil conditioner. You can also pile them away from the lawn to become easy leaf mold and mulch for future soil enrichment.

If you have excess leaves on the lawn, chop them during regular fall mowing sessions. Research shows improved turf health with added nutrients from leaf decomposition. In fine pieces, they’ll become nutrient-rich resources while creating a clean aesthetic.

The leaves also provide ecological benefits, such as shelter for beneficial insects like bumblebees, swallowtail butterflies, luna moths, and stick insects who nest, lay eggs, and overwinter among them. Leaving the leaves is a pollinator-friendly practice.

Avoid Frost

A close-up shot of grass blades covered with a thin layer of ice in a well lit area outdoors — Hold off on trimming, walking or riding on grass blades with a layer of frost.

Grass is a frost-tolerant ground cover, though the leaves are susceptible to cold damage. When the lawn has a frosty layer on cold fall mornings (especially before the sun warms it), avoid walking, mowing, or riding on sensitive blades. You’ll leave a path of brown footprints or tire tracks as leaves become crushed, frozen, and die back.

When to Stop Mowing in Fall

A selective focus shot of a person wearing a black pullover and jeans, using a red colored mower in a well lit area outdoors during autumn — Trim when the grass is actively growing and stop before heavy frost.

Keep mowing in autumn while blades are actively growing. Taper off mow sessions as temperatures cool and growth slows, reducing to every two to three weeks. Growth stops when temperatures drop and the ground freezes, usually late fall or early winter and earlier in cold climates.

Stop mowing before heavy frost. Cool-season grasses stop actively growing with below-freezing temperatures and, of course, snow. And there’s no need to mow warm season turf when it’s dormant after the first deep freeze.

In warm spells or mild climates, cool-season grass may continue growing. Mow the lawn as needed to maintain three inches, but keep an eye out to skip frosty fall conditions.

Water Needs

A close-up shot of a red garden hose in the processing of winterizing by using a compressor, all situated in a well lit area outdoors — Irrigate until it enters dormancy, then winterize irrigation systems before heavy frost.

Like other plants, grass keeps growing in the fall while temperatures are mild. It needs regular moisture until frost, whether from rain or supplemental irrigation. Irrigate established turf until it enters dormancy.

If in a wet period of the season, hold off on watering and turn off automated systems. Waterlogged situations present fungal issues.

Whether a cool-season grass or dormant warm-season selection, once temperatures lower, reduce the frequency of irrigation by increasing the length of time between sessions. When frost sets in, stop watering, as plants won’t absorb in frozen soils.

For many gardeners, November is a time to winterize irrigation systems. Prepare pre-frost by draining irrigation pipes and hoses to prevent freezing damage. Shut off the water, insulate the connections, and turn off timers. Get cozy and enjoy a mostly irrigation and mow-free fall season as the lawn rests.