🍂 Let’s Break a Myth About Lawn Care: We Don’t Stop Mowing in October

Every year around this time, we hear it:

“It’s October — time to park the mower!”

Not so fast, Turf Geek family. That’s one of the biggest myths in lawn care.

Here’s the truth: even though we don’t mow this time of year, we highly recommend our clients keep mowing — and mowing the right way — until the grass stops growing. In Kansas City, that’s often well into November (sometimes even December!).

Let’s geek out and break down why mowing in the fall matters 👇

🌱 1. Your Lawn Is Still Growing

Cool-season grasses like fescue and bluegrass thrive in fall weather. The cooler temps and rainfall help lawns recover from summer stress.If you stop mowing too early, grass can grow too tall and flop over — which leads to matting, disease, and shallow roots going into winter.

So, keep mowing every week or two until the growth truly slows down.

🍁 2. Mowing Helps Mulch the Leaves

Instead of raking every leaf, use your mower to mulch them into small pieces. Those shredded leaves break down quickly and return nutrients to the soil. It’s free fertilizer from nature!💡 Turf Geek Tip: Set your mower height to around 3 inches and mow once or twice a week when leaves are falling heavy — don’t let them pile up.

🧠 3. Shorter Grass Before Winter = Healthier Lawn (last Mow)

Keeping grass trimmed to about 2.5–3 inches before winter reduces the risk of snow mold and keeps your lawn neat and strong through the dormant season. It also helps your first spring mow look clean and sharp.

⚙️ 4. The Turf Geeks Recommendation

While we don’t mow during this part of the season, we strongly encourage our clients to keep up with mowing and mulching leaves until growth stops naturally.This helps your fall fertilizer and seeding efforts perform even better — and it’s one of the best ways to protect your investment in your lawn.

🌾 The Bottom Line

Don’t hang up the mower just because it’s October. Keep mowing, keep mulching, and let your lawn finish strong for winter.

If you want to learn more about how to care for your lawn the Turf Geek way, check out our Resource Center and get instant quotes anytime at turfgeekkc.com.