Some say you should leave the mower on the highest setting for your last
cut to avoid winter kill (my husband) and others say to cut it as low as
possible. Who is correct?. I do my last cut when all the leaves are on
the ground, then I use the mulching mower...

--
CathyLee
They neigh I pay
Nova Scotia, Canada
Zone 5a

"Chris H" wrote in message
om...
Hello,
My wife and I recently purchased our first home. This past summer
was my first attempt at lawn care and unfortunatley I had to learn a
few lessons the hard way. Here is my question: When should I make my
last cut of the season? We live in Maryland and just last nite got the
first frost. I would like to begin winterizing my equiptment, but not
until I have made the last cut. Any suggestions would be greatly
appreciated.
Thanks!

CathyLee said:

Some say you should leave the mower on the highest setting for your last
cut to avoid winter kill (my husband) and others say to cut it as low as
possible. Who is correct?. I do my last cut when all the leaves are on
the ground, then I use the mulching mower...


I always start dropping the mowing height as the grass starts to slow down
its growth. My lawn goes into the winter about two notches on the mower
shorter than its summer height (which is as high as the mower can go).

I'll fertilize once more with a fall/winter fertilizer blend.

I put the mowing height all the way up again for the first mowing in the spring.

And I don't use any more fertilizer until Memorial Day.

--
Pat in Plymouth MI

Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(attributed to Don Marti)

Some say you should leave the mower on the highest setting for your last
cut to avoid winter kill (my husband) and others say to cut it as low as
possible. Who is correct?. I do my last cut when all the leaves are on
the ground, then I use the mulching mower...

According to a Ortho lawn care book, we are supposed to leave cool
season grass to the maximum mowing height in the last mowing of the
year. That will be something like 3" for Kentucky bluegrass, and that
is the height that I am going to leave at in my lawn.

Hope this helps.

Jay Chan