Your lawn is slowing down. Should your lawn care?

What Anna homeowners should adjust about watering, mowing, and fertilization as winter approaches
You’re mowing less.

The grass isn’t growing the way it did in July.

And your Anna lawn may be starting to lose some of its summer color.

Does that mean lawn care is finished for the year?

Not quite.
As warm-season grasses slow down in fall, their needs change. Continuing the same routine you used during summer can mean giving your lawn more water, mowing, or fertilizer than it needs.

November lawn care starts with paying attention to what your grass is doing—and adjusting accordingly.
A change in color doesn’t automatically mean trouble
Bermuda, St. Augustine, and zoysia are warm-season grasses commonly found in North Texas lawns.

As temperatures cool and days shorten, their growth slows. Eventually, they enter winter dormancy, and the lawn may lose its green color.

That seasonal change doesn’t automatically mean the grass needs treatment.

But an unusual brown patch shouldn’t automatically be dismissed as dormancy, either.

Is the color changing gradually across much of the lawn? Or are distinct patches developing while the surrounding grass still looks healthy?

Take photos and note when the changes began. If patches are expanding or look noticeably different from the rest of the yard, ask for an evaluation before deciding what to apply.

Color alone doesn’t tell you what your lawn needs.
Your sprinkler system doesn’t know summer is over
An irrigation controller follows the settings someone gives it.

Unless those settings change, it may continue running the same schedule long after your lawn’s water needs have dropped.

Cooler temperatures, shorter days, and slower grass growth generally mean less water is needed. Rainfall may also supply some or all of that moisture.

Texas A&M AgriLife recommends reducing automatic irrigation as temperatures fall and watering only as needed during dry conditions. Excess moisture can favor certain lawn diseases.

Before letting the sprinklers run, consider:

• Has it rained recently?
• Is the soil still moist?
• Is the grass actively growing?
• Are you following current local watering requirements?

If you followed a summer lawn-watering routine, November is a good time to reassess it. Summer guidance shouldn’t become a year-round schedule simply because the controller is already programmed.

Let growth determine when you mow
Saturday morning doesn’t automatically need to mean mowing.

As growth slows, the time between mowings can increase. Once warm-season grass is dormant and no longer growing, routine mowing for grass growth is unnecessary.

When mowing is needed, maintain a cutting height appropriate for your grass type.

Resist the urge to give the lawn an extra-short haircut before putting the mower away. Scalping the lawn isn’t a necessary step in preparing it for winter.

Keep the mower blade sharp, and adjust your routine to the lawn rather than the calendar.

Don’t try to fertilize the green back into it
When grass begins fading, fertilizer can seem like an easy fix.

But seasonal dormancy isn’t a nutrient deficiency.

A lawn that is slowing down doesn’t necessarily need another application, and adding nitrogen too late can contribute to problems rather than provide a useful benefit.

The timing of fall lawn fertilization matters. Decisions should account for grass type, active growth, soil nutrient needs, and the approach of winter.

Texas A&M AgriLife recommends completing the final nitrogen application well before the historical first frost date, rather than applying more fertilizer as the lawn enters dormancy.

Before adding a product, ask whether the lawn needs those nutrients at that time.
Slower grass growth doesn’t mean every treatment stops
Watering, mowing, fertilization, and weed control each serve a different purpose.

Needing less of one doesn’t automatically mean your lawn needs none of the others.

As we explained in our guide to how fall pre-emergent works, your grass and your weeds don’t necessarily follow the same seasonal schedule.

That’s why a seasonal lawn-care plan considers what is happening in the yard instead of treating every month the same way.

Give your lawn the care the season calls for
November lawn care doesn’t have to mean adding more chores.

It may mean adjusting the sprinkler controller, mowing less frequently, or asking about a suspicious patch before buying a treatment.

The goal is to support your lawn as its needs change.

For help with weed control and fertilization in Anna, contact Abracadabra Lawn Pest & Weed Control at 214-245-6150 or visit abralawn.com.

Your lawn is slowing down. A few thoughtful adjustments can help you care for it through the change.