Looks like my grass is starting to slow down it's growth for the fall/winter. Should I cut it shorter than usuall for its dormancy, or just cut it like I always do?

Now that it's growing so slow, I really want to step it back, but know it's not advisable. However, I don't think it would matter much here in Phoenix. Maybe keeping it at 1.5" will delay dormancy, but I don't think cutting mine back to 0.75" would cause any winter kill.

I have a new house on an acre with half of that in St Augustine. Most of the St Aug has gone unmowed since the last week in Sept. It is about a foot tall in some places and looks very healthy. I am planning to leave it that way all winter. I mowed the front yesterday and will probably not mow it again until next year. It is still growing down here (100 miles south of San Antonio).

Dchall_San_Antonio wrote:I have a new house on an acre with half of that in St Augustine. Most of the St Aug has gone unmowed since the last week in Sept. It is about a foot tall in some places and looks very healthy. I am planning to leave it that way all winter. I mowed the front yesterday and will probably not mow it again until next year. It is still growing down here (100 miles south of San Antonio).

Is it because of the droughts that you're keeping it so long?

What does st aug look like that tall? Does it ever get seed heads? Post a pic!

[ Post made via iPhone ]

Dchall, hate to hijack a thread (and maybe you've posted this elsewhere), but how are lawns doing down there post-drought? Are things recovering well?

In previous years I had always mowed shorter. However this year I will not be. We will have to see how it turns out for me, but I have to think it will be an improvement.

gtnike wrote:Dchall, hate to hijack a thread (and maybe you've posted this elsewhere), but how are lawns doing down there post-drought? Are things recovering well?

I'll answer that one. Its not post drought, so we're in the same boat we've been. We're still in an exceptional drought, the stage worse than extreme.

Things are somewhat greener though since we recieved a couple measurable rainfalls, but even then its been several weeks since we've gotten anything. 90% of people still have horrible looking lawns. Lots of green weeds mixed with the dead grass.

Agree with Josh. Only green lawns are those that were irrigated all the time through the hot and dry months. The problem with this drought is it was a combination of unusually hot and unusually arid air. That drying combination is taking the toll on the lawns and trees. We've had rains recently that have done some amazing things. In George West (my weekday home in South Texas) I saw fire flies coming out in November. We also got spring wild flowers blooming in November and December. And finally we had no fall leaf drop for the live oaks. Usually they drop leaves in fall and spring. Wonder what next spring will bring. What we need to get out of the drought is an inch of rain per week for about 2 months.

I'm going to start a new thread about my unmowed grass. Go there for pix.