Cutting Grass In Winter Time – Is it Necessary?

Usually A Waste Of Time

Grass growth slows down during the cold winter months, therefore there is no need to cut the grass on lawns and yards. Although there a possibility that during mild spells it can continue to grow just not very much.

If the situation does present itself and you do need to mow, never mow the lawn if the turf is wet as this can harm the lawn and leave lasting damage.

In most years the winter means a good few months off for the lawn mower, therefore cutting grass in winter time is not necessary.

Pre Winter Mowing Strategies

During the last month of the summer you should gradually lower the cutting base of your lawn mower each time you mow the lawn. Slowly cutting your grass shorter will allow it to winter well without shocking it by cutting it all off at once. Make sure your grass is as short as possible at the end of the season. Short grass also protects any new growth that may be more fragile near the end of the growing season.

If you leave your lawn too tall during the winter months it will become a new home to field mice and other burrowing animals that want a warm place to sleep. Mice can destroy large parts of your lawn by building nests. They create dead spots where they pull up large amounts of grass to build their structures.

For areas that have snowfall and significant accumulation, it is wise to be cautious of snow mold and and other conditions that could affect a soggy lawn.

More Lawn Tips: Lawn Aeration in Fall

T. Stafford

I enjoy writing about gardening, lawn care, etc. to share what I've learned with others. I've lived in Texas my whole life, so I'm more familiar with this region's native plants.

Next Leaf Clean Up In The Fall »

Previous « How To Clean Landscape Rocks

View Comments

Michael Rickard says:

January 20, 2018 at 6:36 pm

I will tell my neighbors this because we sometimes get late winter warm-ups where grass begins growing. I see neighbors cutting it and it doesn't make sense as the growth is small (I think some neighbors just want to fool themselves into thinking spring is here). This is another helpful article that covers an area most people don't pay attention to. I know I never considered it but am glad I did.
Tim Yaotome says:

October 15, 2018 at 9:09 pm

I never thought that one way to handle lawns during winter is to have them cut slowly over summer to avoid shock and keep them healthy. My wife loves gardening and winter always makes her worried because she uses the yard to plant her flowers for her events as a sideline. Aside from telling her about your article, I will look into finding a landscape contractor to have it properly maintained so that she can smile as much as the buds will bloom in spring. http://pattiegroup.com/lawn-maintenance-cutting-services.aspx
Chris says:

February 18, 2020 at 8:20 pm

I have definitely dealt with field mice during the winter. Terrible mess. Always mow before winter.
Mighty Green Lawn Care says:

October 19, 2020 at 9:19 am

As grass growth slows down in the fall so does the cutting. Thanks for the information