When Should I Stop Mowing My Lawn for the Year in Indiana?

Timing your seasonal lawn care just right is crucial for the long-term health of your grass and your budget. Here’s what you need to know.

READ MORE: It’s Illegal To Mow Your Lawn Outside Of These Hours In Indiana

Every year when spring rolls around, I get excited about taking care of my yard again. There is a certain sense of contentment in maintaining a well-groomed outdoor landscape. However, by the end of summer, I'm usually burnt out on the whole process. With the better part of the warmer days seemingly behind us for 2024, I'm looking forward to the cooler months when I can take a break from cutting grass and trimming bushes on the weekends. But just when should we put the tools away? Let’s take a look.

How Will Fall Temperatures Affect My Grass?

According to GreenPal, grass actually never stops growing; rather, growth simply slows down significantly in the fall and winter months. While growth will begin to slow over the next couple of weeks as we enter early fall, it’s not quite time to put the mower away. In fact, you might find yourself working outside a bit more than usual, depending on the number of trees in your yard.

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While the changing colors of leaves might be breathtaking, they eventually fall from their branches and require some extra yard maintenance. GreenPal notes that leaves block sunlight and smother grass, preventing moisture from evaporating on the lawn. Fallen leaves can therefore lead to fungal problems and patchy dead grass. To combat this, you can rake the leaves and place them in a trash bag. However, if you have a lot of trees, it might be better to mulch the leaves with your lawn mower.

When Is Mowing Season Over in Indiana?

While there is no concrete date available for when to stop mowing the grass, there are some clear indicators that can help you know when the season is done. For one, when the temperature drops below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, the grass will not grow high enough to warrant mowing. GreenPal adds that a week of consistent temperatures below 40 degrees will signal the end of the mowing season.

Rain serves as another lawn care indicator. If the weather has been very dry and cooler than 50 degrees Fahrenheit, your grass won’t grow enough to warrant starting up the mower. Depending on your Hoosier climate, this window is normally from late October through early December. So, if you’re like me and ready to put the mower away for the season—just hang in there. The end is near.