Americans seem to want everything bigger, taller, and brighter – you get the idea. However, many times the “just right” is better. Therefore, the answer to whether to let turf grow tall in the fall is no. The recommended height is better.

Some will suggest letting the grass grow tall right before winter sets in. They reason that the extra foliage will insulate the crown of the plant from the extreme cold of winter. Although this may sound reasonable, in actual practice it probably does little, if anything, to increase winter hardiness. On the contrary, a canopy that is too high during the winter may lay over and become matted down, leading to increased incidence of winter-diseases.

Turf grass species vary genetically in their cold tolerance, with warm-season grasses being less cold-tolerant than the cool-season types. Given these differences, cold tolerance is improved by increasing the health of the plants going into the winter, and healthy plants are a result of a sound management program (fertilizing, watering and mowing) during the spring, summer and fall. The lawn will benefit more from continuing to mow at the recommended height than from trying to gain some insulation against winter cold by allowing it to grow tall.

Bermuda and zoysia grasses can be mowed down to 1-2 inches, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and buffalo grass do better at 2 -3 inches, and tall fescue would be more than 2-3 inches.

If you are done mowing for the year, be sure to service your mower before putting it away. Make sure you drain the gas tank of gasoline-powered engines or use a gasoline stabilizer. Untreated gasoline can become thick and gummy. A few drops of oil squirted inside the spark plug hole (after you remove the spark plug) will help lubricate the cylinder. While you have the spark plug removed, replace it with a new one.

If your equipment has a battery, clean the battery terminals, which usually corrode during the season. A wire-bristle brush is a good tool for doing this. The battery can be removed or connected to a battery monitor that will keep it charged over winter. If you remove the battery, store it to avoid freezing.

Now is also an excellent time to sharpen mower blades. Winterizing the mower and sharpening the blades now can save you some precious time when you are anxious to get growing in the spring.

Pat Lechtenberg, Douglas County Extension Master Gardener, provided information for this column.

– Stan Ring is the horticulture program assistant at K-State Research and ExtensionDouglas County.