We recommend that you collect the clippings for the last 2-3 cuttings. Why? Great question, it is simple, if you leave less clippings on the lawn it is less clippings on the lawn to keep critters warm through the winter. The second reason is that when you collect the clippings, you are also collecting the weed seeds that stay on your lawn and get an early jump on the Spring. If you have a bagger on your lawn mower use it for the final cut.
If you lawn is a little taller cut it twice removing 1/3 of the grass blade in each cut. NEVER CUT 2/3 or more in one cutting as you caused shock to the grass plant. Grass is a plant and it feels the pain just as much as any other plant.
Apply grass seed after the last cut is done as it will replenish the lawn for next year. It gets a head start on the Sping as the seeds are ready to take advantage of the weather as soon as they or the weather is ready.
Apply a fall fertilizer, we recommend a slow release fertilizer with a higher P ad K number (P=Phosphorous) and k=Potassium. You do not want to apply a high N number as this will stimulate growth which is not want you want you grass to do. The objective here is to give it root builder nutrients to sustain it through winter and bounce right back into Spring.
Consider a lawn aeration. I will write the merits of this in another blog post.
Enjoy the sweet smell of the last grass cutting of the year. If you live in Ontario, it has been incredibly wet so I am itching to get a last cut in before the winter.
