Do You Still Need to Mow Your Lawn in Winter in Houston?

Yes, but less often, since Houston lawns slow down in winter while cool-season weeds keep growing, so most lawns still need an occasional cut.

St. Augustine is a warm-season grass. It grows fast in the heat and slows as the nights cool. Texas A&M AgriLife says that slowdown means you mow less often, not that you stop caring for the lawn. After a freeze, the grass often turns brown or off-color and goes dormant. Houston's first freeze usually arrives in early December, and areas away from the city core, such as north Houston and Katy, can see freezes earlier. Some winters skip it entirely.

While the grass slows down, winter weeds do the opposite. Henbit, chickweed, lawn burweed, and annual bluegrass sprout in fall and keep growing through the cool months, taking over thin or stressed turf first. LSU AgCenter notes that an occasional winter mow keeps the lawn tidy and can stop some weeds from flowering.

Don't scalp the lawn before winter. AgriLife suggests raising the cut a little as growth slows, without going past the recommended height for your grass. A taller lawn grows deeper roots and shades the soil, which makes it harder for winter weeds to sprout. For St. Augustine, that usually means a cut height between about 2 and 4 inches, depending on the variety and how much shade you have. Never remove more than one-third of the leaf blade in a single cut.

Let the lawn set the schedule rather than the calendar. A thick, green lawn with few weeds can often stretch its visits to every two weeks, or longer during a cold stretch, while a thin or weedy lawn needs steady cuts so weeds don't flower and spread. When spring green-up starts, weekly mowing usually comes back. Our guide on how often to mow in Cypress covers the normal-season schedule.

Skip the winter fertilizer. AgriLife warns that extra nitrogen can feed winter weeds and raise disease risk. Skip extra watering too, unless the weather has been dry for weeks. A dormant lawn uses very little water.

If a cold snap or a rainy week makes a mow pointless, you can skip a visit and pick back up when the lawn needs it. Late winter has its own chore, since oak leaves drop heavily in February, and our note on live oak leaf drop explains what to expect.

At Blue Yard Club, you can change your schedule as the season changes. Weekly mowing currently starts at $40 per visit before tax for lawns up to 5,000 square feet. There's no annual contract, and you can cancel anytime. You can see current prices on our pricing page, or get your own price in about a minute on the quote page.