Illinois residents take a lot of pride in keeping their lawns maintained, but there comes a time when homeowners can finally put their lawnmowers away and take a well-deserved break.

I live in a neighborhood where nobody really cares how their lawns look.  For my parents, some of their neighbors will throw a fit if the grass is just slightly "too long for their liking."  I can't stand lawn larks lol.

Get our free mobile app

Once the seasons start changing to fall and winter, taking care of your grass is still really important.  What does that mean exactly for Illinois?

When Should You Stop Mowing Your Lawn If You Live In Illinois?

Related: Illinois Man Has Best Life Hack Ever for Mowing Your Lawn

Since we live in an all-seasons state, we have cold-season grasses.

"Cool-season grasses are commonly found in colder climates in the northern United States" [mowersdirect]

This type of grass grows more frequently in spring and fall, so we are more inclined to mow more often.

Well, eventually the grass will go into "hibernation".

When soil temps are consistently 45 degrees, that's when grass becomes dormant.  Then, once air temps stay below 50 degrees, that's when you can stop mowing and let mother nature do it's thing!

Considering weather in Illinois has been around 60 degrees and it's mid-October, you know we're all still mowing our lawns.  Maybe November will be the month we can finally hang 'em up!  *Fingers crossed*

Here's what you can do to keep your grass healthy from mold, lawn fungus, and infestations of insects:

• Gradually cut your grass shorter
• Wait until temps drop significantly to cut grass very short
• Fertilize to help root/blade growth

Related: How Often Should You Really Water Your Lawn In Illinois?

Be gradual when cutting the length of your lawn and be patient with it - treat your yard like you'd treat a pet.  Give it what it needs, when it needs it.  Patience is key.

If you're really wanting to maintain a beautiful yard year-around, take the proper steps and you'll definitely see a difference when spring and summer come around.  Those seasons will be here before you know it!