Should You Keep Watering Your Lawn in Fall? The Answer Might Surprise You | Lawn Care Services Bettendorf

I'm Luke from Boscage Landscaping, and after 11 years of helping homeowners in Bettendorf and the Quad Cities maintain beautiful lawns, one question I get every October is: "When should I stop watering my lawn?" Most folks are ready to shut down their irrigation systems by mid-October and call it quits for the season. But here's the thing - that might be costing you a better-looking lawn next spring.

Here in Iowa, our lawns typically stay green and growing all the way through Halloween and beyond. We're still mowing in late October most years. So if the grass is still growing, does that mean we should still be watering it? After working with over 500 clients across the Quad Cities, I've learned that those last few weeks of fall watering make a bigger difference than most people realize.

Why Fall Lawn Care Matters for Next Year

When you step back and look at lawn care as a season-over-season process, it becomes pretty clear that what we do in the fall has an enormous impact on how our lawns look and perform the following spring and summer.

I've seen it countless times at Boscage Landscaping - two nearly identical lawns, side by side, and one looks significantly better come spring simply because of how it was managed the previous fall. The difference often comes down to something as simple as watering strategy in October and November.

What Happens When You Stop Watering Too Early

Here's what I've observed over the years: if you stop watering your lawn in mid-October, most lawns - unless you're getting a lot of rain - are going to start going dormant naturally by around the first week of November.

Now, for a lot of people, that seems fine. The grass goes dormant, winter comes, and everything wakes back up in spring. What's the problem?

The problem is that lawns that go dormant earlier in the season tend to thin out more over winter. You end up with more bare patches and bare dirt showing in the spring. We call this winter kill, and it's frustrating to deal with.

The Side-by-Side Comparison

I've literally seen this play out on neighboring properties. Two lawns that are nearly identical - same grass type, same soil, same sun exposure. One homeowner keeps watering into November, the other shuts their system off in mid-October.

Come spring, the difference is obvious. The lawn that was watered into November looks better earlier in the spring, stays healthier throughout the entire spring season, and is way less likely to need grass seed to fill in bare spots.

If you don't want to deal with buying grass seed in spring, if you're tired of seeing bare dirt and mud patches in your lawn when everything else is greening up, then keeping your irrigation going for a few more weeks in fall is absolutely worth it.

You Need Way Less Water Than You Think

Here's the good news - if you do keep watering through fall into November, you're going to need way less water compared to what you were putting down just a couple months ago.

The temperatures here in the Quad Cities cool down significantly by late October. Water that hits the soil of your lawn isn't going to evaporate the way it did in summer or even in early fall. Evaporative loss this time of year is extremely low.

My Fall Watering Schedule

Based on what I've learned working with hundreds of lawns in Bettendorf and surrounding areas, you can probably irrigate once every 10 days through late October and November and be just fine.

Instead of shutting your irrigation system off completely, try this approach:

• Water once around October 20th

• Water again around October 30th

• One final watering around November 10th

With that schedule, your lawn is going to be perfectly well hydrated all the way into November when it naturally goes dormant because of reduced sunlight and cold temperatures - not because of a lack of water.

That's the key distinction. You want your lawn going dormant based on seasonality, not because it's thirsty.

Why Hydration Matters for Winter Survival

When a lawn is dehydrated, when it's lacking water going into winter, it's significantly more likely to experience winter kill. Our Iowa winters are tough enough on grass without adding drought stress to the mix.

Think about it this way - a well-hydrated plant is healthier and more resilient than a stressed, thirsty plant. The same principle applies to your lawn. Grass plants that enter dormancy in good condition, with adequate moisture, are better equipped to handle our freeze-thaw cycles and harsh winter conditions.

I've seen lawns at Boscage Landscaping that looked rough in October because they'd been allowed to dry out. Those same lawns struggled through winter and needed significant repair work come spring. It's preventable with just a few more watering sessions.

Don't Worry About Your Irrigation System Freezing

I know what some of you are thinking - "But Luke, what about winterizing my irrigation system before the first frost?" This is a concern I hear all the time, and I want to address it head-on.

First Frost vs. Soil Temperature

First frost has to do with air temperature. When the air temperature drops close to that 32-degree mark, you're going to see frost on the grass. But air temperature is extremely different from soil temperature, and that's what matters for your irrigation system.

Your irrigation lines typically sit between 6 to 12 inches below the surface. At that depth, even during the first frost, your soil temperatures are still probably closer to 50 degrees than they are to 32 degrees.

Here's something that might surprise you: watering your lawn on the day of first frost is actually going to warm your soil up, not cool it off. The air cools the surface, but the water coming from deep in the ground where it's warmer actually adds heat to the system.

When to Actually Winterize

Around here in the Quad Cities, I typically recommend winterizing irrigation systems around Thanksgiving. That gives you plenty of time to get those extra fall waterings in without risking freeze damage to your system.

We blow out sprinkler systems for a lot of our clients at Boscage Landscaping, and late November has always been the sweet spot. You get the benefits of fall watering without the risk of frozen pipes.

When You Might Want to Stop Watering Earlier

Now, I'll be honest - there are a small number of situations where you might actually want to put your lawn into dormancy earlier in the season. But it's a pretty short list.

If you're planning major fall renovation work and need the lawn dormant to work on it, that's one reason. Or if you're dealing with disease issues that are being made worse by moisture, earlier dormancy might help.

In those cases, halting the irrigation schedule is the most effective way to get the lawn to go dormant earlier. For those who rely on regular irrigation throughout the season, that's basically the best way to do it.

But here's the thing - that's a really small percentage of people. The vast majority of homeowners in Bettendorf and the Quad Cities should be irrigating their lawns well into November and relying on Mother Nature to put the grass into dormancy, not a lack of water.

Fixing Winter Kill in Spring is Hard Work

Let me tell you from experience - fixing a lawn in spring that suffered winter kill is hard. It's a task I don't recommend anyone take on unless they absolutely have to. I do it because I have to as part of my business, but it's not something I want you to have to deal with.

The Spring Repair Challenge

When you've got significant winter kill, you're looking at:

• Raking out dead grass

• Preparing bare soil for seeding

• Seeding at a time (early spring) that's not ideal

• Dealing with weeds that move into bare spots

• Inconsistent results because spring conditions aren't great for establishment

All of that can be avoided by just keeping your irrigation running for a few more weeks in fall. The prevention is so much easier than the cure.

I Know It's Tempting to Call It Quits

Look, I get it. Somewhere around October 15th to 20th, it's super tempting to just turn everything off and call it quits for the year. You're tired of mowing, you're tired of managing your irrigation, and you're ready to be done with lawn care until spring.

But for the vast majority of people, it's just not worth it. Those few extra irrigation sessions - we're talking maybe three or four more times watering your lawn - make such a big difference in how your lawn looks next year.

My Practical Fall Watering Recommendations for the Quad Cities

Based on 11 years of experience maintaining lawns in our specific climate, here's what I recommend:

October Strategy

• Continue regular watering through mid-October

• Around October 15th-20th, extend your watering interval to every 7-10 days

• Reduce the amount of water per session by about 30-40%

• Watch the weather - if we get good rain, you can skip a session

November Strategy

• Water around November 1st if conditions are dry

• One final deep watering around November 10th-15th

• After Thanksgiving, you can typically shut things down

• Winterize your irrigation system before consistent freezing temperatures

What to Look For

Your lawn will tell you what it needs. If you see these signs, add a watering session:

• Grass blades starting to fold or curl

• Footprints staying visible after you walk across the lawn

• Color starting to dull or fade

• Areas near sidewalks or driveways looking stressed (these dry out faster)

Other Fall Lawn Care Tasks Matter Too

Watering into November is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to setting your lawn up for success. At Boscage Landscaping, we always remind our clients that ending the season strong means you start next year with a head start.

Other important fall tasks include:

• Fall fertilization to build root strength

• Final mowing at the right height

• Leaf removal so grass doesn't get smothered

• Fall aeration and overseeding if needed

• Addressing any drainage issues before winter

All of these things work together to create a lawn that survives winter in good shape and bounces back strong in spring.

The Bottom Line on Fall Watering

After working with over 500 clients across the Quad Cities, I can tell you with confidence that continuing to water your lawn through late October and into November makes a measurable difference in lawn quality the following spring.

You don't need to water as frequently or as heavily as you did in summer. Once every 7-10 days is usually plenty. But keeping that moisture available to your grass as it prepares for winter dormancy significantly reduces winter kill and sets you up for a better-looking lawn come March and April.

Don't let your lawn go dormant from thirst. Let it go dormant naturally from the change in season. Your spring lawn will thank you for it.

Let Boscage Landscaping Help You End the Season Strong

If you're in Bettendorf, LeClaire, Davenport, or anywhere else in the Quad Cities, we'd love to help you finish out your lawn care season the right way. Whether you need help with fall fertilization, aeration and overseeding, or just want advice on your watering schedule, we're here to help.

At Boscage Landscaping, we've been helping homeowners maintain beautiful, healthy lawns for 11 years. We understand our Iowa climate, we know what works in our soil conditions, and we're fully insured professionals you can trust.

Contact us today for a free estimate on fall lawn care services. We'll assess your lawn's specific needs and create a plan to help you end this season strong and start next spring with a healthy, thick lawn that's the envy of the neighborhood.

Don't make the mistake of shutting everything down too early. A few more weeks of care now saves you months of frustration next spring.