Bentgrass lawn care in November

In November, Bentgrass is slowing down in the transition zone and going dormant in the North & upper Midwest — soil around 40–46°F, and the soil cooling. The jobs that matter most: final mow of the season and keep leaves off the lawn.

Bentgrass in November, by region

Bentgrass growth status, mowing height and watering in November, by climate zone
Region	Growth	Mow	Water
Transition USDA 7–8	slowing ~46°F soil, cooling	0.25–1" every 2-3 days	Water on demand now, not on a schedule — growth is slowing and so is the lawn's water use. Irrigate when the colour turns a dark bluish-grey and the leaves wilt, fold or curl. About an inch a week at most and, as NC State puts it, ideally NOT all at once — half an inch at a time is plenty. Between 2 and 8 a.m., which is what keeps leaf-wetness hours short.
North USDA 6 and colder	going dormant ~40°F soil, cooling	0.25–1" one last cut, once growth has stopped — then put the mower away	No regular irrigation. Growth has stopped, and in the north the sprinkler system should already be drained — UMN puts the blow-out in the third or fourth week of October for much of Minnesota. One last soaking before the soil freezes is worthwhile if autumn has been dry, because it lets the crowns rehydrate going into winter. After that, nothing.

Growth status, soil temperature and the mow and water guidance are derived from each zone's soil curve together with Bentgrass's own dormancy and green-up thresholds, so each row describes that region rather than an average of all of them.

November in the transition zone

The band from the Carolinas across to Oklahoma and up through the lower Midwest, where both warm- and cool-season grasses are grown and neither is entirely comfortable. Timing here runs three to five weeks behind the south.

Growth: slowing~46°F soil, cooling
Mow: 0.25–1"every 2-3 days
Water: Water on demand now, not on a schedule — growth is slowing and so is the lawn's water use. Irrigate when the colour turns a dark bluish-grey and the leaves wilt, fold or curl. About an inch a week at most and, as NC State puts it, ideally NOT all at once — half an inch at a time is plenty. Between 2 and 8 a.m., which is what keeps leaf-wetness hours short.

Mowing note: Which species you have decides the height: creeping bentgrass 0.25-0.5 in, colonial 0.5-1.0 in (Oregon State). Reel mower either way — OSU: "Reel mowers should be the mower of choice on bentgrass lawns."

Worth doing

Spot-treat broadleaf weeds

Autumn is the best time of year to kill perennial broadleaf weeds. They are moving sugars down into their roots to overwinter, and they carry the herbicide down with them — the same application in spring mostly burns off top growth and the weed returns.

When: on a sunny day above 55 F, on actively growing weeds, and below 90 F

Product: selective post-emergent broadleaf herbicide

Air temperature: Spray on a day above 55°F; not above 90°F. Below the floor the weed is not actively growing and the application is wasted; above the ceiling you injure the lawn.

Steps

Spray the weed, not the lawn.
Mow 2-3 days BEFORE spraying, not after — the herbicide needs leaf area to work through.
Pick a sunny day with the high above 55 F and below 90 F. Below that the weeds are not actively growing and the spray does nothing; above it you injure the lawn.
Stay off drought-stressed turf.
Wait at least 3-4 weeks after seeding before any broadleaf herbicide.

Purdue University Extension, Fall broadleaf weed control applications

Full weed-control guide →

Worth doingEvery week this month

Keep leaves off the lawn

A wet mat of leaves will smother and kill cool-season turf within a couple of weeks, and because the grass is still green and growing underneath, the damage is real rather than cosmetic.

When: weekly through leaf fall

Steps

Clear leaves weekly through the fall rather than waiting for them all to drop.
Shredding them with the mower is fine in a thin layer and returns organic matter.
A thick layer has to come off.

Penn State Extension, Leaves Are Treasure, Not Trash

November in the North & upper Midwest

The upper Midwest, New England and the Pacific Northwest. A short season with a hard winter, so the autumn window closes earlier and matters more.

Growth: going dormant~40°F soil, cooling
Mow: 0.25–1"one last cut, once growth has stopped — then put the mower away
Water: No regular irrigation. Growth has stopped, and in the north the sprinkler system should already be drained — UMN puts the blow-out in the third or fourth week of October for much of Minnesota. One last soaking before the soil freezes is worthwhile if autumn has been dry, because it lets the crowns rehydrate going into winter. After that, nothing.

Do this

Final mow of the season

Growth has stopped — the soil is at 40 F, and Purdue puts growth cessation below exactly that. The last cut matters more than the ones before it, because whatever height the lawn goes into winter at is the height it sits at under snow for months. Long grass lays over into a mat, and a mat is what snow mold runs through. UMN: "mow your lawn a little shorter going into the winter, but not lower than two inches", which "reduces the risk of snow mold diseases".

When: the last cut once growth has stopped (week 2 of the month)

Steps

Take it a little shorter than your usual autumn cut, but never below 2 in.
Keep mowing until growth genuinely stops rather than stopping on a date — generally the end of October in the upper Midwest, early November at the southern edge of the zone.
Clear the leaves on the same pass. Going into winter with leaves on the lawn undoes the point of the lower cut.
Then service the mower; you are done with it until April.

University of Minnesota Extension, Mowing practices for healthy lawns · University of Minnesota Extension, Late Fall Lawn Care

Worth doing

Get ahead of snow mold — culturally first

Bentgrass is a host of both grey and pink snow mold, and by the time the snow is down it is too late to do anything about it. But reaching for a fungicide is usually the wrong first move on a home lawn — UW-Madison: "Because turf often recovers naturally from Typhula blight, fungicide treatments are typically not warranted for home lawns." What does the work is denying the fungus the conditions it needs: 60-plus days of snow over unfrozen ground at 30-40 F, on a canopy long enough to mat.

When: before the first lasting snow cover (week 2 of the month)

Product: no product in the normal case; a preventive turf fungicide only with a disease history and 3+ months of snow cover, active ingredient azoxystrobin, propiconazole, pyraclostrobin or tebuconazole

Label: The thiophanate-methyl / PCNB pairing this task used to name is not what UW-Madison lists. Per label, and only in the narrow case above.

Steps

Keep mowing until the lawn actually goes dormant, rather than stopping on a date. A long canopy lays over under snow and that mat is where the fungus runs.
Clear the leaves off completely before the first lasting snow.
Skip any fast-release nitrogen now — late, soluble N going into snow cover makes snow mold worse, not better.
Do not pile shovelled or ploughed snow on the lawn. A snowbank is 60 days of cover in one place.
A fungicide is worth it only if you have had snow mold here before AND snow usually stays more than three months. In that case apply in October or November, before the first lasting cover — azoxystrobin, propiconazole, pyraclostrobin or tebuconazole.
Keep foot traffic off frozen turf.

University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension, Typhula Blight (UW Plant Disease Facts D0119)

Worth doingEvery week this month

Keep leaves off the lawn

A wet mat of leaves will smother and kill cool-season turf within a couple of weeks, and because the grass is still green and growing underneath, the damage is real rather than cosmetic.

When: weekly through leaf fall

Steps

Clear leaves weekly through the fall rather than waiting for them all to drop.
Shredding them with the mower is fine in a thin layer and returns organic matter.
A thick layer has to come off.

University of Minnesota Extension, Late Fall Lawn Care · Penn State Extension, Leaves Are Treasure, Not Trash

Good to know

Growth stops long before the ground freezes. Purdue: "Plant growth slows when the soil temperature drops below 40 degrees F" — so once the soil is in the low 40s there is nothing for fertilizer to go into and nothing to cut. The rule of thumb that follows: if Halloween has come and gone, put the spreader away.

Bentgrass in November: common questions

Should I fertilize Bentgrass in November?

In the transition zone, no — no nitrogen application is scheduled for this zone in November. In the North & upper Midwest, no — no nitrogen application is scheduled for this zone in November.

Is my Bentgrass dormant in November?

In the transition zone, no — soil is around 46°F at 4-inch depth and cooling. In the North & upper Midwest, not yet, but it is going dormant — soil is around 40°F at 4-inch depth and cooling. Cool-season growth stops below about 40°F soil temperature, well before the ground freezes, and picks up again in spring. Take the reading at 4 inches, in a sunny representative part of the lawn, in the morning.

How short should I cut Bentgrass in November?

In the transition zone, 0.25–1 inches, every 2-3 days. Which species you have decides the height: creeping bentgrass 0.25-0.5 in, colonial 0.5-1.0 in (Oregon State). Reel mower either way — OSU: "Reel mowers should be the mower of choice on bentgrass lawns." In the North & upper Midwest, 0.25–1 inches, one last cut, once growth has stopped — then put the mower away. Which species you have decides the height: creeping bentgrass 0.25-0.5 in, colonial 0.5-1.0 in (Oregon State). Reel mower either way — OSU: "Reel mowers should be the mower of choice on bentgrass lawns."

How much should I water Bentgrass in November?

In the transition zone: Water on demand now, not on a schedule — growth is slowing and so is the lawn's water use. Irrigate when the colour turns a dark bluish-grey and the leaves wilt, fold or curl. About an inch a week at most and, as NC State puts it, ideally NOT all at once — half an inch at a time is plenty. Between 2 and 8 a.m., which is what keeps leaf-wetness hours short. In the North & upper Midwest: No regular irrigation. Growth has stopped, and in the north the sprinkler system should already be drained — UMN puts the blow-out in the third or fourth week of October for much of Minnesota. One last soaking before the soil freezes is worthwhile if autumn has been dry, because it lets the crowns rehydrate going into winter. After that, nothing.

Can I spray weeds on Bentgrass in November?

Spot-treat broadleaf weeds. When: on a sunny day above 55 F, on actively growing weeds, and below 90 F. Temperature: apply on a day above 55°F and below 90°F.

Sources

Colonial and Highland Bentgrass (Beaverturf) — Oregon State University
Leaves Are Treasure, Not Trash — Penn State Extension
Fall broadleaf weed control applications — Purdue University Extension
Fall Fertilization of Home Lawns: Is it too late? (Purdue Plant & Pest Diagnostic Laboratory) — Purdue University Extension
Late Fall Lawn Care — University of Minnesota Extension
Mowing practices for healthy lawns — University of Minnesota Extension
Typhula Blight (UW Plant Disease Facts D0119) — University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension

Soil temperatures are Lawn HQ estimates for your climate zone. How we work

By Lawn HQ · Last reviewed October 12, 2026. Extension or land-grant sources only, matched to this grass and this climate zone. Found something wrong? Tell us and we will fix it and update the date.

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