Cut Back Long Grass and Brush Before Winter: Choosing the Right Equipment for the Job

Long grass, weeds and brush that are left standing through the winter can create extra work in the spring. In exposed areas, tall vegetation can also catch blowing snow and contribute to drifting along driveways, lanes, fence lines and property edges.

Cutting these areas back before winter can make a property easier to manage through the colder months and give you a much cleaner starting point when spring arrives.

The key is choosing equipment that matches the vegetation you are dealing with.

Why Cut Long Grass and Brush Before Winter?

Tall grass and weeds tend to flatten under snow and remain wet for long periods. By spring, they can become a heavy, matted layer that is much harder to clean up.

Fall cutting can help:

• Reduce matted vegetation in the spring
• Keep property edges and fence lines easier to manage
• Improve visibility around lanes and entrances
• Make ditches and open areas easier to maintain
• Reduce places where blowing snow can collect around tall vegetation
• Keep brush and weeds from continuing to spread into maintained areas

Snow drifting is affected by wind direction, terrain, buildings, fences and many other factors, so cutting vegetation will not eliminate drifting by itself.

However, if you already know certain areas of your property tend to collect snow, cutting tall grass and weeds before winter can be one useful part of preparing the area.

Start by Looking at What You Are Actually Cutting

Before choosing a machine, look closely at the vegetation.

There is a big difference between:

• Long grass
• Heavy weeds
• Thick stalks
• Woody brush
• Small saplings
• Large overgrown areas that have not been cut for months or years

A light trimmer may be ideal for one job and completely inappropriate for another.

Trying to force undersized equipment through heavy vegetation usually makes the job slower, harder and more frustrating.

For Long Grass and Weeds: A Trimmer or Brush Cutter

For fence lines, ditch edges, around buildings, trees and other areas where a mower cannot easily reach, a handheld trimmer or brush cutter can be a very practical solution.

A STIHL FS 91 brush cutter is suited to heavier property-maintenance work and gives the operator more capability than a light-duty residential trimmer.

The cutting attachment matters.

Trimmer Line

Trimmer line works well for:

• Grass
• Light weeds
• Lawn edges
• Areas around trees and obstacles
• Vegetation that is still relatively soft

Brush-Cutting Blade

For heavier weeds and tougher growth, an approved brush-cutting blade may be more appropriate.

The correct attachment should always be matched to the machine and the type of vegetation being cut.

Never install a cutting attachment that is not approved for your particular machine.

Don’t Make a Handheld Machine Do a Mower’s Job

A brush cutter is extremely useful, but there comes a point where the amount of vegetation makes a handheld machine inefficient.

If you are looking at a large overgrown area, trying to cut the entire property with a trimmer can turn into a long and tiring project.

That is when moving up to a rough-terrain mower makes sense.

For Larger Overgrown Areas: Use a Rough-Terrain Mower

A walk-behind rough-terrain mower is designed for vegetation and ground conditions that would be difficult for a conventional lawn mower.

It can be a good choice for:

• Large areas of tall grass
• Heavy weeds
• Vacant lots
• Country properties
• Cottage properties
• Field edges
• Trail areas
• Overgrown sections of a property
• Small saplings and light woody growth

A rough-terrain mower can be very effective in areas where grass and brush have become too heavy for a standard mower or handheld trimmer.

Be Careful Around Larger Brush and Hidden Stumps

Although a rough-terrain mower can handle small saplings and light woody growth, larger brush stumps can be a problem.

Before mowing an overgrown area, walk the property carefully and look for:

• Larger brush stumps
• Old cut-off saplings
• Rocks
• Wire
• Fence posts
• Hidden debris
• Holes and uneven ground

A stump hidden below tall grass can be difficult to see and may damage the mower or create a safety hazard.

If an area contains heavier brush or larger woody stems, it may be better to cut those sections separately before bringing the mower through.

When Does a Rough-Terrain Mower Make More Sense?

A simple way to think about it is the size and density of the job.

If you have some long grass along a fence or around a few trees, a brush cutter may be the easiest solution.

If you are looking at a large area of waist-high grass, weeds or light brush, a rough-terrain mower will often be considerably more efficient.

In many cases, the best approach is actually to use both.

You might use the rough-terrain mower for the large open areas and a brush cutter for:

• Fence lines
• Around trees
• Ditches
• Corners
• Around buildings
• Areas the mower cannot reach

That combination can make a large cleanup project much more manageable.

Walk the Property Before You Start

This is particularly important when cutting areas where the vegetation is tall enough to hide the ground.

Walk through the area before operating the equipment and look for:

• Rocks
• Wire
• Fence posts
• Stakes
• Tree stumps
• Bottles and cans
• Pieces of wood
• Holes
• Low branches
• Landscaping materials
• Other hidden debris

An object hidden in tall grass can damage the machine or become a dangerous projectile.

If an area has not been maintained for a long time, assume there may be something hidden until you have inspected it.

Think About Where You Want the Snow to Go

If snow drifting is one of your concerns, spend a few minutes looking at the property before cutting.

Think about:

• The direction your prevailing winter winds usually come from
• Areas where snow traditionally piles up
• Fence lines
• Roadside ditches
• Driveway entrances
• Open fields beside lanes
• Tall weeds or grass immediately beside areas you need to keep clear

Vegetation can act as a small snow-catching barrier.

Removing tall vegetation immediately beside a problem area may help keep that area more open, although larger drifting problems may also require other solutions such as properly placed snow fencing.

The goal is not necessarily to cut every piece of vegetation on the property. It is to maintain the areas where overgrowth creates a problem.

Don’t Cut Woody Material With the Wrong Equipment

One important distinction is the difference between heavy weeds, small saplings and larger woody brush.

A rough-terrain mower may be quite capable of dealing with small saplings and light woody growth, while a brush cutter with the appropriate attachment can also handle tougher vegetation in tighter areas.

Larger stems, established brush and substantial stumps are a different situation.

If you are unsure, don’t simply try to force the machine through it.

Tell our team what you are trying to cut — including the approximate thickness of the stems — and we can help determine whether a brush cutter, rough-terrain mower or another machine makes the most sense.

Wear the Right Protective Equipment

Cutting heavy grass and brush can throw debris much farther than normal lawn trimming.

Appropriate protective equipment should include:

• Eye or face protection
• Hearing protection
• Sturdy footwear
• Long pants
• Gloves
• Any additional protective equipment specified by the machine manufacturer

Keep other people, children and pets well away from the work area.

This is especially important when using a blade or working in vegetation where hidden debris may be present.

Should You Cut Everything Right to the Ground?

Usually, no.

The objective is to bring vegetation under control, not scalp the soil.

Cutting too low can:

• Expose soil unnecessarily
• Increase the chance of hitting rocks and debris
• Put additional stress on the machine
• Damage desirable grass or plants

Choose a practical cutting height based on the area and what you are trying to accomplish.

A Simple Equipment Guide

Light grass and trimming around obstacles:
Use a string trimmer.

Heavy grass, weeds, fence lines and ditch edges:
Consider a STIHL brush cutter.

Large areas of tall grass, heavy weeds and small saplings:
A rough-terrain mower will often be more efficient, provided the area is checked first for larger stumps, rocks and hidden debris.

A large property with both open areas and edges:
Use the rough-terrain mower for the open ground and a brush cutter for the places the mower cannot reach.

Choosing the Right Machine Can Save a Lot of Time

The biggest mistake with overgrown-property cleanup is often trying to do the job with equipment that is too small.

A machine that is well matched to the vegetation can turn what feels like an all-day battle into a manageable project.

If you are not sure what you need, tell us:

• Approximately how large the area is
• How tall the vegetation has become
• Whether it is mostly grass, weeds, small saplings or heavier woody brush
• Whether the ground is smooth or rough
• Whether you have slopes, ditches or obstacles
• Whether there are known stumps or hidden hazards in the area

That information usually gives us a good starting point for recommending the right type of equipment.

You can also browse Rental Village equipment while planning your fall cleanup.

Our goal is not to put you into the biggest machine available. It is to help you choose the equipment that makes sense for the job you actually have.