What Is the Best Time of Day to Cut Grass?
The best time to mow your lawn is while you're home, but that's not always the case. If you have a traditional 9-to-5 job, mowing your lawn may be in conflict with your neighbors and the health of your lawn.
The Best Times of Day to Mow Lawn
If you have any schedule flexibility, a well-timed cut can significantly benefit your lawn. Mowing your lawn between 8 and 10 a.m. is ideal. So you get strong, perky blades of grades while avoiding the hottest times of day.
You can also mow in the late afternoon (between 4 and 6 p.m.), avoiding the hottest time of the day while allowing your grass to recover before nightfall. Less stress on you and your grass during this time of day. It also gives your grass a few hours to recover. However, mowing too late in the evening (between 6 and 8 p.m.) leaves your lawn vulnerable to fungal and turf disease.
What are the worst times to mow?
In the early morning and late afternoon, avoid cutting your grass. Even if the heat and humidity decreases around dawn, mowing wet grass too early can cause ruts, clumping, clogging, and root damage. Mowing your lawn in the sun of the day can be exhausting for both you and your grass, as it accelerates moisture loss.
Regardless of when you mow, keep your mower blades sharp and in good condition for the smoothest cut. Also, be aware of your mower's cutting height, as cutting your lawn too short exposes new grass shoots to direct sun, inhibiting development.
When is the Best Time to Mow Your Lawn Without Annoying Your Neighbors?
Early Morning (6–8 Am)
So, how early can you cut the grass? No one will appreciate you if you mow your lawn before going to work. Due to the wet grass, the mower may likely rip, bruise, and rip the grass. Your mower will clog faster, leave tracks, clump, and mat the grass. These difficulties leave mold and fungus growth on your lawn. Using a riding mower on wet grass might be challenging due to the slippery grass. Similarly, wet grass with a push mower can be slick and dangerous if you lose your footing.
Early morning (8–10 a.m.)
After the dew or daily watering has dried off, but before it becomes too hot, is the best time to mow your lawn. The grass is dry and tall, ideal for a cut. Make sure your lawn mower blade is sharp to avoid ragged edges that impede lawn regeneration. Plus, your neighbors are probably at work or at least awake.
Mid-day (10 a.m.–2 p.m.)
You and your lawn will be most stressed out throughout the day. Cutting your lawn now, when it is busily photosynthesizing and protecting its water source, may kill it. This is by far the worst time to mow your lawn, and you probably should not be out there anyhow.
In the mid-afternoon (2–4 Pm
Cutting can still strain your lawn even though the temperatures have dropped. It is still better than mowing your lawn early in the morning or early at night.
In the late afternoon (4–6 Pm)
If you can not make it mid-morning, late afternoon is second best. Mowing is easier once the midday grass has dropped down. Cutting now will allow it to recover before time. Also, your neighbors may be on their way home from work.
Early evening (6–8 p.m.)
If you mow your lawn around this time, it will not have time to mend before nightfall, when mold and fungal spores thrive. You'll likely be interrupting your neighbors' dinner chat. It is too late to mow if you need a flashlight to see the yard. Also, you can not notice obstructions that could damage your mower or blade.
Taking care of your lawn is being courteous to your neighbors. Mowing at the right time will keep your lawn and your neighbors happy. Allow it time to bounce back. Try to keep traffic to a minimum in the first 24 hours after cutting. If there are large clumps of cut grass left, take a minute to rake them up and dispose of them properly. Also, give it a little extra water a few days after mowing.
More:
- Lawn Mowing Tips for a Healthy Lawn
- Lawn Mowing Patterns: How to Cut Grass Like a Pro
- Best Safety Glasses for Lawn Mowing
