When is the Best Time to Mow My Lawn - Tips You Should Know

Most people use lawnmowers whenever it's cool or convenient, but if you can time it correctly, there are ideal times throughout the day for mowing that will keep your lawn thick and healthy.

The best time of day to mow the lawn is mid-morning or late afternoon for a healthy, lovely yard. The grass has had enough time to dry from the dew from the previous night and the temperature is not too hot. Avoid mowing the lawn in the morning, the middle of the day, or at night.

Winter used to mean that after giving your lawn one last trim in the late fall, you could put the lawn mower away for a few months with confidence that the grass wouldn't need to be cut because the cold temperatures would prevent it from growing. But because prolonged cold spells are less common now, grass frequently grows all winter long. Instead of putting the lawnmower away in the shed, the general rule of thumb these days is that you should mow if the grass is growing.

When Should I Mow the Lawn?

Get the mower out whenever you notice that the lawn is growing long and untidy and you think it could use a tidy up, provided the grass is dry enough. Mowing is essential for maintaining a healthy lawn in addition to making the garden look tidy. By encouraging the grass to grow outward from the base with each mow, you are essentially pruning the grass, which thickens the sward and creates a lush, dense lawn.

Naturally, winter does tend to be quite wet, so choose your moment carefully, even though it might not be cold enough to stop the grass from growing. There won't be much of a difference if you wait a few days or even a week because the grass will be growing much more slowly than it does in the summer. It's much better to wait than risk damaging your lawn by pushing a bulky mower around and creating muddy ruts and marks. Additionally, keep in mind that if it is frosty outside, you should never mow the lawn or even walk on it.
Also Read: How Short To Cut Grass for Winter Care

The Best Time to Mow Your Lawn

Early Morning

Early morning mowing is perhaps the worst time to mow. The grass will likely be covered in morning dew. This might make it difficult for your mower and result in uneven grass cutting. The grass might rip as a result of this. Here's the deal, torn: if your grass is wet, disease and fungus can easily enter through it.

Mid-Morning

Though there is some debate as to how important the time of day you cut the grass is, there is a time that is better than the rest. The best time of day to mow the lawn, according to the majority of experts, is in the middle of the morning. The justification for this is that the lawn needs time to recover before dusk. This means that your grass really needs the day to dry and recover before dusk falls.

According to the theory, cutting your lawn when it's too hot could cause the grass to burn. Therefore, if you have the luxury of choosing when to mow during the day, there is a case to be made that mid-morning is the best time of day.

Midday

Though it is generally safe to mow your lawn midday, it is not optimal. You will stress out the turf in addition to having to work during the hottest time of the day. But as long as it is a regular cut and you are only removing the top third of the grass, you should be okay. However, if you have fallen behind on your lawn, and need to cut more than the top third, you risk burning the lawn.

Afternoon

The second best time of day to cut your lawn is in the afternoon. It's best to mow your lawn in the afternoon if you can't get outside in the morning and don't want to risk burning it.

Evening

It's bad to mow your lawn too early or too late in the day. This is due to the fact that this dew evaporates as night falls. You run the same risk of exposing your freshly cut lawn to fungus and disease as you would in the morning.

When Not to Mow Your Lawn

In general, the worst time of day to mow the lawn is early in the morning. Due to the persistent dew on the grass, it will continue to clump together into drenched masses. Although you may be making the most of the cool morning, the time you spend in the yard will increase if you frequently have to stop and clear the mower blades.

Additionally, the grass won't be cut as evenly and smoothly as you would like, and you might need to rake up unsightly clumps of clotted grass that the lawnmower has left behind. The benefit of the cooler morning hours is quickly offset by the additional time you have to spend working in the yard.

If any areas of your lawn have diseased grass, early morning mowing with wet grass and wet blades will create the ideal environment for it to spread to other areas. As you can see, cutting grass in the early morning hours is not recommended.

Even though the dew will have had plenty of time to evaporate by noon, now is still not the best time to mow the lawn. As the hot summer sun is at its strongest, you will not only be working during the hottest part of the day, but you will also be stressing the grass. Australian summers can be extremely hot.

When the sun is at its highest, photosynthesis and chemical reactions are at their peak in plant life. For the health of the lawn, retaining moisture at this crucial time of day is crucial.

Mowing the lawn removes the tips of the grass, which causes more moisture to evaporate. As a result, the best time of day to mow the lawn is not in the middle of the day.

Additionally, early evening is not the best time to mow. Grass needs time to recover after being cut. An early evening mowing indicates that there is not enough time left in the day for the lawn to recover sufficiently to withstand the next day's summer heat and sun.

What About the First Cut in Spring?

Another important tip is to avoid cutting the grass too short when mowing your lawn, whether you're doing it in the winter or after a period of colder weather when you give it its first cut in the spring. The last thing grass needs is to be shaved to within an inch of its life because winter weather already puts stress on it. Longer grass blades will improve photosynthesis and plant health. Additionally, grass does not like being abruptly shorn short after going for a month or two without being mowed; lower cutting heights must be gradually attained.

When the season is well under way, the grass is growing vigorously, and you are mowing more frequently, only then should you lower the height of the mower blades. A rotary mower with a cutting height of about 30-40mm will work perfectly for a typical, practical family lawn for the majority of the year.

In order to ensure that your mower is in good working order before using it for the first time in a while, take the time to inspect it. Make sure the blade is sharp so it cuts effectively and remove any old, dried-on grass from the cutting deck using a stiff-bristled brush, like this one from Garden Trading. Gardeners should be aware that rotary mowers are essentially a very fast, mechanical version of a scythe, and that, in the days when scythes were the only tool available, no one would have dared to use one without sharpening it each time. This information is provided by lawn expert David Hedges-Gower. The blade of a rotary mower is slightly blunted after each use, so he suggests sharpening it at least once every two weeks or ideally every day.

FAQs

Is It Bad to Mow Lawn When It's Hot?

Lawn mowing in the heat is not recommended. Mowing harms the grass blades, and a hot climate makes it more difficult for your lawn to recover.

Is 7AM Too Early to Mow Lawn?

For your grass and your neighbors, cutting the lawn at 7AM is too early. In order to avoid upsetting your neighbors, wait until around 9AM. Additionally, it gives the morning dew a chance to dry.

Is It Rude to Mow Lawn at 8PM?

To cut the lawn at 8:00 PM is uncouth. To be on the safe side, finish mowing your lawn at least an hour or two before sunset.

Is It Rude to Mow Your Lawn on Sunday?

Mowing your lawn on a Sunday is not impolite. The only day of the week that many homeowners have time to take care of their lawns is this one. On weekends, you ought to stay away from cutting the grass early.