Mowing your lawn can feel like a real chore, especially in the summer when it grows so quickly. While you might not have the option of mowing it at the best time of the day, due to a busy schedule, here is some information about why the time of day may matter more than you think.
When is the best time to mow grass: The best time to mow grass is in the middle of the morning, between 8 am and 10 am. This way, the temperature isn’t too hot and any morning dew will have been absorbed. Another good time is later afternoon, between 4 pm and 6 pm as the grass will have a chance to heal before overnight moisture.
Best Time of The Day to Mow Grass (specify time range)
Morning: 8 am to 10 am
One of the best times to mow your grass is in the morning, but not too early. Not only will your neighbors be pleased that you are waiting until a little later in the morning, but your grass will be happier, too.
Early mornings bring dew, even in the height of summer, so you want to wait until that moisture has evaporated. Furthermore, many homeowners will run their sprinklers during the night, so all that water needs extra time to dissipate.
Try not to wait until after 10 am during the summer as this is when the sun will start to become stronger. Remember that in the summer the sun rises early, so it will be heating your lawn for quite some time before mid-day comes around.
The one exception to this guideline is if you have grass that is in a north-facing part of your yard. In this case, shadows can cover most of your grass in the morning which means it will take much longer for the moisture to work its way through the yard.
Late afternoon: 4 pm to 6 pm
The sun starts to wane around this time, so even if it is still quite warm out, the temperatures will begin to cool and you can get out and mow your lawn. Heat can stress grass out so you want to wait until there are cooler temperatures.
As nighttime approaches, dew will start to form on the grass again, so you want to give it enough time to heal before all that moisture sets in. The same holds true if you have a sprinkler system that is set to go on at night.
What is the worst time to mow the grass?
Early morning: 6 am to 8 am
Honestly, it should be a given that you aren’t mowing your lawn this early in the day simply because most neighbors will still be in bed. Even if they are awake, they will want to enjoy the peace of their morning coffee and not have the loud whirring of a lawnmower disrupting their quiet.
Noise levels aside, early morning is simply too wet of a time to cut your grass. The moisture from either dew or a sprinkler system means you will end up tearing your grass instead of neatly cutting it.
When grass tears it becomes damaged and if there is too much damage or stress on the grass, the disease can set in. It’s also much harder to form a nice, even cut.
There are other factors to consider, including the mess that wet grass makes in your lawnmower. It sticks and clumps more easily which can lead to a mess where you stow your lawnmower, not to mention a trail of grass clippings across pathways and driveways.
As a practical matter, wet grass can cause a safety issue if you use an electric lawn mower. While this isn’t a major concern given today’s safety practices, it is worth considering.
Mid-afternoon: 2 pm to 4 pm
Hot heat makes all plants start to wilt. This is not the time for you to do any major gardening, and that includes lawn mowing.
When the sun is at its zenith, grass takes advantage and uses the time to photosynthesize, gathering nutrients from the sun and oxygen. This is the time it stores this energy to grow more and be healthy.
Without this energy, grass will start to dry out, resulting in prematurely dead grass and brown spots.
One other factor that will make you want to not mow your grass during this time is that it simply is not fun. Pushing a lawn mower when it is the hottest time of the day is not healthy and can lead to heatstroke, sunburn, or just too much physical exertion.
Evening: 7 pm to 9 pm
Nighttime mowing is pretty common, as people get home from work, have dinner, and then use their remaining strength to tackle a few chores. However, don’t leave lawn mowing until too late.
The edges of your grass will be cut back, leaving them vulnerable to dew. Too much moisture and your grass can be susceptible to diseases and fungus.
When should you mow your grass?
Try to mow your lawn in the middle of the morning or later in the afternoon. You want the grass to be dry but not dried out, with enough time to start to heal itself before the cool temperatures and night moisture sets in.
What month is the best time to mow your lawn?
You can start mowing your grass in the mid-spring months, once the weather warms up and your grass starts to grow. However, you shouldn’t mow after it has rained a lot as the grass needs to dry out first.
Continue mowing until the late summer months. Come early fall, your grass will start to become dormant so you don’t have to worry about it over winter.
Conclusion
Grass doesn’t like to be cut when it is wet or very dry. Stick to mid-morning or late in the afternoon to mow your lawn and avoid early in the morning when there is dew on the grass and in the middle of the day when it is hot out.
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