What Is The Best Time Of Day To Cut Your Grass? Lawn Mowing Etiquette Guide

Over the past year, one of the more common questions asked to me was something to the effect of “What is the best time of the day to mow my grass?” Most people don’t consider this and will mow whenever their schedule allows them to, or they rely on their lawn service to do it whenever they come out, which could be different times each time they cut.

The best time of day to cut your grass is between 9 AM-11 AM.

But there are pros and cons on when you cut your grass which I will go over below.

Early Morning Cut (6am-8am)

The early morning is the least recommended time to mow your grass. It may be cooler but in most areas, there will be dew on the grass which will just give you headaches when you cut the grass. Mainly from clumps of grass clogging the mower and getting stuck under the carriage as well as mounds of grass clippings sitting on your lawn which will cause yellow spots. Plus mowing wet grass can be problematic to your grass as it can lead to various lawn diseases. So in short, sleep in and enjoy the morning in peace. If you have neighbors they will appreciate not hearing a lawn mower waking them up.

Mid-Morning Mow (9 AM – 11 AM )

This is the recommended time window to mow your grass. The morning dew should have dried up and your lawn should be nice and dry if it is not raining and has not rained the day before. Your grass is also the least stressed during this part of the day as the hot sun has not been drying it out yet which adds to the stress. Using a sharp blade to cut is the best as that will also reduce the stress on the turf. Also, temps should be the most comfortable for you in most zones during this period.

Mid-Day Mow ( Noon – 4 PM )

If you miss your mid-morning window you should probably skip the mid-day times if you can. I know everyones schedule is different and most mow when they can get to it. If you don’t mow during this time you will be saving your self from potentially getting overheated due to the hot temps of the day, and your turf will thank you because this will be the most stressful time of the day for your grass to recover.

Late Afternoon Mow ( 4 PM – 6 PM )

This is the second-best time window of the day to mow your grass and probably the most recommended time for home owners. I have many neighbors that get home from work and do a quick mow before eating dinner. This time of day is good as the temps are starting to cool off a bit which again is not only good for you but also good for your turf as it is less stressed and will have a good time to recover before the night dew sets in again.

Early Evening Mow ( 6PM – 9 PM )

Even though this is my second least recommended time to mow, this is probably the most common for home owners. I don’t like that late day cuts as that can lead to many lawn diseases as the blades are under stress from getting hacked and most people may not have the sharpest blades on their mowers which will open up the blades of grass and invite diseases from the overnight dew. And if you don’t know already, I don’t recommend watering in the evening or night time either. Set your sprinkler systems to run first thing in the morning to cut down on lawn diseases.

Lawn Mowing Etiquette

There are some common courtesy rules when it comes to using lawnmowers and any other loud lawn care equipment if you live within 50′ of any other homeowner. Many HOA’s will have set their neighborhood rules about this but here are some simple guidelines to follow to keep your neighbors happy and keep you on the friend list. 🙂

• Don’t mow before 9 AM, especially on the weekends.
• Don’t mow after 8 PM
• Do mow your entire lawn if you can. No one likes to hear their neighbor running lawn equipment for multiple days in a row.
• Don’t let your grass get too tall and unruly. Mow at least once a week.
• Don’t leave lawn clippings all over the sidewalk and driveway.
• Keep your edges cut and looking sharp.

Also see: Is It Illegal To Mow Your Lawn At Night? – Nighttime Mowing Safety

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