Yvonne Glasgow
There’s more that goes into mowing your lawn than starting up the lawnmower or making sure you have a full tank of gas. What time of day you mow will affect the health and look of your yard.
Since it’s unlikely you are going to spring out of bed first thing in the morning to mow your lawn, you’ll be happy to know that you shouldn’t mow between 6 and 8 am. When day breaks, the grass is still wet from dew overnight. That wetness causes the grass to clump and stick to the cutting deck, as well as clog up the opening to the collection bag. Also, you’re more likely to leave tracks, making your lawn look bad (and possibly damaging it, too).
Instead, enjoy your breakfast and morning coffee, and then go out after 8 am to do the mowing. From 8 to 10 am, you’ll enjoy the cooler morning temperatures before the sun overheats things, but the sun is high enough that it’s had time to dry the dew from the grass.
If you don’t have time to mow in the morning, there are afternoon hours that work well too. Don’t mow between noon and 3 pm, the hottest times of the day. Wait until after 4 pm when the temperature has cooled down some again. Mowing at peak heat is not only rough on you, but your lawn too—the hot sun can scorch the freshly cut grass.
Finally, you’ll want to skip late evening mowings (and not just because your neighbors will hate you for cutting the grass at bedtime). Your lawn needs time to bounce back from the stress of cutting to ensure it’s in good shape for the cool, damp night when it’s more susceptible to fungal growth and other turf-related troubles.
