Are you mowing your lawn at the wrong time of day? Turf experts reveal the 2 worst times to cut grass, and when you should be doing it instead

Whether you love it or hate it, regular mowing is a necessary part of maintaining a healthy and attractive lawn. But when you choose to mow is important, as some times of day stress your grass more than others. So, we reveal what the worst time to mow a lawn is.

Get your mowing right and you’ll have a lush, green lawn that looks great and is the envy of your neighbors. However, by choosing the worst time to cut grass, your lawn may become stressed, unattractive, and, at worst, diseased.

To help you get your lawn care routine on point, and avoid falling foul of any pitfalls, we got turf experts to reveal the worst time to mow a lawn. This guide highlights mistakes to avoid, as well as the hours of day professionals recommend you should mow your lawn.

The worst time to mow a lawn - according to the pros

Steve Peeler, an agronomist with Simple Lawn Solutions, claims: 'The worst time to mow a lawn is when it is wet, and the hottest part of the day.' Let's take a closer look at these two key times of day that turf experts say to avoid taking out the lawn mower to reveal why they are problematic.

Don’t mow early in the morning

It is not advisable to mow early in the morning. Not only will it be unsociable, especially on a weekend, but it actively risks the health of the lawn, potentially ruining any ambitions for a green and thick lawn to enjoy.

Mowing wet grass from dew or rainfall is a mistake for various reasons. It results in uneven cuts because a lawn mower tears moist grass instead of cutting it smoothly, and the mower is likely to become clogged.

However, even more concerning is how it can leave the lawn more susceptible to diseases.

'It is best to wait until the dew has cleared or removed before mowing,' says Steve Peeler.

'Disease pathogens and fungus can spread from one area to another by foot and mechanical traffic if the grass has heavy dew and high humidity,' he adds.

'By 10 am, most dew has evaporated, making for a better time to mow.'

Don’t run the risk of your grass succumbing to lawn diseases such as summer patch, red thread, lawn rust, or more, by heading out too early with the mower. Sit back and relax, before heading out when you’re confident any moisture has cleared.

Steve Peeler

As a certified Sports Field Manager with decades of hands-on turfgrass experience, Steve Peeler started his career as Program Director at Catawba Valley Community College in North Carolina, making his way to Field Manager for several MLB teams. In his position as the Internal Agronomist of Simple Lawn Solutions, he's helping homeowners everywhere bring professional sports turf to their lawn.

Don't mow in the hottest part of the day

Mowing is vital in summer lawn care to keep it healthy and attractive for families to enjoy, and looking good for events or gatherings. However, you should not attempt to mow stripes into a lawn in the middle of the day during the height of summer. It is not good for your lawn, or yourself.

The temperatures peak between midday and 4 pm during the hottest months of the year. It is advisable to avoid mowing during these sunniest hours of the day, to prevent placing stress on your turf.

'Hot afternoon sun can stress newly clipped grass blades, making them more prone to disease and to drying out and turning brown,' says Greg Cuoco, CEO of The Difference Landscapes.

'If you're not a morning person, mow between 4 pm - 6 pm when the grass won’t be as scorched from the midday sun.'

Mowing during the hottest part of the day also places more stress on you and your lawn mower. It is safer all around to wait until the temperatures have cooled, but before evening sets in.

'After 6 pm or during the evenings are meant for lawn appreciation, not mowing,' adds Greg. 'A late mow won’t give the grass time to recover before evening moisture sets in and makes the turf more susceptible to disease and fungal growth.'

A lawn wants time to heal after mowing before the temperatures drop at night. Moisture and low temperatures put lawns at risk of fungal attacks, which is also why it is inadvisable to water the lawn at night.

Greg Cuoco

Greg Cuoco is CEO at The Difference Landscapes, a New Hampshire-based landscape design, installation and lawn maintenance firm.

FAQs

What time of year should you not cut your grass?

You should stop mowing your lawn in fall once the grass stops growing and goes dormant for winter, and before the first frosts. This tends to be October or November, depending on your location.

Then, you start mowing a lawn in spring once the temperatures rise and the grass is actively growing again. An ideal time to start is once it reaches around three inches, and you should pick a high mower height for spring lawns.

While discussing why early in the morning is potentially the worst time to mow a lawn, we mentioned it would be unsociable to go out with a lawn mower so early in the day. So, when is it antisocial to mow?

Early hours, especially on a weekend, are always unsociable and should always be avoided. Other potential timings to consider are the levels of disturbance from mowing late on an evening if neighbors have young children, or heading out with a noisy lawn mower when your neighbors have guests.