Best and Worst Times of Day to Mow Your Lawn, With Tips from the Experts

Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on LawnStarter.

Most people tend to follow a set routine each day. To stay healthy, your lawn also needs to follow a certain schedule, including mowing it at the right time.

Mid-afternoon, between 8 am and 10 am, is the best time of day to mow the lawn.

Avoiding conditions that are too hot, too wet, and too late (or too early) in the day reduces stress on your lawn and gives it more time to recover before dusk.

With tips from the pros, here are the best (and worst) times of day to mow the lawn.

Best: Mid-Morning

The best time of day to mow the lawn is mid-morning, between 8 am and 10 am

Here’s why it’s the right time:

• Low humidity: The morning dew is dry by this time. Mowing a wet lawn is one of the worst things you can do to your lawn. The blades will tear, and the clips will clog your mower, so mowing after the dew has dried is the way to go.
• Coolest time of day: By mowing mid-morning, you protect your lawn from heat stress.
• Return: Your lawn needs time to recover before the sun goes down. At night comes humidity and an increased risk of disease and fungal infections.

“People make a lot of mistakes when mowing because they think that as long as they keep the grass short, they’re done,” says Daniel Tengrove, owner of All Southern Lawn & Landscaping in Ocala, Florida.

“When you mow it has a big impact on how healthy and strong your lawn will be.”

Best for: Late Afternoon

If you’re not a morning person, don’t worry, says Tengrove. The second best time to mow your lawn is in the afternoon or early morning, from 4pm to 6pm Here’s why:

• Low humidity: No dew on the lawn means you won’t have to worry about poor mowing performance or promoting disease in your lawn.
• Cool time of day: Mowing after the hottest part of the day prevents heat stress.
• Return: Your grass will have enough time to recover before dusk, reducing the risk of disease.

Best for: Late Morning

There are both advantages and disadvantages to mowing your lawn early in the morning, from 10 a.m. to noon:

• Low humidity: The grass should be dry, so you won’t have to go through the trouble of mowing wet grass.
• Very hot: After 10 a.m., the day can be too hot to mow the lawn without stressing it (or you), especially in hot climates. Heat stress can interfere with your turfgrass’ ability to recover.
• Return: Mowing the lawn in the morning gives enough time to recover before evening.

Let’s take a look at the worst times of day to mow your lawn.

Worst: Early mornings

The worst time to mow is early morning, between 6am and 8am Here are the reasons why:

• Too much humidity: Early in the morning, the dew still covers your place. Mowing a wet lawn leaves your lawn susceptible to lawn diseases or fungus.
• Compact soil and ruts: “Mowing wet grass is one of the worst things you can do,” Tengrove said. The mower blade will rip up wet grass instead of cutting it cleanly, the soil will compact, and your lawn will have ruts. He adds: “Even a small mower can leave stakes in wet ground, and once they’re there, they stay.”
• Closed cutter: Mowing the lawn when wet can clog or damage your lawn mower.
• Loudest sound: Mowing early in the morning is not considered neighborly, as excessive mowing disturbs the peace. Some places even have policies against it.

Worst: Midday

Although the lawn will be dry during the day, there are more disadvantages than advantages to mowing at this time:

• Dry Grass: One benefit of mowing in the middle of the day is that the grass will dry out.
• Unsafe heat: It is not safe for homeowners to mow during the day in areas that receive excessive heat, which can cause heatstroke or sunburn.
• Slow grass recovery: The heat of the day can stress a mowed lawn. Although your lawn should recover before nightfall, heat stress can still weaken your lawn.

Worst: Evening

One of the worst times to mow your lawn is in the evening, after 6pm Here’s why late night mowing is a problem for your lawn:

• Infected with grass diseases: Grass cut in the evening may not heal and recover before nightfall. Overnight moisture can cause grass cut late in the day to be more susceptible to disease and fungus.

What’s the Best Time to Mow During Each Season?

With the change of seasons comes a change in the way you care for your lawn. Here are the best times of day to mow for each season of the year.

Spring

• It’s a good time to plant: 8-10 am, after the dew evaporates, or 4-6 pm
• Notes: Spring is usually the rainy season. Choose a later mowing time, if needed, to allow dew and rainwater to evaporate.

Summer

• It’s a good time to plant: 8-10 am, after the dew evaporates, or 4-6 pm
• Notes: Do not mow dormant or drought-stricken grass during the summer. If you experience summer storms, wait until the grass is dry before mowing.

To fall

• It’s a good time to plant: 8am-noon
• Notes: During autumn, the best time to mow depends on the local temperature.

Winter

• It’s a good time to plant: Mowing is not necessary if the grass is dormant.
• Notes: If your lawn continues to grow in the winter (which is only common in the extreme south), mow during the warmest part of the day.