When Should I Mow My Lawn?

Updated/Fact-Chacked on August 14, 2021 by John

Having a lawn that looks neat and healthy all the time seems like a challenging task, doesn’t it? And definitely, the hardest part is mowing; particularly, choosing the right time to do so. Well, this will no longer be a challenging task! You only have to check the rest of the article to get all the tips.

The Short Answer:

Mowing is usually done between March and October. However, mowing techniques and frequency vary according to the season, the look you want for your garden, and the type of grass. In essence, you need to trace the length of your lawn and notice whenever it becomes messy and unruly.

How Often Should I Mow My Lawn During the Year?

Since we mentioned that mowing techniques vary with the seasons, let’s go over the basics. During summer-time, you should mow your lawn twice a week. Contrarily, during winter, mowing isn’t necessary at all. As for spring and autumn, once a week should be sufficient. 

As a general rule, don’t mow wet or frosty grass at any given point. Also, pay attention to areas exposed to the sun; they require more mowing than areas under trees.

When Does Grass Stop Growing?

Does it ever? Yes, it does! Grass stops growing when the temperature drops below 50°F during the day. On the other hand, the warmer the weather, the faster grass grows. 

When Is the Last Time I Should Cut Grass Before Winter?

It depends on when you’ll get the first frost of the season. Once you check the tentative date, mow your lawn two or three times before then.  

When Is the Best Time of the Day to Mow Your Lawn?

Is there such a thing as “the best time”? As a matter of fact, yes. And there’s also the worst time. Mid-morning is agreed to be the best time since grass needs sun exposure to heal after the cutting process. Afternoon mowing is also preferred by many, since the weather isn’t excessively hot, preventing the grass from getting too dry, and there’s no dew.

On the other side of the coin, early morning is the worst time. Grass could be wet as a result of dew, making it harder to cut the grass efficiently. As a result, grass could get teared, and the mower could get clogged. The same applies to mowing late at night since dew starts covering your lawn.

As for mid-day, it depends on the surrounding climate. If it’s too hot, turf stress could be the result. If it isn’t, however, it’ll be just fine.

Final Words

When it comes to keeping your lawn looking good, you simply need to choose the right time to mow the grass.  And always remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution; you need to cater the advice you read and hear to your own circumstances and grass type. Happy mowing!

Mary

Mary shares a passion for gardening with her husband John, though she is more focused on growing veg on their allotment at St. Margaret’s Allotments, Durham. Mary also works in the lawn care industry and manages the lawns for the Durham University campus.