In the cooler months before and after summer, wait until around 10:30 am to start mowing.
Mow as late as 3:00 pm or 4:00 pm in these cool months.
After dew point (around sunrise), wait several hours for the dew to evaporate to start mowing.
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In the cooler months of April, May, and September, wait five or more hours.
Early evening, before dark settles, is another good time to mow a lawn.
Some areas may have noise abatement ordinances, too.
During the six months of prime lawn mowing season, sunrise varies by as much as two hours.
Times are based on sunrise times averaged across all four U.S. time zones.
To determine start times, a four hour wait time is added for June, July, and August.
Five hours are added for April, May, and September.
Temperatures drop to their lowest just before sunrise, creating dew.
For the next several hours, the dew will remain on the ground until it evaporates.
Another poortime to mow a lawnis from around 1:00 pm or 2:00 pm to sunset, in the summer.
Temperatures peak around 3:00 to 4:00 pm, continuing until the sun sets.
High temperatures can cause health problems when engaging in strenuous activities like lawn mowing.
This four-month period encompasses all of winter and some of the fall.
The lawn has stopped growing, so mowing is unnecessary.
Mowing during this period might even damage the dormant lawn.
The last half of the summer is also a poor season for mowingfrom a safety standpoint.
The hottest days of the year start after the summer solstice.
No, it is not okay to cut grass with morning dew.
It’s usually best to mow a lawn when the grass is dry.
You should not mow wet grass with an electric mower because you shouldn’t mow wet grass at all.
Wet grass is heavy and it lies flat, so the mower can’t pick it up.
Wetgrass doesn’t mulchwell, nor does it bag well.
Manufacturers of both corded and cordless electric mowers recommend against operating in damp or wet grass.
Table of Sunrise/Sunset, Moonrise/Moonset, or Twilight Times for an Entire Year.
U.S. Navy Astronomical Applications Department.
The Forecasting of Dew.
U.S. National Weather Service.
Past and future temperatures in the United States' hottest month of the year.
Your Lawn and Its Care.
New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.
