Considering the amount of effort it takes to keep the garden looking neat and tidy, most of us probably think the best time to mow a lawn is whenever we can find a spare moment to haul the mower out of the shed.
But the exact time you tackle the chore can have an effect on the overall health and appearance of your lawn. And then there’s the small matter of not annoying your neighbours when they’re trying to work or enjoy their own garden!
You can also check out our guide on the best petrol lawn mowers for in-depth analysis of the optimal kit for the chore.
What is the best time to mow a lawn?
General advice is that most people will start cutting the grass in March, with the 18th being the average date of the first lawn cut of the year in the UK, as grass begins to grow when the soil temperature goes above 6˚C.
However, the local conditions, location of the property, and the weather will affect the date that you should start cutting the lawn.
Cutting the grass from 10am onwards is also a good bet as if you mow too early in the day the grass may still be damp with dew and this can mean the your lawn mower blades tear the grass rather than cutting it cleanly. What's more, it there has been a lot of heavy rain, it's a good idea to wait a couple of days before getting the lawn mower out.
Guy Johnson, Consumer Manager at Johnsons Lawn Seed, says: “Grass needs to be dried after mowing and maintained before nightfall. We say that mid-morning is the ideal time for mowing because of this. Morning dew is a problem because it wets the blades like rain does, so we say wait until it dries, and the grass is straight.”
When should you not cut grass?
You should always wait until the soil is dry before cutting the grass as cutting wet grass can damage the grass and lead to disease.
Guy adds: "Mowing early in the morning can damage the grass if still damp with dew, and mowing in the early afternoon can burn the grass in the warmer months.
You should also avoid cutting your grass in winter months when the grass is dormant.
What time can I legally mow my lawn UK?
Although there is no specific law in the UK regarding lawnmowing times, councils can investigate and issue warning notices about noises that are above permitted levels between 11pm and 7am.
Most gardeners would also agree that mowing the lawn before 10am on a Sunday may also be a little inconsiderate for people enjoying a lie-in or sleeping off a night on the tiles.
Guy adds: “Considering that the average electric lawnmower produces 70 decibels of sound, whereas the average petrol lawnmower produces 85 decibels, we suggest you mow between 9am and 6pm (or later at weekends) to avoid waking up and irritating your neighbours!”
EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier version of this article included a quote from a purported expert whose credentials we have not been able to verify. The quote has been removed. We regret this lapse in our verification process and have updated our internal protocols to reduce the risk of recurrence.
