Mow my lawn meaning. How Early Can You Mow Your Lawn

How Early Can You Mow Your Lawn?

I love to cut my lawn. It is a time when I can escape into the serene yard around my home and get away from the hustle and bustle of life. Life today is so much more complicated than it was even a decade ago. So spending a few hours caring for the grass and the garden around my house is also a time that allows me to care for myself. In this day and age, I think that’s important.

That being said, before you begin working outside, you have to make sure that you do not disrupt the lives of the people living in your neighborhood. Your therapeutic garden adventures may cause too much noise. The noise of your mower may be disturbing others around you.

We many other articles on to help you properly mow your lawn. For instance, you may be interested in our article on how to mow patterns.

Not only is it important for you to consider your neighbors, you also have to consider the health of your grass and your local ordinances.

Wait a second. The health of your grass? Community ordinances? Am I reading this correctly? Yes, you are. There are a number of things that you must consider before you go outside to cut your grass.

Your lawn mower, unless you have a robotic model, is not a quiet machine. Every time you trim the grass, there is an inherent noise that comes with the activity. That sound is something you have to consider for several reasons.

So before you run out and crank up any heavy-duty equipment at the crack of dawn, keep reading. Remember, there is more at stake here than just creating more work for yourself in your yard.

What Is the Earliest Time You Can Mow Your Lawn?

You may ask yourself, “How early can I cut my grass?” Theoretically, you can do yard work any time you please. It is your property, after all. If, for some reason, you felt the need to fire up the engine at two o’clock in the morning and cut your grass, you certainly could.

However, it goes without saying that the middle of the night is probably not the best time to be outside mowing.

What you may not realize is that you might be breaking the law by choosing to mow too early in the morning or too late in the evening.

Plus, there’s the fact that your neighbors will be very unhappy with you for disturbing them.

Depending on where you live, lawn care professionals are not allowed to start working until 7 or 8 in the morning during the week. These times are not a suggestion. There are communal ordinances in place that dictate when work may start to avoid creating a ruckus too early in the morning.

On weekends and holidays, yard equipment is prohibited from running before 8 or 9 in the morning. Again, this time is dependent upon where you live and what the ordinances say in your area.

So, take the time to do some research online or call your local officials to avoid facing a fine for making noise outside too early in the day. You’ve already invested money in making your property look appealing, so you probably don’t want to shell out more money to pay a fine that could have been avoided.

When it comes to lawncare, it is important to tailor the care to the specific type of grass you have. Check out our guide on taking care of bahia grass.

What Is the Best Time to Mow Your Lawn?

Now that you understand what the law says in your area and what time you are allowed to begin cutting grass, it’s probably a good time to let you know that an early morning start is a bad idea. Mowing in the early morning is harmful to the grass.

By early morning, we mean between the hours of 6 and 8 a.m. But even though you might be allowed to mow at this time, it doesn’t mean that you should.

There are several problems with choosing to start this early.

First, obviously, is that you might violate the ordinances we mentioned earlier if you begin right at 6 a.m.

The second issue is that it is actually the worst possible time to cut your grass if you want to keep it healthy.

This early in the day, plants are still wet with dew. The dew will make cutting grass less efficient than if it were dry. It may also make your lawn more susceptible to disease.

So, avoid this early time of the day and prevent having to deal with unhappy neighbors and an unhealthy lawn.

The best time to mow your grass is mid-morning. This means the time between 8 and 10 a.m. By this time of day, you shouldn’t have to worry about offending your neighbors.

Also, the sun has dried all the dew. But the heat of the day hasn’t yet begun. So your lawn can “heal” before the heat of the afternoon that can put stress on your lawn.

Trimming your yard between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. is a very bad idea. The heat of the day is already hard enough on the grass without you mowing it. If you cut the grass now, you will draw moisture from the blades, which will cause heat damage.

Leave the mower in the shed in the middle of the day.

Operating yard machinery in the afternoon, meaning between 2 and 4 p.m., is also ill-advised. Even though by 4 p.m. the temperatures may have dropped from earlier in the afternoon, there is still some risk of heat damage to the plants.

If, for some reason, you aren’t able to get the machine out in the morning to trim the yard, wait until the early evening, that is, between the hours of 4 and 6 p.m.

By then, the temperatures have cooled down, so the heat won’t be an issue. This will leave nature to do its work and heal the blades before nightfall.

After 6 p.m., you should avoid trimming your grass. Your neighbors are likely to begin settling in for the evening and probably don’t want to be disturbed by the sound of the engine of your mower.

Additionally, you risk hurting the grass. The freshly cut blades will not receive enough sunlight to dry before night sets in. This will expose the plants to be invaded by disease and fungi.

FAQs

Where Can I Find my City Ordinances?

There are two preferred ways to find out what your city’s ordinances are. One way is to go to the city or town hall and ask in person. The second way is to search your city’s website. The city usually posts its ordinances online.

What If My City Doesn’t Have Ordinances?

Even if your town doesn’t prohibit early-morning or late-night mowing, be a good neighbor. Take the time to talk with your neighbors and discuss what times they don’t want you to run your equipment. People will be pleased that you made an effort to be considerate and will be more understanding if something comes up that forces you to run your machine at an inconvenient time.

I Mow at the Right Time of the Morning. Do I Do This Year-Round?

No. At some point, cold winter temperatures will cause plants to go dormant. You shouldn’t ever cut a dormant yard. Plus, you are unlikely to enjoy being out in the cold.

I Use a Commercial Lawn Care Service Because I Work Long Hours. The Service Does a Great Job, But I Think They Are Bothering my Neighbors. What Should I Do?

First, you should check with your neighbors and discuss the specific nature of the problem. Then, speak to your lawn care service and tell the management about the issue. Lawn care services are in the business to make money, and they certainly won’t want to lose yours. Any reputable company will work hard to ensure the issue is fixed promptly.

However, lawn care companies are allowed to begin their work whenever the city ordinance allows them to. If your service handles many lawns a day, the schedule might not be flexible enough to accommodate your neighbors.

So, you may be faced with having to choose between risking an unhealthy lawn and risking an unhappy neighbor. In situations like this, you can’t win them all. Choose wisely.

My City Ordinance Says That I Can Start Mowing at 7 a.m., But I Live in a Developed Neighborhood with an HOA. The HOA Says I Can’t Start Until 9 a.m. Which One Applies to Me?

You may not like it, but you signed an agreement when you moved into a neighborhood with a homeowner’s association. Legally speaking, you could start at 7, but there will likely be some sort of ramification from the HOA for violating its contract.

Please help share our content!

About the author: Jeffrey Douglas is a horticultural hobbyist that loves everything related to plants and gardening. He specializes in gardens and houseplants.

Lawn Mower Dream Meaning

Dreaming of a lawn suggests that everything in your life will go well, you will have an easy heart, and maybe a gain will emerge.

Mowing the lawn in a dream means you will have many worries. According to the Arab tradition, lawn mowing especially when the grass is already dry in a dream means that you will encounter bad people, stupidity, and ignorance. It also announces some health problems. Using a lawn mower in a dream could mean that you might soon take over a social job.

In your dream you may have.

• Mowing a green lawn.
• A lawn mower.
• You are using a lawn mower.
• A broken lawn mower.
• Mowing lawn.
• Mowing alone.
• A mowed lawn.

Positive changes are afoot if.

• Surrender to deeper motives
• Face situation with more understanding.
• Stay away from rude people.

Detailed dream interpretation

If you dream of a lawn mower it shows that you have an association of happy times in the near future. This can also demonstrate your waking self, and suggest that you need to surrender to deep motives that may be holding you back. This dream also shows a victory over others, or a business success ahead.

If you dream of lawn being mowed for sporting events, such as a cricket pitch or a football stadium, this dream shows that things are going to start happening soon, and that your life is filled with new and exciting beginnings.

The image of mowing grass provides a few symbols: first of all, wealth and fertility. But this abundance must be maintained, just like health. Hence mowing is important. Mowing the lawn in your dream means prosperity and health. If you see yourself mowing the lawn, you will receive some guests, but if you are mowing alone this means big worries. Mowed lawn is the sign of concerns and troubles.

If in your dream you are sleeping on a freshly mowed lawn, this suggests a big financial gain. Sleeping in the lawn is the sign of a lucky trip and happiness in general. Walking on mowed lawn is the sign of satisfaction and calamity.

Mowing the lawn in your dream could suggest worries. Transporting the cut grass with a wheelbarrow suggests sharing gifts. If the lawn you are mowing is dry, this is the sign of drought, but also losing a lover or somebody’s health will worsen.

Feelings that you may have encountered during a dream of lawn mower.

Happy. Feeling good. Content. Busy. Satisfied. Relaxed. Busy. Confused.

When it comes to spring yard work, what if you could actually do more by doing less? By participating in No Mow May, you’ll spend less time, money, and energy on your lawn while helping to improve the planet.

By Rachel Brougham | Updated Apr 24, 2023 10:09 AM

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.

First popularized in 2019 in the United Kingdom, No Mow May has since taken root here in the United States. In 2020, Appleton, Wisconsin, became the first state in the country to adopt the practice in which you allow your lawn to grow throughout the month of May without mowing, watering, or fertilizing. Now, several communities are taking part in the effort.

No Mow May began as a way to help bees and other pollinators, but there’s more to it than that. Keep reading to learn why you should take a break from lawn care for a month.

You’ll get some beneficial spring color.

Not mowing throughout the month of May means you’ll spy some flowers in your lawn that you would otherwise lose to the lawn mower. Dandelions, clover, and the common blue violet start to bloom in the spring and can add some diversity to your lawn. In fact, in a 2019 survey, Plantlife, which is a British conservation charity and promoter of No Mow May, found 203 different species of beneficial flowers in lawns.

Dandelions, for instance, have deep taproots that can help loosen hard-packed soil. These root systems not only help aerate the soil, but pull calcium and other nutrients from the ground and make these nutrients available to other nearby plants. Dandelions are a natural fertilizer!

Bees will get an early-season boost.

In recent years, studies have found a steep drop in the bee population worldwide. According to a study by the Bee Informed Partnership, beekeepers lost approximately 39 percent of their managed colonies between April 2021 to April 2022. The United Nations says the decline could impact the global food supply, since 75 percent of the world’s food crops and 35 percent of global agricultural land depend on pollinators.

Early spring flowers such as dandelions and clover help the local pollinator population at a time of year when nectar sources may be in short supply. That 2019 Plantlife survey found that 80 percent of lawns taking part in No Mow May supported about 400 bees each day!

You’ll create less pollution.

By not mowing your lawn during the month of May, you’ll give your lawn mower a break. Lawn mowers—unless they’re electric lawn mowers—use gasoline, which contributes to air pollution.

Another key tenet of No Mow May is forgoing the use of fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides for the month. Pesticides, for example, have been found by scientists to be a factor in the decline of honeybee colonies in both North America and in Europe.

You’ll save time and energy.

If you’re not spending your time mowing or spreading chemicals on your lawn in May, you’ll have more time to do other things. One thing you can do with your newfound spare time is to add some native plants to your yard. Native plants support bees and other pollinators such as butterflies and hummingbirds as they offer nectar and seeds. They can also offer shelter for some animals, such as birds and small woodland creatures.

Your lawn will be healthier.

No Mow May doesn’t just help pollinators, it will almost certainly improve the health of your grass. By reducing the frequency in which you mow, your lawn can become more resilient to drought. Plus, it won’t require as much watering.

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that one-third of the water U.S. households use every year goes to landscape irrigation. That’s nearly 9 billion gallons each day! You can help reduce that number by taking part in the No Mow May campaign.

You don’t need to go all in—small steps can still make a difference for pollinators.

If you’re the type of homeowner who likes a freshly manicured lawn and No Mow May seems a bit too extreme for your taste, there’s plenty of room for compromise. In addition, if you live in a community that won’t allow for No Mow May due to certain lawn ordinances in place, there are some things you can do in your yard while still participating.

Try setting up bee hotels, which give bees shelter. You can mow just an edge of your lawn so the grass length seems less overwhelming and will look less neglectful and more intentional than just not mowing altogether.

If you live in a community that doesn’t support No Mow May, this fact sheet from the Penn State Extension can help you talk to community leaders about changing local ordinances.

Your lawn may teach you some things.

You may learn some things from your lawn throughout the month of No Mow May. For instance, you may discover you like taller grass, and mow every three weeks instead of every week. You may find that the clover that is allowed to grow when you don’t mow is softer than your grass, which makes you want to grow more clover. You may learn all those dandelions aren’t so bad. You may find you were watering too often or your lawn doesn’t need that spring dose of fertilizer. Think of No Mow May as a tutorial in how to better tend to your yard.

In the end, you may decide to go grass-free.

Sure, grass is nice when you’re playing ball in the yard or relaxing on the weekend, but you may decide that maintaining a traditional lawn isn’t worth it anymore. In place of your grass, consider alternatives such as native plants or prairie grasses, both of which help pollinators. Maybe a rain garden or a wildflower meadow is right for your yard. By ditching the traditional lawn and transitioning to a pollinator-friendly property, you can save when it comes to time maintaining, watering, and adding chemicals. Plus, you help the environment!

When should I start mowing my lawn in spring? Expert tips on getting the timing right

All the latest interior trends, expert advice and inspirational ideas, direct to your inbox!

Thank you for signing up to Homes Gardens. You will receive a verification email shortly.

There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You might be able to feel the warmth of the sun and hear the birds singing, but does that mean it’s now time to start mowing the lawn in spring? If you’re not sure whether you should be firing up the mower just yet, help is at hand.

Although you might be up to speed with how often to mow a lawn, knowing when to begin mowing at the start of the growing season can seem more problematic. Too late and you could be faced with pushing the mower through long, unruly grass causing untold damage; too early and there are fears of it never recovering.

According to the lawn experts, however, there’s no set date in spring when you should be giving your lawn the first cut of the year, but it turns out there a few key signs to look out for. So to help take the stress out of the all-important decision making about mowing the lawn for the first time in spring, we’ve consulted leading lawn care specialists and here is what they advise.

When to start mowing the lawn in spring

‘There is no specific date at which to begin mowing your lawn in the spring,’ says Eric DeBoer, agronomist at Simple Lawn Solutions. ‘If soil temperatures have risen north of 50˚F your grass is probably initiating some sort of growth.

‘It can be good to get out there pretty early on, as sort of hitting the reset button prior to beginning the year. Just don’t wait too long, where you will be scalping really long grass; this can be counterproductive.’

Key signs it’s time to start mowing in spring

The exact date you should start cutting the lawn after winter really depends on a few different factors, such as your location, the current climate and the condition of the lawn.

‘In general, you should wait until the grass has started to grow actively and is at least 3 inches tall before you begin mowing,’ says Stacie Krljanovic, head groundkeeper in Houston, TX and an advisor for Patio Productions. ‘In many areas, the spring season brings a period of Rapid grass growth, and you may need to mow your lawn as often as once a week to keep it looking neat and healthy.’

Lina Cowley, Senior Editor at TrimmedRoots.com agrees: ‘The best time to start mowing your lawn in spring is when the grass is around 3 inches tall. This will allow the grass to fill out evenly and help prevent scalping.’

This stage of growth often occurs around mid to late March in cooler and temperate regions, but it’s well worth monitoring the growth rate for a few of weeks before deciding to dust the mower off.

Besides temperature and climate, there are few other factors that can influence your lawn’s growth rate and when you’ll need to get your lawn mower out for the first cut of the season.

‘If your lawn is in good condition and has been properly cared for throughout the fall and winter, it should be ready for mowing by late March or early April,’ says Stacie Krljanovic. ‘However, if your lawn is in poor condition, it may need some extra care and attention before you start mowing. This might include dethatching, aerating, fertilizing a lawn, and overseeding, all of which can help to promote healthy grass growth and prepare the lawn for the growing season.

‘In any case, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on the condition of your lawn and adjust your mowing schedule as needed to ensure that the grass is growing healthily and looking its best.’

Getting the best mower height for a spring lawn is also a good idea to ensure you’re cutting it properly early in the season.

What month should you start mowing?

This date really does depend on where you live, the local climate and the state of your existing lawn. As a rule, wait until mid to late March, when the grass has reached around 3 inches tall and look to reduce the height by a third. Taking off any more will stress the grass and slow future growth, possibly weakening the lawn.

When should you avoid cutting the grass in spring?

If you’ve recently planted grass seed, cutting a newly sown lawn too early can halt its development resulting in a sparse and patchy lawn. Make sure you wait until the grass blades have grown to at least 2 inches before mowing for the first time. Set mower blades high to avoid stressing the plants and allow a rest period of 5-7 days before repeating.

Cutting the grass too early or too late in the day can also cause problems. Mowing too early when dew is still on the ground can cause the mower blades to clog up and grass to be pulled rather than cut. A cut in late afternoon or evening can lead to fungal spores taking hold and developing overnight.

Get the Homes Gardens Newsletter

All the latest interior trends, expert advice and inspirational ideas, direct to your inbox!

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Jill Morgan has spent the last 20 years writing for Interior and Gardening magazines both in print and online. Titles she has been lucky enough to work on include House Beautiful, The English

Home, Ideal Home, Modern Gardens and Gardeningetc.com. Although much of her career has involved commissioning and writing about reader homes and home improvement projects, her

everlasting passion is for gardens and outdoor living, which is what she writes about for Homes Gardens.

What is a coverlet for a bed? Here’s why our editors love them Discover how a coverlet differs from a bedspread and a quilt, and why it can be a great choice for the top of your bed By Sarah Warwick Published 20 July 23

7 decluttering strategies minimalists swear by – and how to replicate them at home Minimalists and professional home organizers share their decluttering strategies for minimalism so you can thrive in a pared-back space By Chiana Dickson Published 20 July 23