For some people, routines are what keep them going. Whether it's a particular way of getting ready in the morning or an established set of exercises at the gym, repetition can be a great way to force yourself into a new lifestyle or habit. You probably even have a set routine when it comes to your chores: trash on Wednesday, dishes on Thursday and yard care when you get a spare moment some weekend afternoon.
While routines might be comfortable for you, they might not be for your grass. Routines are important for your grass, too. Mowing your lawn at the wrong time of the day can actually contribute much more to stress and other harmful factors that cause brown patches and diseases to grow. If you're serious about growing a thick, verdant lawn this spring and summer, you'll want to start a new habit for when to cut your lawn.
Are you mowing your lawn too late in the day?Dog days
If you're like the vast majority of do-it-yourselfers out there who would rather tackle home yard care with nothing more than a trusted Husqvarna lawn mower by their side, then you know that sometimes other responsibilities get in the way of a normally lazy Sunday. Instead of having all day to focus on your lawn, it's not until you clean the garage, repaint the windowsills, take out the garbage and pick the kids up from sports that you have time to take the lawn mower out.
By this time, it's mid-afternoon and the sun is blazing. Even if you don't feel particularly hot, your grass has been sitting in direct sunlight all day. When you take your mower out in these periods, you're just adding heat stress to your already beleaguered lawn. If you're not careful, and if your blades aren't as sharp as they should be, you run the risk of tearing grass out by the root instead of cutting it as intended.
"Mowing your lawn in the early morning isn't the best idea, either."
Early bird gets the worm
So if the aim is to not let your grass sit in the sun all day before mowing it, you might be led to think that you should get out there at the break of dawn for the best results. Aside from angering your neighbors, this isn't the best idea. Dew and rain overnight hasn't evaporated yet and can weigh grass blades down, making it hard for even the best yard care equipment to precisely manicure. Also, the wetter the soil, the greater the chance for unsightly tread and foot marks when it dries.
Instead of setting an early morning alarm, sleep in until about 9 o'clock, which is the perfect time to pull your mower from the garage. After an hour or two of sunlight, dew and other precipitation has dried off enough for your grass to spring back up to its natural height. However, this hasn't left out out to bake for long enough that it dries out.
As an added bonus, mid-morning sunlight is also easier on you. If you're not reaching for a towel to wipe away sweat every few minutes due to high-noon heat, you're more likely to take your time on the job and end up with a final product you're proud of.
Exceptions to the rule
Like any good piece of advice, when to mow your lawn really depends on the factors you encounter on the given day you decide your yard needs a trim. Even though you should try to stick to a schedule where you're cutting an even 1/3 of the height of the grass every time, sometimes nature gets in the way.
Whenever your area experiences periods of excessive rainfall or drought, your lawn is critically susceptible to damage from mowing. Damp, uneven soil provides a poor mooring for roots, and dried-out dirt is so devoid of nutrients that your grass may not have the strength to even hold on against footsteps. Give your lawn a break during times like these and play your next scheduled mowing session by ear.
Of course, if your lawn has grown to an unreasonable height and you only have a certain window to mow it, doing something is better than nothing. If that's the case, though, you might want to look into landscaping services that operate with Husqvarna lawn care equipment so you know you're getting your money's worth.