My two cents: Since advice is always about when grass is 'stressed', I'd think it would be less stressed in the morning hours.

 

My two cents: Since advice is always about when grass is 'stressed', I'd think it would be less stressed in the morning hours.

I'd have to agree and the moring would be the best time and when the grass is less stressed. Plus your body would probably agree as well! :lol:

Last week when we were hitting 110+ heat index here in FL it wasnt that great cutting in the evenings since I start work early. :bd:

 

I'm cutting every 2-3 days. Also using pgr. I don't think I'm taking off enough to matter, but I cut at sun down.

 

Im down here in Coolidge Az. I keep my Bermuda at 3/4" and i cut every two days in the evening about 6 -630. My grass looks good and green. I wouldnt worry too much tho the other day I cut the grass, hand areated, put down ammonium sulfate, topdressed/leveled with sand/compost mix put more ammonium sulfate, then watered heavy, I did all this mid day it was 108, and my grass is already coming back dark green. I wouldnt recommend that but I like to push my grass to see where the limits are.

 

Cut in the morning. Look at your local noise ordinances then fire up that mower as soon as you're allowed.

I mow in the morning here in NC.. wet or not. I refuse to die of heat stroke mowing later.

 

thanks all. I typically mow in the mornings during the summer to avoid the higher afternoon temps (today will be 112°).

Doesn't sound like the grass noticeably benefits/suffers one way or another if cut in the am vs the pm when temps are 110° and up. So I'll keep on cutting in the mornings.

Thanks all. Happy mowing.

 

My 2 cents. I love in Mesa and I cut my grass in the evening as close to dark as I can. So between 7:30-8pm.

I figure the grass is stressed either way due to not only the summer heat but the excessive direct sunlight is what stresses it more. So when you mow it, morning or night, you add stress.

My thought is mow it in the evening after it's had a couple hours break from direct sunlight and then allow it all night to recover. It may be less stressed in the morning but mowing it puts instant stress on it only to be greeted by direct sunlight in less than an hour. To me that's more stressful.

 

This is your best answer. If you mow in the morning, the grass loses more water to evaporation. If you mow in the evening it has time to heal before the shear brutality of that phx sun can scorch it.

I lived in Mesa ten years. Cut late, water immediately, water in the morning, syringe several times 3-5 minutes say 10am, 2pm, 5pm.

the temperature is only part of the story. The direct sunlight is brutal.

 

10am is the latest I mow during the summer in TX. I risk tire mark damage when I mow in the evening, I keep my grass on the thirsty side, cut every 3-4 days, regulated.

 

Golf courses are mowing before and into sunrise in summer. Greens typically done before sunrise. Im no expert but I'd follow that example as close as I could without upsetting my neighbors.

 

I usually try and mow in the late evening around 7:00pm as it's starting to cool off and if I can time it with a watering the next morning. It puts less stress on the grass than cutting it in the late morning and having it exposed to the hot sun all day. I know golf courses do that but they don't really have another option plus they usually have unlimited water to an extent to help counter the heat.

 

Because I'm not a morning person I know ain't getting up in the early hours. Afternoon would be the only time for my stress, and the stress of the grass is mute to none because I'm the one cutting, watering and dying in the heat so that it can grow tall and strong. Ungrateful lawn!

 

. . . . still relevant I guess, since we've already hit 115° this summer.

 

+1 @Bingbango

Tire marks from the heat take forever to heal during the summer