# How early is too early to mow your lawn? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 21, 2016, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-early-is-too-early-to-mow-your-lawn/760527 "2016-07-21T21:52:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-early-is-too-early-to-mow-your-lawn/760527/21 "2016-07-22T03:34:13Z")
5:30am is way too early; even on a weekday. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Lightlystarched](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Lightlystarched](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightlystarched)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-early-is-too-early-to-mow-your-lawn/760527/22 "2016-07-22T03:39:59Z")
I use a manual reel push-mower (or whatever they’re called) and in the hottest months I mow at 7. Sometimes 6:30. But its already 95 degrees then. In the desert everything outside has to be DONE by 9 a.m. ---
**Author:** ![edwards\_beard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@edwards\_beard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwards_beard)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-early-is-too-early-to-mow-your-lawn/760527/23 "2016-07-22T03:47:03Z")
I’d say second week of May…unless there is still snow on the ground. Snow is a bitch for lawnmowers ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-early-is-too-early-to-mow-your-lawn/760527/24 "2016-07-22T04:14:56Z")
I wouldn’t call someone out for 8am. Before 8am is ridiculous. My preference is people start after 9am. If you really want to piss people off start an excavator or drilling rig before 8am… Man does that get some complaints. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-early-is-too-early-to-mow-your-lawn/760527/25 "2016-07-22T06:27:05Z")
After 8:00 is fine. It’s a lawnmower, not a jet engine. It’s a normal activity during daylight. > [@Oredigger77](#): > > 10-6. Anything outside of that is a dick move and that’s 7 days a week. 6:01 PM is too late to run a lawnmower? 😕 Bizarre. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-early-is-too-early-to-mow-your-lawn/760527/26 "2016-07-22T11:02:47Z")
> [@xizor](#): > > My subdivision has a facebook page. I was recently called out on it for having the audacity to mow my grass at 8:45 on a Saturday morning. I admit I am an early riser, but I feel anything after 8 is a fine time to mow before the heat of the day made being outside unpleasant. My neighbor insists the acceptable hours are 10AM to 8PM for making noise in a residential neighborhood on the weekend. But around here it is already 90 degrees by 10:00 during the summer. > > So my fellow dopers, what time on a Saturday would you consider acceptable to make loud noise outside in a residential setting? I’m with you brother. 8am. Your neighbor can go suck eggs. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-early-is-too-early-to-mow-your-lawn/760527/27 "2016-07-22T11:33:05Z")
My gf’s rule is 9 am. At 8:30 I begin gassing the mowers up, checking oil, filling weedwhacker spools, etc. Then I do a walk-around to pick up any dog toys, branches, dog shit. At nine on-the-dot I begin weed whacking. Trim and edge for about an hour, then rev-up the tractor. Meanwhile, she is using the push mower to get the spots I can’t. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-early-is-too-early-to-mow-your-lawn/760527/28 "2016-07-22T12:14:32Z")
My knee-jerk reaction to “is it too early…” questions is the McDonald’s rule: If Micky D’s is still serving breakfast, it’s too early. (All day doesn’t count). But I could live with 9 as an acceptable time. I have my alarm go off at quarter to 7. Even if you wake me up with your mower at 9, I’ve slept in for over 2 hours. I’m sure that’s the same deal for most people. So I’ll go with 9. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-early-is-too-early-to-mow-your-lawn/760527/29 "2016-07-22T13:06:01Z")
8AM is fine. That’s 8 hours of sleep for someone who went to bed at midnight. Beyond that it’s likely either: -You stayed up way beyond your usual bedtime, and expect the rest of the world to accommodate your choice to sleep during daylight, or -You maybe work late shifts, which means that for better or worse this is not the only example of how your schedule is out of sync with that of most people, and hopefully you’ve developed routines and processes to mitigate the worst inconveniences. Starting required home/lawn care at 8AM allows a person to finish those tasks at a reasonable time and not have half the day gone before they’re completed. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-early-is-too-early-to-mow-your-lawn/760527/30 "2016-07-22T13:11:07Z")
I usually mow in the evenings after 6PM, but if I do mow in the morning, especially in the hot summer months (like now), I don’t start until 0930. ---
**Author:** ![Lowdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Lowdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lowdown)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-early-is-too-early-to-mow-your-lawn/760527/31 "2016-07-22T13:30:13Z")
Mow your lawn whenever you want. You’ll probably irritate some neighbors if you do it too early or late though. I usually won’t do it until about ten or eleven though, because that’s when my lawn is finally dry. I don’t mow wet grass. ---
**Author:** ![Baracus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Baracus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baracus)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-early-is-too-early-to-mow-your-lawn/760527/32 "2016-07-22T13:40:56Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > As a 2nd shift worker, I usually sleep from 4ish am until like 1ish pm during the week. If I have to put up with god damn leave blowers and lawn mowers on my day off at 8:45am, then you need to be prepared to deal with heavy metal blasting at 2am. The first summer I worked night shift (8pm -8am) was the summer that seemingly everybody in the neighborhood got their roofs re-shingled. Even ear plugs don’t help much with that. While I try to be considerate of others, if I got shit to do, I am not going to feel too much sympathy for someone who feels that 9 am is too early. Personally, I wouldn’t mow before 8. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-early-is-too-early-to-mow-your-lawn/760527/33 "2016-07-22T13:42:05Z")
Where I live, (Sat and Sun) before 9 am is considered very dickish. It’s the summer, people have there windows open, and they work all week. Quit being a dick! Just because you’re up doesn’t give you license to wake everyone else! Not everyone lives their lives on your schedule! It’s exactly the same as throwing a loud noisy party till 3am! Just flat out inconsiderate of others. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-early-is-too-early-to-mow-your-lawn/760527/34 "2016-07-22T13:43:15Z")
> [@Lowdown](#): > > I don’t mow wet grass. I hear people say this all the time. What is the reason? I’ve mowed in the rain when we’ve had a wet spring. I see no difference. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-early-is-too-early-to-mow-your-lawn/760527/35 "2016-07-22T13:58:48Z")
> [@Oredigger77](#): > > 10-6. Anything outside of that is a dick move and that’s 7 days a week. Yeah, you tell construction companies that they can’t start working before 10AM, 7 days a week. Good luck with that!! ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-early-is-too-early-to-mow-your-lawn/760527/36 "2016-07-22T14:06:53Z")
So you were mowing [your own lawn](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IF-o32452A)? ---
**Author:** ![Lowdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Lowdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lowdown)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-early-is-too-early-to-mow-your-lawn/760527/37 "2016-07-22T14:10:28Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I hear people say this all the time. What is the reason? I’ve mowed in the rain when we’ve had a wet spring. I see no difference. If you don’t bag (which I don’t) wet grass will clump up and look unsightly. It’ll clog up your mower easier. It’ll also stick to the underside of your mower deck, which (if you don’t clean it off after) will get all nasty and moldy and dry there and start rusting out your deck earlier. I also think you get a nicer cut when it’s dry, but I’m probably making that up. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-early-is-too-early-to-mow-your-lawn/760527/38 "2016-07-22T14:11:52Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > Where I live, (Sat and Sun) before 9 am is considered very dickish. > > It’s the summer, people have there windows open, and they work all week. Quit being a dick! Just because you’re up doesn’t give you license to wake everyone else! Not everyone lives their lives on your schedule! > > It’s exactly the same as throwing a loud noisy party till 3am! > Just flat out inconsiderate of others. I guess it does depend on where you live. Here in HOT AS HELL TEXAS, if you wait until 10 am to mow you’re going to have a heat stroke. Also, only crazy peope in Texas have open windows in the summer. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-early-is-too-early-to-mow-your-lawn/760527/39 "2016-07-22T14:32:11Z")
I start at 8AM. I’m not risking heat stroke by starting later. We get 100 degree days here. The heat index is 106 to 110. I’m soaking wet with sweat by the time I finish mowing around 9:30AM. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-early-is-too-early-to-mow-your-lawn/760527/40 "2016-07-22T14:33:32Z")
Yes, the heat is the main thing I try to avoid. And I personally feel 8:00 AM is less of an intrusion than 8:00 PM . But after reading this thread, it seems there is enough support to push it back to 9:00, which is reasonable. 10:00 is still way too late to start though. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-early-is-too-early-to-mow-your-lawn/760527.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-early-is-too-early-to-mow-your-lawn/760527.md?page=3)