When is it anti-social to mow your lawn? We ask the experts
With summer on the way, you’ll want to get your backyard in tip-top shape, ready for relaxing or entertaining outdoors. Tasks such as mowing the lawn, pruning and trimming the hedges are essential for having the best looking garden in the neighborhood.
However, when it comes to cutting your grass, you’ll want to make sure that you also don’t annoy your neighbors in the process! And while you might think that we can carry out our gardening maintenance whenever we’re in the mood for it, you’ll be mistaken.
Whether you prefer to mow your lawn first thing in the morning, or late evenings, the continuous buzz of a lawn mower or other loud power tools, could become a nuisance to those around you. In fact, most of us are not aware of when it’s anti-social to mow your lawn and what times are actually acceptable.
To shed light on this question, we’ve asked garden experts to share the ideal times to mow our lawn — and tips to reduce noise levels. So if you want to make sure you keep your neighbors happy, here’s when it is anti-social to mow your lawn.
When is it “rude” to mow your lawn?
Generally, it is considered anti-social to mow your lawn before 8am and after 8pm.
Generally, two times are considered anti-social to mow your lawn — before 8am and after 8pm, when most people are winding down to relax at the end of the day.
“A survey revealed that 47 percent of people would rather their neighbor not use their lawn mower before 9am, with the average lawn mower producing 90 decibels of sound,” says Brian Davenport, Co-Founder of The Solar Centre. “Mowing your lawn after 11pm will certainly not win you any popularity with your neighbors or council. The evening is far from ideal as well, as this can disturb the people around you spending time in their gardens”.
In fact, mowing the lawn at anti-social hours is one of the common rude habits your neighbors hate, so it’s always best to consider your gardening habits.
When is the best time to mow your lawn — and benefits?
Mowing your lawn mid-morning (8am - 10am) is also considered beneficial to your lawn
So, when is the acceptable time of day to get out your lawnmower? Where possible, it’s advisable to mow during the mid-morning or late afternoon to avoid disturbing neighbors in the early morning or late evening hours. “At the earliest, you should be cutting your grass from 8am, but the best time to start is from 9am, which is considered more socially acceptable and works with typical working hours, especially during the week,” says Davenport. “Over the weekend, it may be better to start at 10am. Not only will this be appreciated by your neighbors, but it will also best protect your grass.”
In addition, mowing your lawn mid-morning (8am - 10am) is considered beneficial to your lawn for several reasons. “By this time, the dew has usually evaporated, leaving the grass dry,” states Samantha Richards, garden and gazebo expert at Gazeboshop. “Dry grass allows for a cleaner cut, reducing the risk of disease and fungal infections as a result. During the warmer months of the year, mid-morning temperatures are typically cooler than midday, reducing stress on both the grass and the person who is tasked with mowing. Mowing during this time also allows the grass to recover quickly and takes advantage of the sunlight for photosynthesis throughout the rest of the day.”
Alternatively, if you can’t mow early in the morning, you could opt for late afternoon instead. “Late afternoon (4pm - 6pm), can be a good alternative time for mowing. Firstly, the temperature typically starts to drop, reducing stress on the grass and the person mowing. And secondly, grass has several hours of daylight left to begin the recovery process before nightfall.”
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Tips to reduce noise pollution
In addition to mowing at the right times, there are some ways to keep the noise levels down to a minimum — with the right gardening tools.
“Gas or electric mowers are very loud machines compared to robot lawn mowers, so the best way to reduce noise when mowing the lawn is to get a quieter mower,” advises Ken Kohlmann, gardening expert and VP of Yarbo. “Robotic lawn mowers essentially move in silence. You’ll never have to worry about waking up the neighborhood with the roar of a tractor. Autonomous lawn mowers are so quiet you can actually run them during the night hours without disrupting the peace and quiet.”
Davenport adds, “If you’re a frequent lawn mower user, consider creating a noise barrier by installing shrubs, fences, and walls to deflect some noise that could be bothering neighbours.”
“Some mower models may even have noise-reducing attachments that can be fitted to reduce noise. And of course, it’s always worth notifying your neighbours when you plan to cut your grass as a courtesy.”