If you like your grass cut short, or just want to keep on top of lawn maintenance, you might be wondering, “can I mow my lawn every day”?

Most lawns do not grow quickly enough to support everyday mowing. The average time required between lawns for most homeowners is 3-7 days. The answer to how often you should mow your lawn is based more on how long the grass is rather than how long ago you last cut it. How fast your grass grows will depend on how much water, sun, and nutrients it receives.

How often you cut your grass will depend on the environmental factors, how long you like your lawn to be, and how well developed the root system currently is.

A New Lawn

If you are in the process of starting a new lawn, whether from seed or sod, you need to let the root system develop.

There are some grass basics you should know when it comes to cutting a new lawn. Most importantly: to establish a healthy lawn that can weather the coming season, it will need a healthy root system.

There are two parts of the grass plant that come into the equation when talking about mowing the grass: the root and the blade. This applies when mowing a new lawn as well as an established one.

The blade is the leaf of the grass plant. The leaf is the part of the plant primarily responsible for photosynthesis. The blade of the grass is how the lawn makes its food from the building blocks of nutrients and sunlight. 

When you cut the blades of grass in your lawn, the plants go into crisis mode to regrow the leaf. They focus most or all (more on this later) of their resources on growing the blade so that they can produce enough food with the nutrients they gather from the soil, atmosphere, and sunlight.

Focusing their growth on the blade of the plant structure means that the plants have taken resources away from growing their root system. On a lawn with a highly developed root system, this is a manageable shift. However, a new lawn may not have enough of a root structure to provide the nutrients needed to regrow the cut blades of grass.

The roots are responsible for gathering water and nutrients from the soil, which the grass will use to survive and grow. If you cut a new lawn too soon, it may not have a root system that is developed enough to support the stress of being cut.

Let a new lawn grow to at least 3 ½ or 4 inches in height before you cut it for the first time. At this height, the grass should have a well-developed root system that can support the lawn during the stress of being mowed.

It can take up to 8 weeks or more, depending on the climate, for a new lawn to reach this height.

You also do not want to cut the grass too short on this mow. A new lawn needs the ability to make a lot of food so that it can grow and be healthy. If you cut the blade too short, it will not have enough surface area for photosynthesis, and you will deprive the plant of the much-needed fuel for growth. Do not cut more than one-third of the blade off at a time.

An Established Lawn

A well-established lawn with a thriving root system and can handle being cut more often. Cutting the grass once per week is the average amount of time needed between mows. Some lawns that grow quicker will require more frequent cutting, while those that grow slower will require less frequent cutting.

There is no definitive answer to how often you should mow your lawn because the actual solution has to do with the height of the grass rather than how long ago you mowed it.

For most homeowners, the healthiest lawn, you should cut your grass once it has reached a height of 2.5 to 4.5 inches (depending on your preferences and grass type). Again, do not cut off more than one-third of the blade length. If the result is longer than you would prefer, you can cut it when it has reached a shorter height initially, but you still should not cut off more than one-third of the total length.

Cutting more than a third of the grass height off will cause the plant to focus all of its growth on the blade taking much-needed resources away from the rest of the plant structure—such as the roots—which are required to have a thriving lawn capable of handling variable weather.

While a week is the average amount of time it takes the grass to grow and recover, the ultimate determiners are the grass species and its access to nutrients, water, and sunlight. A lawn growing in a nutrient-rich soil that receives a lot of water and light from the sun will grow quicker than one that has limited access to any of these. Keep an eye on your grass height and weather forecast to best plan out your mowing schedule.

Short Grass

Now you need to decide on your preferred grass length. Some people like the visually appealing short cut lawn while others like the feel of a long luscious blade.

Short grass has less blade surface area for photosynthesis, which results in reduced food production within the grass plant.

The grass will also need to be cut more often, every 2 to 3 days, so that you can keep it short while cutting only a third of the blade height.

A combination of less food production and more stress leads to the need for more care. To keep the grass short, you need to follow a much stricter watering and fertilizing schedule to ensure your lawn has the nutrients it needs to stay alive. 

You might want to consider using a plant growth regulator, which will help the plant focus growth away from the blade, even when being cut frequently.

A short lawn will require more work to keep it healthy!
This video can help you maintain a healthy, short lawn.

Long Grass

There are several benefits to keeping your grass at the height of about 2-½ to 4 inches long:

1. It requires less maintenance to keep the lawn healthy.
2. Your lawn will be able to focus more of its resources on maintaining the root system and other plant structures to stay healthy.
3. Weeds are less likely to take over your lawn. Longer grass blades result in less light reaching the soil, so weeds will have less of an opportunity to begin growing.
4. It is easier to catch up from a missed mow. This comes down to the one-third rule again. You cannot cut 4 inches of grass down to 1 inch without hurting the lawn. You can cut it down to  2 ½ inches, though. 
5. Longer grass is more comfortable for lounging and play. Short grass blades bend less and poke you more, which is less comfortable for walking, laying, and playing.

The First & Last Mow of the Season

Now let’s talk about the beginning and end of the season. At the beginning of the season, you are looking to get your lawn off to a healthy start. At the end, you want to ensure your yard is in an excellent position to weather the fall and winter months.

Once the growing season has started before the grass turns green, you want to give your lawn a gentle mow; you do not want to cut very much of the blade off. The goal is to only cut the dead tips off of the end of the grass, which will give it the cue to begin growing.

At the end of the growing season, you want to cut the grass short. Over the winter, long grass can become matted, which contributes to winter kill.

Let it Grow

For a healthy, stress-resistant lawn, you do not want to cut your grass every day. Decide on your preferred lawn length, never cut-off more than a third of the blade length, and make sure your lawn is getting enough water and nutrients.

If you are looking to fill in some grass-free areas in your lawn, you are probably wondering: does cutting grass make it spread?

The answer depends on the type of grass you have on your lawn. Grasses that are well suited to colder climates do not tend to spread a lot, whereas grasses used in warmer climates can spread. The height of the blades will affect how this happens.

Does grass spread on its own?

Some grasses do spread well on their own. These are warm-climate grasses such as St. Augustine, Bermuda, centipede, and zoysia.

Cool-climate grasses will spread less effectively; these are species such as rye and fescue.

The first thing you need to do is figure out which type of grass you have on your lawn.

There are a few ways that grass spreads on its own.

Seeding

The first method is seeding. Seeding is when the grass plant produces seeds. For most species, this requires growing to a length that is not desirable for lawns. However, some grasses have adapted to grow seeds at lower heights closer to the root.

With all the grass hybrids being used, there is no guarantee that the seeds your lawn produces will be fertile and lead to new grass growth. In short, do not rely on this method of spread to get a lush, full-looking lawn.

Tillering

Tillering is another method that some grasses use to spread. Tillers are a new shoot (or stem) that will grow blades (these are the grass leaves). Grasses that use method are sometimes called clump grasses or bunchgrasses.

This method can make the lawn look thicker, but to actually fill in a bare spot of any size would take quite a bit of time. Perennial ryegrass and tall fescue are examples of bunchgrasses.

Rhizomes

Rhizomes are a third method of spread that some grasses will utilize. This is where a runner shoots out underground, travels away from the mother plant, and starts a whole new plant.

The runners can travel a long way to find a bare spot to populate. Warning, this can also include any nearby flowerbeds!

Most grasses that use rhizomes to spread, also use tillers to thicken. These include Kentucky bluegrass and fine fescue.

Stolons

Stolons are similar to rhizomes, but instead of running underground, they run above ground. They can go short or long distances to find an open area to start new grass plants in. They can form multiple new plants along their length.

Creeping bentgrass, St. Augustine, and zoysia use stolons to spread. They will do so rapidly if the soil is easy for the new plant’s roots to penetrate. They can even work their way through other grass types and take over a lawn.

Does cutting grass help it spread?

Ok, so some grass types can spread by various methods. Now the question is, does cutting grass help it spread?

Yes, cutting grass can both thicken a lawn and help it spread depending on the type of grass it is.

If your grass type utilizes tillering, properly cutting it can help the lawn thicken.

If your grass uses runners (either above ground or below), then proper mowing can help the grass spread to bare spots.

Grasses use the same process most plants use to make food, photosynthesis. This takes place in the blades (the leaves) of the grass plant. The blades are the part you are cutting when you mow your lawn.

When you cut the blade of the grass, the plant now has reduced surface area to absorb sunlight. The response of the plant is to create more surface area on the blade.

Cutting your grass to about 2 inches will help promote runner and blade growth. Cutting shorter than this will cause the plant to focus only on blade growth.

You want both parts of the plant to grow. If you only get blade growth from the exiting grass plants, then your grass will not spread.

Cutting too short can also lead to an underdeveloped root system as the plant puts all of its energy into blade growth. A weak root system means your lawn will not be able to support the existing grass plants, let alone spread!

Once you have cut your grass, you want to give it some water and some fertilizer. Both of these provide your lawn with the resources it needs to produce food using photosynthesis.

How Often Should I Cut My Grass?

This will be determined by the height of the grass rather than a set amount of time. To promote the spread of grass, you definitely do not want to cut the grass below that 2-inch height previously mentioned.

For a grass like Bermuda, you want to cut all the way down to the 2-inch mark to encourage spread through runners.

For grasses like St. Augustine and centipede, you want to cut them on the higher side to promote runner growth. Set your mower to cut the blades to about 2 ½ to 3 inches.

After you have cut, watered, and fertilized your lawn, you want to let it recover from the process. Remember that you have essentially just cut off a part of the plant that is used to make food. The mowing process is stressful for the plant, and it needs to grow and recover.

Let your grass grow and recover, but do not let it grow past about 4-inches. Once it reaches this height, the grass thatch will become very thick and will stop water from getting down to the soil and roots.

Of course, grass at that height will also look unruly and will take your lawn from a manicured masterpiece to an unsightly mess! 

If you can, it is also best to mow just after the hottest part of the day or early in the morning. Mowing is already stressful on the grass; blazing heat is an added stress that your lawn doesn’t need post-mow.

Following these mowing tips will give your grass the best chance to spread and thicken.

Will grass spread to bare spots?

Yes, warm climate grass will spread to bare spots if they are a species that can produce runners. These are species that either make stolons (above ground runners) or rhizomes (below ground runners). Only grasses that thrive in warmer environments produce runners.

If you live in a warmer climate that sees summer temperatures of 27 to 30 °C (80 to 95°F), you can get the warm climate grasses that utilize runners to create new grass plants.

If you live in a cold climate, these grasses are not a good option because they will go dormant and turn brown at temperatures below 10 °C (50 °F). This can leave you with a brown lawn before you are ready to tuck inside for the winter!

There are several kinds of warm-climate grasses, and each type has several different species. Below is a list of some common examples:

• Bermuda
• St. Augustine
• Zoysia 
• Buffalo
• Centipede
• Bahia

Seeding

Whether you have warm- or cool-climate grass, the best way to cover bare spots in your lawn is to use a bit of grass seed and some hay or wood mulch.

1. Cover the bare spot with grass seed and push it down a small way into the soil.
2. Fertilize and water the patch, then cover it with the hay or Peat Moss. Peat Moss works far better at stopping birds from eating the seeds.
3. Don’t forget to keep the seeds moist while they are beginning to germinate (grow), but do not flood them with excessive water either.

It can take your grass up to 21 days to germinate, so do not worry if you don’t see any blades popping up in the first few weeks.

The Last Straw

Warm-climate grass can spread to bare spots by sending out runners either on top of the soil or underneath it. Most Cool climate grasses do not have this capability.

Either way, the best way to cover bare spots in your lawn is to seed them.

Will my grass fill in on its own? No, most types of lawn grass doesn’t reseed itself, so to fill those areas in, they will need to be seeded. Once seeded, it will take between 7 and 30 days to grow from seed to plant.

Although grass will not fill in on its own, it is not hard for you to fill it in. Reseeding is the best way to fill in those areas. If you do not reseed with grass, those areas may be overtaken by unwanted plants and weeds. We’ll cover the details of reseeding different kinds of grass, as well as more about why you should bother filling in your grass.

How to Reseed Your Lawn

The best way to fill in those blank spaces is to reseed those areas. Grass does not reseed itself, so you will need to do it yourself.

To get started, you want to make sure those areas are free of debris before seeding. Grab the only tools you’ll need: a shovel or hoe, a rake, a seed spreader, and a hose.

1. You will need to aerate or till the soil to break up the top layer. This allows the roots of the seeds to embed in the ground easier than having to penetrate the hard dirt. 
2. Then prep the dirt with a deep and thorough watering.
3. Liberally cover the open spots in the seed using a seed spreader.
4. Keep the top layer of the ground damp by watering twice daily until the seeds germinate.
5. Do not cover your seed in topsoil. Although birds may snack on your grass seeds, covering the seeds may prevent the grass seeds from sprouting. 
6. Wait until the grass has grown to ¾ of an inch taller than the height you want your lawn to be before mowing for the first time. 
7. After then, you would care for the young grass the same as you would the rest of the lawn.

Overseeding

If you have areas of thinning grass, you may want to overseed your lawn. Overseeding is when you sprinkle seeds on areas where there is existing grass to make those areas thicker. The process is very similar.

1. Rake (or dethatch with a mechanical dethatcher) the grassy areas. 
2. Mow the grass down to a length of 1 to 1½ inches high. This will allow sunlight to reach the seeds. 
3. Use a core aerator to break up the soil. 
4. Then seed the lawn and do not mow again until the grass has grown to ¾ of an inch taller than the height you maintain your lawn at.

The best time of year to reseed or overseed your lawn is in the early part of fall. The ground is still warm, which aids in seed germination. The cooler autumn air is best for seed growth. This will give time for the new grass to get established before the winter rolls in. By springtime, you will be ready to make the Jones’s jealous of your beautiful new lawn.

Why Reseed Your Grass?

If you do not reseed, grass will not grow in those areas. Grass does not reseed itself unless it is left completely alone and allowed to grow to the point of flowering. No one wants to turn their yard into a wildlife area, so that is not an option.

If you leave that area completely alone and nature will decide what happens there. It may stay blank and become a mudhole whenever it rains, perhaps a tree will grow in that area, or – more likely – weeds will make that spot their home.

As we all know, once weeds start in your yard, it will be a constant battle from that point forward. That means it is best to reseed those areas and not just for aesthetic reasons but for practical reasons as well.

Caring For Your Lawn

Now that you have taken the time to get grass growing in those unsightly blank areas of dirt, how do you keep it growing? Keeping your grass watered and free of weeds is pretty much common knowledge, but each season of the year calls for a little different focus area.

1. Autumn – Since this is the best time of the year to reseed, I will start here. After you have the grass started, it is time to prep your yard for winter. Keep your lawn free of falling leaves by raking. Winter is coming, so give the lawn a good feeding with a good all-around fertilizer. In winter months, the ground loses nutrients grass needs.
2. Winter – It is cold, and your grass is brown and isn’t growing. The main thing is to keep the yard free of debris. Another thing to be careful of is foot traffic. Since your grass isn’t regenerating as quickly during these months, don’t trample on it any more than necessary.
3. Spring – During springtime, it is all about regular watering, feeding, and fertilization. Since this is the time for growth and blooming, you will need to watch for weeds growing and pluck those as needed. Do not forget about pest control, either.
4. Summer – Summer is here, and it’s time to enjoy the benefits of your year of work. Keep your lawn mowed and well-watered. This is the time of year that pests are at their worse so find a good insecticide for your lawn.

Common Types of Grass

Before reseeding, it is important to know what type of grass of your lawn is so your reseeding will match. Below are some common types of grass used in home lawns and what areas of the country the lawn is most prevalent in.

• St. Augustine grows well in warm and arid regions like the gulf coast area in the southeastern United States. It grows best in warm areas and does not do well in cold temperatures. St. Augustine requires a lot of water and can’t survive extreme droughts. It is not suited for heavy foot traffic.
• Buffalo is another warm-seasoned grass, but unlike St. Augustine can handle dry climates well. It is also resilient to heavy foot traffic. It is native to the Great Plains but can adapt to most warm-weather areas.
• Zoysia is thick and resilient to both foot traffic and drought. The warmer the climate, the less direct sunlight that is required for Zoysia grass. It will turn brown during winter months or dry spells but will get its green color back with the change of the season or regular watering.
• Tall fescue is good for the transition area of the country where it’s too cool for warm seasoned grass and too hot for cold seasoned grass. Tall fescue will thrive in wet climates but can tolerate droughts
• Kentucky Bluegrass is a cold-season grass that grows very little in the summertime but grows well during the other seasons. It grows best in sunny areas and can resist a moderate amount of foot traffic. 
• Ryegrass is almost shiny in appearance. It is a cool-season but has difficulty growing in more northern areas with extremely cold conditions. Ryegrass also can handle high foot traffic.

This is in no way a comprehensive list or a complete guide. There are many other types of grass and many varieties among the different types. I recommend doing research to find your exact type and then tailor your lawn maintenance plan to best suit that type.

In general, you will want your lawnmower blade sharpened to about a 30-degree angle. The blades should be sharp enough to cut the grass without tearing or ripping it, but not so fine that the edge is razor-thin and easily damaged by the terrain or small debris in your lawn. You want your blade to be butter knife sharp, not razor sharp.

Your lawn mower blades do need proper care and maintenance to keep their edge honed and ready to cut your grass. There are differing opinions on how sharp you need to keep your blade. Mainly, this comes down to a balance between getting that good cut every time and the lengths you want to go to care for your grass.

However, there is a general rule that most homeowners can use to keep their mower cutting like new while not spending their weekends grinding away at their mower blades.

Butter-Knife Sharp not Razor Sharp

Can your blades be too sharp? Well, this depends on your type of grass, how well you are at avoiding obstacles with your mower, and the time and energy you have to invest in resharpening your blades.

Lawn enthusiasts have their own preferences for their mower blades. But, home and garden experts agree that for most people, the blades in your mower should be about as sharp as a butter knife, and an angle of about 30 degrees. You should be able to touch the edge without getting cut.

If your blades are super sharp, they will have a very fine edge that is more susceptible to rolling (a folding over of the blade edge). They will also be at increased risk for other types of damage. Your blades will dull faster and thus require sharpening more often.

More frequent sharpening means grinding away more metal from the edge. Increased grinding will decrease the lifespan of your blades, forcing you to spend money to replace them sooner.

This is especially true for those who do not have perfectly flat lawns or who may have more pebbles, weeds, tree roots, or otherwise woodsier terrain. Blades that are too sharp for this type of terrain will get damaged regularly and will need to be sharpened or even replaced if the damage is too extensive. Sharper is not always better!

How Often Do You Need to Sharpen?

Many factors will determine how often you need to sharpen your blades. You should check the edge for keenness and damage at that beginning of each season and after every eight to ten hours of use. You won’t need to sharpen them this often, but they should be checked regularly for bends, dents, and nicks that require fixing.

For most homeowners, sharpening once a year is usually enough to keep blades serviceable. This is best done at the beginning of the season as the elements can dull the edge as it sits in storage. If you have a considerable-sized yard or hit a lot of debris, your blade may require some maintenance halfway through the season as well.

During the lawn mowing season, there are many reasons that blades become dull through regular use. Of course, the act of cutting the grass slowly dulls the edge over time as do small particles of dirt that are flung against the blade as you mow. Other sources of dulling and damage include hitting small rocks, more massive clumps of soil, and other small debris in your lawn.

Inspect The Grass You’re Cutting

Aside from inspecting the blade, you should also look at the cut your mower is providing. If the grass edge looks torn instead of cleanly cut, you need to sharpen your blades. Grass that has uneven, torn edges has an increased risk of disease. This can damage your lawn, giving you dead or discolored patches that can be costly to repair or replace.

Dull blades that are not effectively cutting can lead to grass getting caught in your mower, which puts more strain on the motor. The health of your lawn depends, in part, on the health of your mower. Maintenance is key to keeping things alive and healthy!

Type of Terrain

The type of terrain you have is another consideration to be aware of. Flat even lawns with fewer rocks and other materials will lead to a longer-lasting edge.

However, uneven terrain with more tree branches or roots, stones or pebbles, weeds, and other materials lead to increased opportunities for things other than grass to come into contact with your blade. This will cause more damage. If your terrain is rough, you should check your blades more often as they will need more regular maintenance.

Mower Deck Height

You should also check the height of your mower’s deck. If you have it set very low, this will also increase the chance that you will hit mounds of dirt, tree roots, and rocks that will then bend, nick, and dull your lawn mower’s blade. Set the height of the carriage so that the blades are protected from most of the threats on your lawn.

Size of Lawn

The size of your lawn and how often you mow will also be a factor. A large yard that you mow often will lead to quicker dulling. Whereas small lawns or mowing less often will result in less wear and tear on the mower’s blades.

This is where the ten-hour rule comes in handy. If it takes you an hour to mow your lawn and you do it once a week, then you should check your blades every ten weeks. If you spend two hours mowing and you do it once a week, then you need to examine the blades every five weeks.

The Type of Blade Metal

The thickness and type of metal will also affect the regularity with which you need to sharpen the blade. Thicker, more durable metals will be more resilient and require less frequent maintenance. Whereas thinner or less durable metals will require more work to keep them in consummate grass cutting condition.

How to Sharpen?

If lawn maintenance is your Zen and you want complete control over your lawnmower, then you can sharpen the blades yourself. You will need steel wool to clean off any rust, a metal file for the quick jobs, an angle or belt grinder for the bigger ones, and a blade balancer. There are a lot of great sites out there with step-by-step How To’s. You can check one out here.

However, if that sounds like too much time and money to invest in your little push mower and a weekend chore, you can always take your lawnmower to a shop. Most shops that sell lawnmowers also have the equipment to sharpen their blades.

You can also benefit from their expertise on how to best repair the blade, they know how to sharpen it correctly, how to balance it, and how to check for other damage. They will also know whether the blade can be repaired or whether it should be replaced. The whole process should only take a trained staff member about 20 minutes to complete.

Conclusion

In general, a butter-knife-sharp edge is where your mower’s blades need to be. Keeping your blades sharper can lead to increased damage and require more frequent maintenance. This will not just take more of your time but also more of your cash.

How often you need to sharpen your blades will depend on your lawn and mowing schedule, but you should sharpen them once to twice a year, at least.

You should also check your blades roughly every ten hours, and if you think they require care, take them to a shop for professional upkeep, which will keep you and your lawn safe and healthy!

Getting to the point, is it illegal to mow your lawn at night? The general consensus for virtually every municipality is a resounding no, you cannot mow your lawn late at night. Unfortunately like most legal questions, the answer is: it depends. Specifically, it depends on where you live.

Unsurprisingly, these do apply to you and your nightly lawn mowing. But wait – what if I work nightshifts and don’t have time during the day you ask? Can’t I just mow at night? Well, considering how not mowing your lawn is in fact, illegal this question can and has put many on the spot.

The Law’s Answer

The answer to these question hinges entirely on local ordinances which set their own curfews and often vary from each other. Each ordinance defines excessive noise as something that unreasonably violates the comfort and health of others nearby. Included in this are late-night partying, construction at inappropriate times, domestic power equipment, and noise produced by tools related to the maintenance of homes and grounds including- you guessed it- lawnmowers.

Now using your noisy lawnmower isn’t by itself illegal. It’s when you use them at inappropriate times, i.e. outside of prescribed timeframes and during ‘quiet hours’, that will get you in trouble through complaints, lawsuits, and fines.

To understand when quiet hours take place exactly, you’ll have to check with your local ordinances but roughly speaking, quiet hours are usually after the 7 am to 9 pm bracket during weekdays and on weekends, after the 8 am to 9 pm bracket. But again, we emphasize that this varies depending on where you live! For example, 7 am to 9 pm is the appropriate bracket in Denver and Madison while in Battle Ground, it’s 8 am to 8 pm and in Stockton, 8 am to 9 pm.

So, have roughly laid out the law, there surely are more unanswered questions on your mind. Like what exactly is the law behind all this? Are there any loopholes I could take advantage of? Is there anything else I can do? Let’s address this one by one.

Mowing at Night – The Law Explained

You might be wondering why it’s even illegal to mow late at night in the first place? To put it simply, in any neighborhood, everyone owes what is called a duty of care to each other. This means we must take reasonable steps to ensure what we do doesn’t harm our neighbors either physically or psychologically. This consequentially includes not doing anything that would impede their enjoyment of the comforts of their home.

By mowing your lawn at night, you are breaching this duty of care by affecting your neighbor’s enjoyment negatively. Further, it is entirely reasonable that the average person would foresee that but for your late-night mowing, your neighbors would have had a restful sleep and enjoyed the comfort of their home. Accordingly, the spirit of this idea is captured in the Noise Control Act 1972 and is reflected in various local ordinances.

Going back to the law, by mowing late at night, you are committing a nuisance by disrupting your neighbors’ rights to enjoy their home. You thus open yourself up to potential action through both criminal (public nuisance) and civil (private nuisance) legal channels.

A public nuisance is a nuisance where your noise causes damage that is suffered by the wider public and is a criminal offense. Don’t panic though – just because it comes with the word ‘criminal’, this doesn’t mean jail time.

This is a statutory offense which just means you will be fined by the state for mowing at night – irrespective of whether you had the intent to cause a nuisance. Conversely, private nuisance, a civil matter, basically means that by making excessive noise by mowing outside allocated hours, you breach the duty of care owed to your neighbors. And through this breach, you also open yourself up to private lawsuits from your neighbors!

Whether or not they choose to sue is entirely up to them but regardless, to avoid hefty fines and angry neighbors the answer is simple: check with your local laws and ordinances!

How Late Can You Mow Your Lawn?

Like we’ve emphasized above, how late into the night you can mow your lawn depends entirely on where you live and your local laws. While this could mean you can mow as late as 10 pm into the night, an important thing to note is just because something is technically permissible in law, this doesn’t always mean you should necessarily do it.

Snapping your fingers at waiters, being rude to cashiers, and not giving your seat to the elderly on the bus are all legal but are heavily frowned upon by the public.

The point we’re making is don’t forget to communicate with your neighbors. It could be legal to mow as early as 7 am or as late as 10 pm but not everyone is an early riser or late sleeper.

Can’t You Just Buy a Quieter Lawnmower?

One tempting proposition that might have crossed your mind is what if you use a quieter lawnmower? Indeed, by using a quiet lawnmower like manually operated reel-mowers, you can avoid the deafening noise of electric/gas mowers. However, the grass isn’t necessarily greener on the other side – so to speak.

Let’s consider the problems from two angles. Firstly, using a manual reel lawnmower at night can be dangerous. You’ll be working in the dark and unless you have a bright torch, mower lights or even lighting in your garden, you could run over a rock and damage your mower. You could even trip over something and injure yourself too!

And secondly, legally speaking, using a manual reel to bypass lawnmowing curfews is tricky business which, as we previously emphasized, depends entirely on where you live.

For example, local ordinance laws in West Orange explicitly states that ‘no person shall operate a… power lawnmower… except in accordance with the following schedule for hours and days of use’.

So, you could probably get away with using a manual reel if you lived here. But look southward at Richmond and you’ll find that ‘the operation of any lawn mower’ outside the specified window is illegal.

The point is, once again, it depends. Check with the laws of your specific municipality before making any decisions and you’ll be set.

What Alternatives Should I Consider?

We totally understand that for some, mowing the lawn during daytime can be a big hassle. You may be working late nightshifts as or even if you do happen to work normal hours, it might be raining during your mow time. However, we strongly suggest you consider other ways of keeping your lawn properly mowed for the sake of your neighbors and your wallet.

You could for one, just simply force yourself to find some time during the weekend to get the mowing over with. Maybe as even ask a friend or family member to help if time isn’t on your side! But maybe you live alone and happen to work seven days a week – what then? Well, you’re in luck. After all, the US has one of the biggest lawnmowing markets in the entire world. Accordingly, you won’t be hard-pressed to find a professional lawn mowing service to do your chores during more reasonable, daytime hours.

In general, a typical riding lawn mower’s towing capacity is between 290lbs and 580lbs. This is determined by applying a general rule of thumb that a lawn mowers towing capacity is about 50-100% the weight of mower + operator.

Here are examples with some of the most popular riding mowers:

Obviously, there are a lot of factors that go into determining what is the exact capacity for your specific tractor and towing setup. I’ll go over some of the main factors in the rest of this article.

Tow Capacity Factors

Towing capacity can be difficult to calculate if you’re looking to be exact. Not only are there a number of factors like your engine specs, transmission specs, and trailer specs, but also the terrain you’re towing on. Cub Cadet’s support team summed it up pretty well:

This is a more complicated issue than it might appear, because “towing capacity” is more of a sales specification than a technical specification.

If you picture yourself pushing a 300 lb. wheelbarrow full of dirt, you may think that your “pushing capacity” was at least 300 lbs, but I doubt you would be able to push 300 pounds if it were on a flat sled with no wheels on rough ground. That is a simple analogy explaining why we don’t use towing capacity as a technical specification.

Cub Cadet Support Team

That being said, let’s dive into some of the towing capacity determining factors to give you a better idea of what your mower can pull in your specific application.

Manufacturers Recommendation

The first thing I recommend doing is opening up your owner’s manual and flipping to the page that talks about towing. The owner’s manual for your machine should generally be the first place you check as it will be advice specifically tailored to your machines make and model.

Each tractor and trailer are different. For example, some mowers will recommend not towing anything at all with them. Other more heavy-duty or commercial options will tow just about anything you throw at them. That being said, let’s look into some of the more general factors that relate to all mower setups.

Terrain

The terrain you are towing on can greatly impact your tractor’s performance. Here are some examples:

• Hills/Inclines – Towing up a hill will effectively increase the load on your tractor and ultimately lead to it being able to tow less than the max you would be able to on level ground. Try to avoid inclines with a slope greater than 10% all together to help avoid damaging your mower. Most owner manuals should contain a slope guide that can be referred to for your specific model of tractor.
• Downhill/Declines – Towing downhill will effectively lessen the pulling required for the load, yes, but it can get dangerous if you don’t have the appropriate braking power and give yourself enough distance to come to a complete stop when needed. Always take extra levels of caution when towing downhill.
• Wet/muddy – The ground being wet and muddy while towing can cause you to lose traction while towing. Towing through mud (and the resistance on your wheels that comes with it) can effectively decreasing your towing capacity as well.
• Rugged/Uneven – Towing on rugged and uneven terrain will mostly have an impact on the quality and smoothness of the ride. But at the same time, your tractor having to pull the load over and through obstacles on uneven terrain can lead to stress on your mower and result in you ultimately being able to tow less.

Horsepower or Torque?

There is definitely a debate for what is more important when towing – horsepower or torque? At the end of the day, both are important when towing with a lawn mower (and trucks!) but they both have separate purposes.

In this case, torque is more important. When searching for riding lawn mowers to use for towing applications, make sure to go for one with a higher torque rating when possible.

Drivetrain

Transmissions play a large role when it comes to pulling with a tractor. You will want to make sure when towing larger loads (350+ lbs) you will not want to depress the forward travel pedal no more than halfway to avoid transmission damage. Always run a tractor at full throttle when PTO is engaged and you are towing loads.

Braking Ability

Classic farmer logic is “if you can get it moving, you’re fine”. While I appreciate the commitment to getting the job done, that’s only half of what the saying should be. Making sure you can brake and come to a complete stop when necessary (ESPECIALLY when towing downhill) is extremely important.

Residential lawn and garden tractors most commonly have a transaxle disc-brake stem designed for only the weight of the tractor on slight grades. Add in a heavy load and a downward slope, you could be in trouble. Make sure your brakes are up to par and test accordingly before giving them a heavy workload.

Towing Safety

Safety should always be the top priority when operating equipment and towing with your lawn mower is no different. Here are 10 of the most important aspects to look out for to make sure you are towing with a tractor safely.

1. Stopping – Yes, we just covered braking ability, but it’s so important I’m kicking this list off with it. Your stopping distance will be increased with the weight of and speed of what you’re towing. Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to stop.
2. Neutral – Be very cautious not to put your tractor in neutral when on a decline. And try to not coast at all when towing.
3. Turning Sharply – Turning can be very different when towing a heavy load. Make sure you keep your head on a swivel and are paying attention when turning on adverse terrain.
4. Do not allow children (or other people) on or in your equipment when operating.
5. Hitches and accessories – Make sure you are only using hitches that are approved for use with your specific tractor. It is not recommended you attach towing equipment anywhere except for the approved hitching point.
6. Manufacturers Recommendations – Always make sure to read your owners manual and follow any specific manufacturers safety recommendations for your specific machine.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, you should always be referring to your machine’s owners manual for specific recommendations when it comes to towing. Each lawn mower can be different and unique in their own ways. Nobody knows them better than the people who built them.

So, can you use a lawn mower in the rain? No, you should not use a lawn mower in the rain. It will almost always yield poor cutting results and potentially damage your lawn mower. Moisture is problematic for the mowers metal parts, its fuel tank, and parts of its engine.

You might be thinking to yourself ‘Yeah I figured, but just one time can’t be that bad right?” There are actually a lot of factors that make it a bad idea to mow the lawn when it’s raining.

Results of Using a Lawn Mower in the Rain

Will my lawnmower be ok in the rain? In short, it’s not good for it, but your mower will most likely be OK if it’s rained on for a short period of time. Lawnmowers are designed so that water falling down on them will run off and be reverted to make sure it doesn’t affect critical components of the mower. Most people even spray their mowers off with a hose to clean them (just make sure to avoid spraying the engine directly).

That being said, actively using your lawnmower in the rain can be damaging as I stated earlier. Below are three of the biggest reasons why:

Spark Plugs

The spark plug is an electrical device that gets power via an induction coil that is connected to the engine flywheel. Spark plugs are responsible for igniting the fuel in the combustion chamber. Your spark plug cover not being tight, or moisture building up in general, can cause your spark plug to not fire or foul out.

If your spark plug is firing poorly, the engine will not operate optimally. Fortunately, spark plugs are generally easy to clean or replace when necessary.

Water In Your Fuel

Getting water in the gas line, fuel tank, in through a loose oil cap, etc can cause critical performance problems.

Short Term Effects

• Poor performance
• Running and stopping
• Hard stopping

Long term effects

• Corrosion in the fuel lines
• Corrosion in the tank
• Corrosion in carburetor

Air Intake

Water getting into your mowers air intake causing water to get sucked into the cylinder. This creates the potential for water to leak past the rings and into the sump. This is a bit of a stretch for most mowers, but it is possible.

Safety Hazards

Wet grass can be very slippery and ultimately a safety hazard. Especially when mowing on slopes. Take extra precaution to make sure both you and your mower have good footing/traction at all times.

Will Mowing Wet Grass Ruin my Lawn Mower?

Cutting wet grass almost always leads to poor quality results. The grass will be cut uneven, your feet and tires can leave impressions in the soggy soil, and disease can spread quickly. The grass might look even worse after you’re done. Which usually leads to more work in the long run.

Mowing wet grass will not necessarily ruin your mower immediately, but it has some short and long term affects that prove to not be ideal for almost all mowers.

• Wet grass typically gets clogged up under the mower deck. The clumping is even worse if you are mulching the clippings and not shooting them out the side or bagging them. The wet clippings lead to corrosion, which can lead to rust long term.
• Wet and clogged up grass will get stuck on the bottom of the mower deck and eventually get caked on there. The moisture buildup can lead to mold on the bottom of your mower deck.
• If the grass clippings get so clogged that they start disrupt the rotation of the blades, it can end up causing a great deal of stress on the engine of your mower as it has to work extra hard to power through it.

Does It Matter If Its a Push Mower vs. Ride-On?

For the most part, ride-on mowers are more powerful, more rigid, and should overall handle most weather conditions better. This is also the case for powering through grass clippings that are clogging mower beds. Ride-on mowers increased power results in less stress on the engine when mowing in the rain.

That being said, the mold, corrosion, and eventually rust buildup are also an issue with ride-on mowers. That being said, routine maintenance on the mower deck (especially after mowing wet grass) will do wonders in preventing these issues long term.

Can You Use an Electric Lawn Mower in the Rain?

No. Every manufacturer of electric lawn mowers user manual will say to avoid operation when it is raining. It is not only damaging to your mower but is a serious hazard for personal injury to the operator. This is especially the case for electric mowers that require an extension cord for operation.

The chances of someone getting significant injuries from using an electric lawn mower in rain may be low (the mower will most likely be being powered by a 120V house current), but it is always best to use caution. I also recommend ensuring you are using a UL listed outdoor-rated extension cord that has 3 prongs to make sure you have a good ground.

What about the cordless/battery-powered electric mowers? For the most part, the battery-operated mowers are safer than the corded across the board. The batteries and electrical components are sealed in a heavy-duty plastic away from the operator. In addition, the DC powered battery most likely wouldn’t have enough voltage to cause serious harm regardless.

In Case You Need to Mow a Wet Lawn

There may end up being a time that you absolutely have to mow the lawn, despite it being wet or a light rain outside. I get it, the in-laws are coming over tomorrow morning and you promised your wife you would fix up the lawn beforehand.

For those of you in a similar situation, here are some tips to make sure you get the best out of a wet/rainy mow:

1. Make sure your mower blades are sharp (new blades would be ideal). You’re already going to have a poor quality cut from the grass being wet, having a dull blade will make it worse and harmful to your turf.
2. Raise your mower deck. Cutting the grass at a higher height will help keep the bottom of the deck from getting clogged and lead to less stress on your engine.
3. Add a stabilizer to your gasoline. Stabilizers are designed to repel water and limit evaporation.
4. Use a side shoot when mowing. Mulching doesn’t work well with wet grass, and clogging up your bag isn’t ideal.
5. Cleaning/clearing underneath your mower deck as needed between passes. This will help reduce stress on your mower and keep it running smoothly.
6. Rake up the clippings after mowing. If your clippings being discharged out the side ended up in piles, they can smother out the grass they are sitting on.
7. *If you are getting too much buildup under your deck, try only mowing about half as wide “stripes” or passes as you normally would. Reducing the amount of grass being cut as time will help clear the cluttered and lead to a better blade rotation.

Ultimately, waiting until after it has stopped raining and the grass has dried, will always be the best option. Can you get away with mowing when it’s raining or wet sometimes? Will several homeowners and professionals say they mow when it’s wet/raining all the time? Sure they will.

There’s always going to be a gray area, handy people who do stuff regardless. But I think it’s important to make sure everyone has an understanding of the best and most safe practices when it comes to mowing in the rain.

So, do lawn mower blades come sharpened? Yes, they do. Most, if not all, new lawn mower blades are ready to use right out of the box. They might not seem sharp to the touch and might even feel a little blunt. That is how they were designed, built, and delivered straight from the factory.

I’m assuming you googled whether or not lawn mower blades come sharpened because you have just picked up a new set or are about to. If that’s the case, you’re in luck. Keep reading for a bunch more information regarding your new lawn mower blades.

Do You Need to Sharpen New Lawn Mower Blades?

The question is often debated whether it is actually necessary to sharpen new lawn mower blades. After all, why do new mower blades seem dull? First impressions of a new blade would seem they need to be sharpened because they appear rather dull or blunt when they have the factory paint on them.

The paint on new lawn mower blades is there to prevent rusting, among other things and does not actually have an adverse effect on the performance of new lawn mower blades. In fact, after the first couple passes mowed with the new blades, the paint will be worn off.

I understand the underwhelming “sharpness to the touch” of new blades doesn’t exactly give the buyer confidence, especially for the less seasoned grass cutters out there. You will find that they are sharp enough for a significant uptick in performance from the dull blades you replaced!

While this is also not common, I have seen examples of people who choose to sharpen their new lawn mower blades and then subsequently spray paint them. The logic of that is naturally flawed. The spray paint job, which we assume is to prevent things like rust developing, will come off after the first few passes with the mower.

All you really need to do is take those new mower blades out of the box, bolt them on your mower and enjoy the mow! When you do eventually decide to sharpen the blades – try not to change the angle that blade was originally sharpened at. That is an important detail we will expand on later.

How To Know When Lawn Mower Blades Need Sharpened?

Now that we cleared up that new lawn mower blades come sharpened – let’s talk about when you’ve put some miles on those bad boys and they get a little dull.

It is almost always the case that the lawn itself will tell you when to sharpen your mower blades. The best way to go about that is to take a blade of grass after you have just cut it and do a brief inspection of the quality of the cut.

If you establish that it is a nice clean cut at the top of the blade of grass, then your blade is in good shape. If you find that the blade of grass is frayed at the edge, as if it was torn instead of cut, then it is most likely time to consider sharpening your mower blades.

Most experts agree that grass is more prone to disease when it has a poor quality of cut. Secondly, your lawn is probably going to have a brown tinge to it two or three days after you have cut – if the cut is not clean, and let’s be honest, that’s the LAST thing people who are passionate about their lawn want.

It is also a good idea to sharpen your lawn mower blades before the first cut of the mowing season. This will be beneficial for the very start of spring when you’re cutting the delicate grass just beginning its growth spurt out of winter.

If you are decent at avoiding roots, rocks, and other obstacles that dull your blades our quicker, you will probably only have to sharpen the blades two or three times during the growing season.

How To Sharpen a Lawn Mower Blade

REMINDER – Before you get started, make sure there is no way the engine can fire on you while removing a blade. Do yourself a favor and remove the spark plug wire. This step is extremely important.

One way to sharpen your mower blade is with a metal file. It is a common way to go about it and is also generally safe. Firstly, you can put the blade in the vice or clamp, which holds it firmly in place if you tighten it properly.

It is very important to trace the angle on the blade, to ensure that it stays the same. You should only ever stroke the blade in one direction when doing the sharpening. Keep going at that same angle until you get all of the nicks out of the blade.

If you do have a cordless drill you can actually get an attachment on it to help sharpen your blades quicker and make the process less manual. You could also use a handheld angle grinder or bench grinder. Keep in mind each of these options can be more efficient, but add additional safety hazards.

Balancing New and Used Lawn Mower Blades

New lawn mower blades should come balanced from the factory. The might not be perfect, but they will definitely be good enough to get the job done. You really only need to worry about balancing blades when you sharpen them yourself.

Whatever options for sharpening you choose, it is recommended to then go through the process of balancing your blades. Luckily, lawn mower blade balancers are generally cheap and simple to use. You simply place the blade on the balancer and further sharpen the side of the blade that hangs lower until the blade is balanced in the center.

The point is that the same amount of sharpening work needs to be done on both sides of the blade. One side of the blade should not be heavier than the other. An unbalanced lawn mower blade could cause damage to your machine over time and provide a less than desirable results when cutting the grass.

Things to Look Out For When Putting On New Lawn Mower Blades

Believe it or not, there is actually a wrong and right way to put a new lawn mower blade on. Installing a lawn mower blade the wrong way could be potentially damaging to you, your lawn mower, and most importantly, your lawn (just kidding).

The most common mistake when installing a new blade is putting it on upside down. Blades that are installed upside down are not going to be cutting your grass, they are going to be tearing and ripping it off. Which as we discussed earlier, is bad for your lawn.

Most Lawn Mower Blades come with a wing and that wing should always be pointed up, not down. When the wing of the blade is pointed down, it makes you extra prone to catch sticks, rocks, and other projectiles when mowing. This is not ideal for obvious reasons.

Catching projectiles with your blades can do more than be a safety hazard and dull your blade, you could damage your flywheel key. That is certainly a problem you want and need to avoid and thirdly you could bend your crankshaft. That is obviously a worst-case scenario though. It is still a potential scenario nevertheless.

Always double-check that your blade is tightened to your mower correctly. I highly recommend using a torque wrench and following your particular mower’s manual when doing so.

You may or may not notice your lawn mower giving you signs that the blade is installed correctly. This is why it’s important to always make sure you’re inspecting the grass your cutting after every few passes.

In conclusion, you don’t need to sharpen new lawn mower blades, but you do need to make sure you install them correctly.

So the question is “can you use autumn lawn feed in spring?” You will not want to apply an autumn fertilizer in spring if you are looking for the best results. Autumn lawn feeds contain a high quantity of phosphates and potassium to make your lawn stronger at the grassroots. These will not work well in spring due to your lawn needing nutrients that help push top growth.

That being said, applying autumn lawn feed in the spring will not necessarily hurt your lawn, but it will not provide the type of results homeowners typically look for in the spring. There is more to consider when making the choice of what lawn feed to use.

Having the right lawn feed will not do much good if it is not coupled with other lawn care activities. In this article, I will guide you through choosing the right lawn feed to use in spring as well as other cool tricks you can apply to give yourself a green, magnificent and healthy-looking lawn.

Knowing The Right Lawn Feed to Use

With so many brands to choose from and crazy marketing spins deterring your decision making, it can be overwhelming to know what to buy. But first things first, you have to know exactly what you’re looking for.

In spring, the grass is just starting to grow back again after going through a harsh, cold winter. While it might be tempting to pump your lawn with feed at this point, you should go a little easy on the fertilizing process.

Too much fertilizer too late in the spring can lead to a rapid growth that can stress the grass and make it have a hard time surviving the hot summer in northern lawns.

What you need to do is to feed your grass on a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer that will encourage steady growth over the next couple of months. When applied, slow-release fertilizers will last between 8-12 weeks, which helps ease your lawn into the summer conditions that are much warmer.

The reason why autumn lawn feeds are not effective for use in spring is that they are usually made to prepare the grass for the cold, icy conditions of winter. They are not made to be particularly good at boosting top growth which provides no benefits when winter is coming and the grass will have a hard time growing in the freezing temperatures.

Instead, autumn lawn feed specifically aims to increase root strength by using their high phosphate and potassium content that is known to improve root strength, length, and diameter. This stronger root system helps the lawn survive winter and be healthy turf come springtime.

At What Point In Spring Should You Apply Spring Lawn Feed?

While most fertilizer brands will encourage you to start the application process early on in spring, this is generally not favorable for your lawn. Cool-season grasses will normally hit their growth peak during late spring; so, it is recommended to start fertilizing around late May and early June as the grass begins to grow intensely.

During the first few months of spring, the grass will naturally be building up carbohydrate reserves in the roots, meaning that much of its growth effort is dedicated to growing its root system. Finally, when summer comes, the nutrients it stored during early spring will then be directed toward growing the shoots.

In any case, if you fertilized your lawn during the last autumn, then the grass will still have some spare nutrients to keep it looking healthy on top.

How to Apply Your Fertilizer

Professional landscapers will typically apply spray fertilizer in a short amount of time with their special equipment. However, if this is not something you do as your day job, then the best option is to use granular fertilizers.

These are best applied during overcast days when the temperatures are not high or during days that forecast a rain downpour. In addition, it is better to spread the granules in the morning when the grass still has some dew glazed on it.

You might want to consider watering your lawn when applying fertilizers because the water will help to dissolve the granules for quicker absorption into the soil. However, be sure to find out whether you need to water your lawn before or after you apply the fertilizers by reading the package or asking your retailer.

To apply the granules, use either a broadcast spreader or a drop spreader to evenly distribute the fertilizer. Make sure that the spreader doesn’t drop large amounts of granules in a single spot as these will scorch that area of the lawn.

How Much Fertilizer Should I Apply?

All fertilizers will have a label on their package depicting their level of nutrients. You will see the letters NPK (standing for Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium) and how much of each is contained in the mixture.

For a spring feed, a combination of 20-5-10 will be sufficient. This means that the fertilizer to look out for is one with 20% Nitrogen, 5% Phosphorus, and 10% Potassium. Don’t forget that.

Remember that the feed you are looking for is a “slow-release fertilizer” so you will have the liberty to wait about 8 weeks before your second application. Lawn expert Jeff Turnbull says that sometimes, your third application should be switched up from chemical lawn fertilizer to organic content such as manure.

What Else Can I Do To Maintain My Lawn In Spring?

Mowing

One of the best things you can ever do for your lawn is to mow it regularly and correctly. As the weather gets warmer during spring, the grass will start to grow at a faster rate. The length at which you should cut your grass is determined by your grass type and the time of year.

You should avoid cutting the grass too short (also known as scalping your grass) as this exposes it to the onset of weeds and moss and can be very stressful on your lawn.

Be sure to also use a sharp mowing blade, as a blunt one will simply tear off the grasstops leaving them looking dull brown and exposed to diseases.

Raking your lawn is something that you’ll be happy about as time goes on. However, try to be gentle while raking the lawn in spring because the soil is still quite soggy and the grass shoots are somewhat tender and can be ripped out or damaged easily.

Overseeding

Overseeding means spreading seeds all over your lawn. The process helps to give your lawn a thicker appearance especially if it was severely damaged during the winter. Overseeding can be done in both spring and fall, but for the best results, I recommend the fall.

Aeration

The process of aeration entails creating small holes into the soil of your lawn. It works well when done together with overseeding, and allows your fertilizer as well as air and water to gain better access to the grassroots.

Watering

As your grass starts growing in spring, remember to keep watering it, in addition to the fertilizer you applied. A healthy dose of water is about one inch per week, and you can reduce this amount gradually as you approach summer.

Needless to say, if you are receiving plenty of rain, then hold back on the sprinkler. If you water the lawn excessively, weeds start to grow and the roots will eventually begin to drown and die away causing a gloomy-looking lawn.

Scarification

Debris and material like moss and thatch might quickly stop your lawn from achieving that thick, deluxe appearance. One way to solve this problem is by taking out the unwanted material before you start applying the fertilizer or carrying out overseeding.

However, it is important to note that during early spring, the grass is more tender and can be damaged with heavy scarification, so be gentle at it and proceed with caution.

Related Questions

What is the difference between autumn and spring lawn feed?

The distinction is really found in the number of nutrients that have been packed in there. Autumn fertilizers typically have an NPK ratio of 3-3-12 or 3-3-6, meaning they are richer in potassium than anything else. On the other hand, spring fertilizers are richer in nitrogen and contain an NPK ratio of about 12-3-12.

My grass got damaged during winter. Do I have to wait till late spring to apply fertilizer?

If the damage was extreme, you can apply a one-time moderate dose of a fast release spring lawn fertilizer. Done with an appropriate level of watering, this will reinvigorate the appearance of your lawn within 4-6 weeks.

Should you mow the lawn while pregnant? The answer is yes, you are safe to mow the lawn while pregnant, but this all depends on the circumstances of your individual pregnancy. There is no one size fits all answer, so you must be very in tune with your body and use common sense when it comes to making this decision.

Remember, it is important to always consult with your physician when it comes to questions regarding your pregnancy. Read on to learn more about mowing the lawn while pregnant.

Mowing the lawn while pregnant: what is safe?

It’s generally safe to mow the lawn during a healthy pregnancy if you listen to your body’s signals. In fact, remaining physically active while pregnant is important and often encouraged by doctors, as it can decrease or alleviate symptoms of depression or anxiety, release endorphins- the “feel-good” hormones, prevent extra weight gain, and even make the delivery process easier.

Physical activity in pregnancy has minimal risks and has been shown to be beneficial to most women, however, there are some modifications that might be necessary due to anatomic changes or fetal changes/requirements.

Mowing the lawn can be considered a form of exercise, therefore it is safe to do while pregnant. However, there are some precautions and considerations when assessing whether to mow the lawn while pregnant. In a low-risk pregnancy, mowing the lawn is a physical activity that is super reasonable as long you take appropriate rest times and stay hydrated while out in the sun.

Honestly, you should really be aware of the same warning signs of overexertion the same way you would if you were working out while not pregnant.

Fitness Levels

Be very honest with yourself about your fitness levels pre-pregnancy and during pregnancy. If you are a gym junkie or a huge fan of the healthy lifestyle and had all these habits set in place before you got pregnant, you might be the most well-equipped person (on paper) to mow the lawn while pregnant. As long as mowing the lawn doesn’t go above and beyond a pre-pregnancy fitness routine then you should likely be in the clear.

It is particularly unsafe to implement any new or crazy workouts into your routine while pregnant if they were not a part of your routine beforehand. If you never mowed the lawn before pregnancy then it doesn’t make much sense for you to start while pregnant.

Factors to Consider

Aside from your fitness levels, make sure you are paying attention to other outside factors before deciding to mow the lawn while pregnant. For example, your decision should be made on other things like if you have a riding or push powered lawn power, the difficulty of the job based on the size or landscape of your lawn, the weather, and how you’re feeling that day overall.

Avoid mowing if you experience pain, light-headedness, or unusual bleeding or discharge. Pregnant women who are on bedrest or have high-risk pregnancies should definitely not be mowing the lawn.

If you have allergic reactions to grass, pollen, or other outdoor elements you should not expose yourself or your baby to those reactions. Additionally, if you find loud noises or vibrations troubling then it might heighten your anxiety levels and affect the baby’s health as a result.

Can Mowing the Lawn Induce Labor?

If you are that late into your pregnancy, you probably shouldn’t be doing anything requiring much physical exertion. However, if you are determined to be active up until your due date and looking for activities that might even induce labor then cutting the grass can do the trick!

However, a good walk is most likely just as effective. Again, it really depends on the person and their awareness of their physical limits. As long as you are paying attention to those limits you will likely be just fine.

What physical activities should I avoid while pregnant?

You can mow the lawn while pregnant but there are certainly other activities you should stray away from as they pose a higher risk for injury. Here are a few activities you should avoid altogether while pregnant.

Heavyweight Training

Heavyweights can strain your back and pelvis and increase your chances of prolapse. If you have to hold something heavy try bracing your core when lifting and holding the object close to your body. If you love lifting weights, go for lighter dumbbells to reduce potential strain or seek guidance from a professional.

Certain Yoga Positions

Yoga is a great exercise both mentally and physically which means it might be hard for some to eliminate from their daily routine. You don’t have to give it up completely but rather make modifications to movements or avoid certain ones. Any position that requires a lot of twisting should be avoided in addition to belly-down postures, full inversions, and backbends.

Exercises on the Stomach

Lying on your stomach is uncomfortable for pregnant women and has the potential to injure the baby, especially after the first trimester.

Saunas and Hot Tubs

Too much time spent in saunas or hot tubs can increase the chances of birth defects through infectious ailments if the water, tub or sauna is not properly cleaned.

Amusement Rides

Rides and rollercoasters that have a forceful take-off or landing can potentially harm the baby as well as the mother. If they are too rough, avoid them.

Running and Jogging

There is a caveat to this! Light running or jogging is okay to do if it was a part of your exercise routine or a healthy habit for you before your pregnancy. However, it should not be introduced as a new form of exercise during your pregnancy, especially if you do not have proper form or technique.

High Impact Aerobics

Although they are great for burning calories, these exercises can increase the likeliness of falling and injuring joints and ligaments which balance your body.

Downhill Skiing and Snowboarding

These can be especially dangerous regardless of whether you are pregnant! Do not try these sports with a baby in tow as you risk falling and severely injuring yourself if not properly trained. Even if you are an expert, your center of gravity and balancing capabilities could suffer as your pregnancy and weight progress throughout the second and third trimesters.

Scuba-Diving, Surfing or Water-Skiing

Like downhill skiing and snowboarding, these can be very dangerous sports if you are not properly trained, whether on water or land. Air bubbles can form in the bloodstream and put the baby at risk. High-impact falls off a water-ski or surfboard can also pose great risks, and decompression of air during scuba diving can have a major impact on the health of the baby.

Horseback Riding

Again, this is a high-risk sport. If a horse gets spooked he/she can forcefully kick the person riding it off, causing severe injury or even death on impact.

Final Thoughts

Overall, mowing the lawn while pregnant is safe to do as long as the mother considers various factors and elements and listens to her body’s natural signals. As a general rule of thumb, if the activity is high-risk whether or not a woman is pregnant, they should most definitely not attempt that activity while pregnant. Common sense is key in this particular situation!