H2-NO or H2-GO, the Best/Worst Time to Water and Mow Your Landscapes

Besides the season when you do your yardwork and groundskeeping, the time of day is just as important to maximize your efforts and yield the best results. Below are the generally agreed upon best and worst time to Mow, Plant, and Water your lawns and flowerbeds:

Lawns and other Landscapes

Mowing

Best - The best time of the day to mow is typically between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. By these hours the grass has typically dried from the morning dew.

Worst - The worst time is 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. and between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. The early morning grass is still rich with dew and can create mower clogs. The hottest part of the day can lead to scourging and damaging the grass.

Watering

Best - Early morning is typically the ideal time. It will allow the most amount of water to seep into the soil and reach the root system. Once absorbed, the grass system now has more water to deal with the hottest part of the day.

Worst - It is a myth that watering midday will create scorching from the sun by the sun being amplified through water droplets, however, midday is the worst because most of the water will evaporate before doing any good.

Flowers and other Plants

Planting

Best - A quiet time of day, one when the plant will have time to recover before a full day of sunshine. All plants suffer a bit of transplant shock, resulting in slightly wilted leaves until it acclimates to its new space.

Worst - The worst would be whenever the plant is in direct full sunlight immediately. Being in the sun while in transplant shock could create permanent damage.

Watering

Best - Similar to watering the lawn, early mornings will present the best opportunity for water to reach the rooting system.

Worst - Watering your flowers or other plants at night could be the worst time as the excess water makes damp leaves more vulnerable to fungal growth and mold.